Tail Care: Tips & Tricks

Tails require a bit more thoughtful care than just spraying a product on and brushing.  Here are just a few Tips & Tricks that can help your horse get the healthiest tail.

CHOOSING A BRUSH:

When choosing a brush for your horse, you want to select something that is not stiff (think those bristled brushes that are fairly rigid).  Choose a brush that has soft to medium soft bristles, or select a comb to help get those tangles out.  We have tested and sourced two brushes, a Soft Bristle Brush and a Medium-Soft Bristle Brush - both will allow you to brush out the mane & tail without pulling the hair out.  They are gentle, and work very effectively with our UNTANGLED Products to smooth out the mane & tail, and to detangle easily.

TIPS FOR HOW TO BRUSH:

How you brush is just as important as the brush you use.  We suggest you always start at the bottom, and our tried and true method is to twist the tail until you get to the bottom, leave about 5 inches untwisted and then start brushing.

You will want to slowly go up the tail, with the same concept of twisting the hair and slowly getting any tangles out.  If your horse has tangles, burrs, or dirt - we recommend a product like the Glisten Spray, as it will moisturize and help to close the hair cuticle, allowing those tangles to release.  

Twist, brush...repeat as you go up the tail.  You can follow a similar method for removing tangles from the mane, take a small section, twist and slowly work to release the tangles.  Never just brush out or rip the tail or mane.  Use a detangling spray for those tough tangles, and remember to do a small section at a time.

PROMOTE HAIR GROWTH: 

One of the best ways to promote hair growth is to massage, brush and care for the hair at the tail bone where regrowth starts.  It is important to clean the tail bone/hair area and to check for dryness.  If your horse is rubbing their tail, it could be that the skin on the tail bone is irritated.  Pay special attention to that.

We recommend not using shampoos with Sulfates or other harsh ingredients (see our NO List), as they can dry out the skin (and the hair).  One of our favorite products to ensure that tail bone & hair is clean and moisturized is our Mane Magic Conditioning Shampoo followed by massaging into the tail bone our Intensive Conditioner.  

By massaging the tail bone area, conditioning the skin and the hair, you will promote hair growth and strengthen the hair, over time improving the length and thickness of the tail.  The key ingredients in the Intensive Conditioner that will really help strengthen, condition and promote growth are:

  • Amaranth Seed Extract -  composed of linoleic acid (omega-6) and oleic acid (omega-9).  This extract adds shine and improves manageability and fortifies the mane & tail
  • Apple Fruit Extract - moisturizing complex draws in hydration to the hair, and also helps to reduce stripping/drying of the hair cuticle when washed with shampoo
  • Hydrolyzed Rice Proteins - The amino acid composition helps lift hair fibers resulting in added volume and bounce. This ingredient adds natural shine and highlights and the amino acids in it help bind moisture to the hair
  • Organic Horsetail Extract - contains nutrients that are believed to stimulate the production of collagen in our cells, and can improve the elasticity of the hair and help to repair it