Tail Growth Help...Ideas Please

[luckydoublesranch]

Hi everybody!
Just wondering what great methods you all have in your arsenal of knowledge for stimulating tail growth?

I have used a few methods, but would love some new and different ideas for getting some long luscious locks!!....???? :):):)

Thank-you in advance!

[JackieB]

Poor Buster has a rather ratty looking tail. :) I'll use Show Sheen to detangle it, but that's it.

[missdixie]

I tried MTG before but it made my horse smell like bacon and gave her hives :doh: I saw this new product pack at Schneiders though that is supposed to be really really effective and is guaranteed to grow your horse's mane and tail something like 2 inches a month- but its 80 bucks.

[pandorasmom]

Panda's tail kept getting shorter and shorter. I kept combing it out every few days and wondered why. I talked to the people on here, and they said not to comb it at all hardly. So, I've not be combing it at all and it's surprisingly growing more, so I'm keeping fingers crossed.
That's the only "Tail" growing I've done. LOL

[WP~Paint]

I have some MTG but always forget to apply it to Yogi's tail :( I have seen that new pack in Schneiders, but when I saw the price, I turned the page!

[OwnedByOurHorses]

I know the best thing is to just leave it be, only comb through when needed. yet I will tell you that when my daughter's horse's tail became to dried out during the summer I started put infusium 23
(repair)ologie leave in conditioner in it .It became the most thickest tail I have ever seen along going from a black tail with red sun bleaching back to solid black tail

[luv2show]

Honestly... I think the combing has nothing to do with shortening the tail IF your horses tail is strong and conditioned properly.

Here is a picture I took last night of Tanners tail. I just took it out of the tail bag and unbraided. No brush has went through his tail yet, I just shook it around with my fingers and then took a picture. I did however, spray some Mane 'N Tail on it before I was going to condition it further, rebraid it and then Put it back in the tail bag. So it's not frizzy, it's naturally thick.... & that applies for his mane and forlock, too lol.
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=594&pictureid=7003

[HaveFaith]

If I had a tail, I'd want it to look like that!

I did use MTG on Faith's mane when the guy I bought her from chopped it back 8 inches down her neck. You can't tell it from the rest of her mane now and it hangs down 3 or 4 inches below the bottom of her neck.

I put it on Sissy's tail, too, and it seems longer and thicker. She's never had much of a tail.

[HeartofSteel]

Over combing or brushing does pull out alot of hairs that could have been spared. Niko has a monster of a tail and I usually braid it because it's very thick and very long (he stepped on it before and now I extra cautious lol), but I prefer to leave natural as much as possible because I have had the most positive growth with that.
My old horse got small mud balls on the ends of her tail last year and I couldn't get them off so I just left them until spring because they dried as hard as rock. When spring came her tail was touching the ground from the extra weight of the mud beads lol. I still couldn't get them off though, even soaking them didn't work so I ended up having to trim an inch off but it was still long :)

[cloedoll]

I agree with Ashley because Cloe's tail is very healthy, thick, & long and I comb through it every day. I don't have any tricks really, so I'm not much help...

[Lynn_70]

MTG does work to help hair grow faster but it is quite stinky also....
LC

[Remali]

I never use a comb on the mane or tail, I occasionally use a soft brush and I start at the bottom and work my way up, but I don't brush it very often, if ever....I actually "comb" it out with my fingers. Some of those spray-on conditioners can actually be sort of drying to the hair too, leading to breakage.

But, I sure would love some miracle stuff to promote tail/hair growth too (Rogaine for horses?!!).....they had to trim Nessa's tail last year after the weanlings chewed on it, so she has a bit of a bob-tail now.... :(

[Dixie]

Be very careful with MTG. I have several friends that used it and the tail sloughed right off, skin and hair. Some horses seem to be sensitive to it, so they end up losing their entire tail...it's gross and ugly.

Washing, conditioning, braiding and keeping it upiin a bag or wrap help them grow. But it should be redone at the very least 1-2x a week.

[luckydoublesranch]

Thanks everyone!

For the most part everyone here has a pretty full tail, but I have a few that I would like to "inspire" to grow a bit more. My one gelding is a tank and then has this wussy little tail. I'm thinking I'll try the whole tail bagging and braiding route. Do you ever have any problems with the MTG bothering the horses after applying it, braiding and bagging? Also, do you only apply the MTG to the tail head?

Also, has any one ever had any luck with braiding forelocks and getting results?? Magic's is pretty long and I love it. Would love to see some more growth... :)

Thank you again!

[luckydoublesranch]

Be very careful with MTG. I have several friends that used it and the tail sloughed right off, skin and hair. Some horses seem to be sensitive to it, so they end up losing their entire tail...it's gross and ugly.

Washing, conditioning, braiding and keeping it upiin a bag or wrap help them grow. But it should be redone at the very least 1-2x a week.

OMG!!! I must have been writing my last post when you posted this reply. WOW!!! I had never heard anything like that before! Everyone and their brother has told me "Use MTG"!! We've used it a lot on rescues coming in with old boo boos that need hair regrowth, but I had never tried it to stimulate tail growth. GOOD to know! Eeeeek! Could you imagine!?? :rant:

[luckydoublesranch]

I never use a comb on the mane or tail, I occasionally use a soft brush and I start at the bottom and work my way up, but I don't brush it very often, if ever....I actually "comb" it out with my fingers. Some of those spray-on conditioners can actually be sort of drying to the hair too, leading to breakage.

But, I sure would love some miracle stuff to promote tail/hair growth too (Rogaine for horses?!!).....they had to trim Nessa's tail last year after the weanlings chewed on it, so she has a bit of a bob-tail now.... :(

LOL! I hear ya! Our little ones LOVE to groom everyone in the pasture with them. I have 2 or 3 out there right now that have beautiful forelock and manes up until about 6 inches in front of their withers were the youngins' have groomed the hair away!! UGH! :(

[zoel_222]

I take absolutely terrible care of my horse's tails. LOL I'll brush the dirt out and shampoo it, but I hate combing their tails. All my horses came to me with their tails in horrible shape so I've never really wanted to take the time to fully work it out and make it all pretty and silky. I did that with Chica's twice I guess. The only tail I brush regularly is Hopi because she's young and there's still time lol.

My friend brushes her Freisan's tail 4 days a week and uses the mane and tail detangler and his tail is absolutely stunning. It's so thick and shiny, it looks just like luv2show's Tanner's tail.

I've also heard of scary stuff happening from MTG. I'd never use it just because of all the horror stories I've heard.

[offgridgirl]

I have been using the Scheider's spray for a few months. I haven't seen any bad effects. I just sprits and hand comb the ends. I get the top of the tail head to lay flat if it's sticking-up/out. I do rinse with witch hazel to stop them itching and removing the new hair

[luvs2ride1979]

I have tried MTG and other topicals. None really worked much. I have a few things that DO work though.

First and foremost, a good diet. Lots of quality hay, pasture, and a general vitamin supplement. Feeds high in sugars/starch seem to make the hair brittle, so the more "natural" you can get the diet, the better.

To a well balanced diet I add a hoof supplement and flax. The same things that help hoof growth also help hair growth! I'm using BioFlax20 with extra flax from http://www.horsetech.com It seems to be working well!

Do NOT brush the tail with a comb or hair brush. I use a body brush and my fingers for regular grooming.

If you can, keep the tail up in a bag. Only take it down and re-do it once every 1-2 weeks. Wash and condition the tail, then re-braid it and put it back up. Make sure the tail is DRY before putting back in the tail bag. I think this is cruel and unusual if you live where there's lots of flies, so use a good fly sheet during the summer.

If your horses are like mine and won't keep a tail bag in, then use plenty of Cowboy Magic (or similar) to repel mud and dirt and wash/condition every 3-5 weeks, weather permitting. I've used lots of different shampoos and conditioners. They all seem to work fine, lol. I use Cowboy Magic or similar product at least once a month, to keep tangles to a minimum.

My APPALOOSA'S mane and tail:
http://www.barbarasdomain.com/main/images/photoalbum/2/temp3077.jpg

Anglo Arabian (TBxArab), ungroomed condition. I have to trim his mane and forelock, otherwise it gets too long.
http://www.barbarasdomain.com/main/images/photoalbum/3/mark2.jpg

I keep both horses' tail cut just below the fetlock. We get mud here pretty bad, at any given time during the year, lol. If their tails go to the ground, the get mud balls and the hair breaks off. :huh:

[luckydoublesranch]

I have tried MTG and other topicals. None really worked much. I have a few things that DO work though...

Ok, the MTG is now WAY out of the picture...I'm still in horror of imagining a tail sloughing off! Eeeek! The horses are on a great diet as of now and all have beautiful coats, most have dapples, and for the most part manes and tails look great! I just have those few that I would like to "help along". I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them so you all can see and we can watch the "progress". (A good way to introduce some of the family too!) :) I just bought a few tail bags to try, so I think I will use a good conditioning spray, brush and finger detangle, braid, then bag and see what results we get. I've been using "Sante Fe" conditioning spray for a while now and it seems to have no alcohol, petroleums etc. and I love the smell too!

I also run into the the mud balls and breakage with our haflinger mare and TB...UGH!!

Thank you!! :cowboy:

[luvs2ride1979]

Be careful with tail bags around babies. I have seen young horses CHEW OFF the tail bags! So now you have a horse with NO TAIL! YIKES! lol If you have known tail chewers, then keep the tail bags off horses that are with them, lol.

My mare was sensitive to MTG. It made the skin on her tail flakey, but she kept her hair thank goodness. It's the sulfur in it that some horses are allergic to, or develop an allergy to later on.

Hair Moisturizer I have heard is a good one for tail bags, and Infusiam 23 from the drug store.

[luckydoublesranch]

Be careful with tail bags around babies. I have seen young horses CHEW OFF the tail bags! So now you have a horse with NO TAIL! YIKES! lol If you have known tail chewers, then keep the tail bags off horses that are with them, lol.

My mare was sensitive to MTG. It made the skin on her tail flakey, but she kept her hair thank goodness. It's the sulfur in it that some horses are allergic to, or develop an allergy to later on.

Hair Moisturizer I have heard is a good one for tail bags, and Infusiam 23 from the drug store.

LOL! Good thinking!! So far the little ones are only "base of the mane chewers", but what if that's like "gateway chewing"??!! Eeekk! They seem to only chew when they are grooming each other in the pasture. I think the little buckskin overo filly is the biggest culprit....naughty little thing...although I'm sure in her mind she's just lovin her friend a little "extra" Ha! :p I'll give it a test run on one of them and keep a CLOSE eye on things, like maybe 3-4 times daily close! I also actually think we have a bottle of Infusium 23 here, how convenient!!

[Me'N'Chic]

Also, I had my farrier (of all people!) tell me to be careful braiding the horse's tail in the fridgid winter because if it got wet and then froze it could break off--anybody had this happen or heard of this?

[oursarge]

Also, I had my farrier (of all people!) tell me to be careful braiding the horse's tail in the fridgid winter because if it got wet and then froze it could break off--anybody had this happen or heard of this?

I just heard the opposite that braiding would keep it from breaking off but you have to unbraid and rebraid a couple times a week. I don't know what's true???? I know when they are out in the ice [No need to be, they have a shelter] I'm afraid to touch their hair thinking it'll break off!

I bought MTG but I have one boy who is allergic to it. I just use Mane and Tail and in a year I can't believe how much my one boy's mane has grown. It's a mess now but when I can keep it brushed [Rolling in the mud or standing in the ice are their two favorite things] it's beautiful. On nice days they have "Spa Days" where I'll do their manes and tails, condition them and brush them out nice. That lasts all of 5 minutes 'til they mess them up again but at least I tried!

Someone at the stable chewed a hunk out of my mare's beautiful mane, I need to get some Mane and Tail for her and start putting it on her and hoping it'll grow back. Her tail is looking a little odd too. Probably a friend playing beauty parlor horsey style.

[JetLagaside]

I've got another one that got badly burned from MTG, thankfully I hadn't put it all over her tail or she wouldn't have one.

I just wash and condition her tail, in the summer I put show sheen on it. In the winter I use a tail bag to keep it up off the ground and that has done an amazing job of growing her tail. I really like the tail pouches from Schneiders
I do take it down and re-braid it on a regular basis so I can keep and eye on it. I also will spray infusim on it when it's down.

[luvs2ride1979]

Be careful with showsheen, or other similar products. If you don't condition the tell well first, it can dry the hair out and cause it to be brittle.

I know you condition yours Jet, I was just throwing that out there for others ;).

[Maggiepie121493]

I brush my horses tail only when needed. Usually twice a week because he plays and gets pee all in it, so sometimes if it's not too cold I'll give it a good shampoo and condition and I sometimes put in some detangler if I've neglected it for a couple weeks or so because of my schedule. But, I kind of just make sure it's not tangled, because if you go to brush it and it's tangled you pull tons more hair out. Normally I'll run my fingers through it before I brush but I brush tons and my vet has done nothing but complimented on how he has the best mane and tail in the barn. =]

His fuzzy winter coat on the other hand...Dusty, and you can never get it all out! >.<

Either that or the day that I come to ride he HAS to have a giant pee spot on his side and everywhere on the saddle area, which is sticky and hard to get rid of. I normally use the Cowboy Magic green spot remover because it's like a bath in a bottle and it'll help mostly once you break the stain up a bit to get rid of the stickiness. It'll probs work on a tail needing to be cleaned without taking a bath.

[HaveFaith]

I tried some of y'all ideas today. Faith's mane kept getting knotted and twisted where she sticks her head in the hayroll so I braided it. I also braided her tail to keep the mud out of the ends. They touch the ground, but I can't do it in the summer 'cause we have flies so bad. She was mad when I turned her loose and she shook and slung her tail and it was so heavy it hit her. She backed her ears and ran at the closest horse like she thought Sasha did something to her. It was funny.
I also rubbed some gelled oil into her hair. She had a few flakes around her tailbone.
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=7077
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=7078
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&picureid=7076
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=7074

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=7076

[HeartofSteel]

HaveFaith: I wouldn't braid the hair on her tailbone if you are planning on leaving it in, if you did it tight to make it stay it will pull the hair out or she'll rub it because it feels funny. Just braid the hair in the "skirt" part and leave the top normal.

[HaveFaith]

Awe, it figures I'd do it wrong. Thanks, I'll redo it!

[vicklynn]

I dont do much and mine grow just fine. Wash, condition, let dry, brush once in awhile, spray on stuff now and then, rub with hands, let be. Both tail tips are about touching the ground, not thick like the Palominos above, but normal and long.

[natisha]

To grow a tail I tie it in a simple knot below the tailbone & secure it with vet wrap. Most of it still hangs down for swatting bugs. My arabs tail grew amazingly long but as soon as I removed it from the knot she stepped on it getting up & pulled a big chunk out. Time to start over.

[luckydoublesranch]

Thank you everyone for the great advice!!!...I'll be sure to take some before and after braiding/bagging pics and then keep you updated too! :)