Tail styles
Flexible and strong, the horse’s tail is part of his spinal column. It is made up of approximately 18 vertebrae – some horses have more, others have fewer. The bones are progressively smaller from the root of the tail to the tip; the last one is pointed. The best method of pet grooming to maintain a tail’s good looks and function is to keep it clean and in top condition. Unfortunately, though tail skin feels tough and those hairs look impenetrable, the equine tail isn’t immune to injury and disease. But conscientious care can make the difference between lush and scraggly.
Pet grooming the tail generally begins with simply brushing out foreign material, snarls and tangles, sometimes with the aid of a detangling product or a simple hair oil. For pleasure riding, this is all that is usually done. Horses used in exhibition or competition may have far more extensive grooming. However, the tail’s main purpose is fly protection, however, certain types of show grooming can inhibit the use of this natural defence.
Tail banging.
Banging a tail means to cut it off blunt at the bottom. Traditionally horses’ tails were banged to avoid them becoming soiled and straggly at the bottom. Horses ridden dressage will often have their tails banged, but if your horse’s tail is on the short side, banging it may only make it look shorter.
Banging a tail is not just a matter of chopping it off at the bottom. Before you begin pay attention to how high your horse carries its tail while it is trotting. Some horses carry their tails quite high, while other keep their tails flatter. You want the cut to be parallel to the ground while the horse is moving. If you just chop it off while the horse is standing, when the horse is moving the tail will look uneven. The banged tail should end about 4” (10cm) to 5” (12cm) below the hocks. Any shorter may detract from the look of the tail. You may want to mark it with a little piece of masking tape or a chalk mark before you cut. Better to leave the tail too long, than cut it off too short.
Tail clipping.
Sometimes, the sides of the dock are clipped, to a point about halfway down the dock, where the tail “turns over” when the horse is in motion, and the rest of the tail is kept long. This results in a finer appearance, and shows off the horse’s hindquarters. This style of pet grooming is most commonly seen in dressage and at times in eventing. Polo horses played in competition often have their docks trimmed or shaved, and skirt is braided, folded up on the tailbone, and tied off with a lock of hair excluded from the braid, taped, or both.