Game-Changing Mane and Tail Hacks

Mane and Tail Care

I was thrown into the world of mane/tail care from the second I stepped into horse ownership. My very first horse, Romeo, came strolling into his new home with a few feathers to call a tail. I would describe his tail as short, but that wouldn't fully cover it. As a 14 year old, I had essentially no idea how to actually take care of a tail, but I sure did my best! And after a good four years, I can now say that horse's tail drags the ground behind him. Here's how I did it:

• Ditch your combs

Do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, ever touch your horse's tail with a cheap made, plastic comb. You know exactly what I am talking about. Every single tack store and vendor sells them by the piles- the ones that cost a good 50 cents and come in pretty colors. I am a huge dweeb when it comes to color coding and matching all of my horsey belongings, so I obviously thought they were the best. Now, I will not step near one. I completely understand not wanting to dish out twenty bucks on an Oster aka fancy pants grooming utensil- not my style either. The good news is, you don't have to! Go to the closest Dollar General and buy whatever brush you would pick out to use for yourself. Human brushes are made to rip out less hair and detangle easier. If you wouldn't use a brush on yourself, why on earth would you use it on your horse? Their hair costs way more...

• Detangler... enough said

The entire line of Cowboy Magic products genuinely saved my horse's tail. However, here's the deal: Detanglers are not magic "hair growing" potions. They do exactly what the label says; they "detangle" things. I like to use the product before I brush out a mane or tail. Hack part 1: Put the product in a few minutes before you actually comb things out. Put it in and walk away (I usually go to pick feet while this sets). Hack part 2: Do not use this product every single day! There IS such a thing as overusing your detangler. These products can actually strip away a lot of the oils and nutrients from the hair, which in the end, leaves the mane/tail dry and brittle. Using a detangler will not magically grow a tail, but keeping the hair healthy, clean, and knot-free should do the trick!

• Coconut Oil is for more than just cooking!

My family once owned a horse who's tail brought a new meaning to the word "frizzy." He was constantly scrubbing and damaging what hair was left. After a little bit of research, my mom found a wonderful solution to cure itchy, dry, and frizzy tails: Coconut Oil! A tub of cheap, Walmart-brand coconut oil performs miracles when messaged into the base of a tail.

• Braiding Saves Butts

Braiding tails has always been a part of my horses' tail care regimen. In the early days, my trainer did the tail braiding for me until I learned to perfect the art myself. If you are not already experienced in this area, I strongly suggest finding someone to help or teach you before you try it alone. Done incorrectly, a tail can be severely damaged during braiding and wrapping. Done correctly, it can be a terrific way to manage and protect long tails during off seasons. My biggest tip when braiding is to make sure your braid starts no closer than a fist's length away from the end of the tail bone. Starting a braid too close to the bone can restrict blood flow and cause extreme tail loss and even injury. Also, please note that tail braiding does not work for every horse. Some horses will not mind, while others will find their newly shortened tail annoying and often try to destroy your work.

Hopefully, you have been able to take away something from these tips and tricks I have shared with you. Please remember that, while these hacks have all worked for me, they may not work for you! Every horse is completely different from the next, and requires its own, unique regimen. In all, I believe these methods will definitely make your life easier in the world of tail care and I would love to hear your success stories.

Photo by: Brad Rankin

Mister Gordon Lightfoot's tail is currently around 8ft long!