White tails! How do you keep clean??

[Jaimee]

I have a palomino mare, she is terrible for having the yellowest tail I have ever seen. I have had her since she was 7 months old and now its long it just gets full of muck and looks more the colour of her coat. I have a really good quality shampoo that is meant for horses. It does good but her tail is still a pale yellow at the end. What do other people use? She has a gorgeous full tail and its only going to get better as more of it reaches full length. She is now two years old. I have a tail bag that I bought for her but I didnt want it on over summer so she could swat the flies especially since we had quite a bot problem this year and they drive the horses NUTS!

Im glad she is too young to do much competition with her. But once she is working well under saddle she will get into dressage. I'm already dreading the cleaning. She also is scared of her tail when I wet it to wash, though she is getting better. Silly horse.

I know there are a lot of horses out there with white tails. How does everyone who owns one deal with this issue? Do you leave it out and just clean it when you show/ compete? Or do you have it tied up or bagged? What products are best? The pic is of her tail on a good day:D Dont worry she is only backed and very carefully too.

[Bay Mare]

I know there are a lot of horses out there with white tails. How does everyone who owns one deal with this issue?

I close my eyes! The only way to keep on top of it is not to turn them out (not an option for me), wash it at least once a week, put some mane and tail spray stuff on to keep at least some of the mud out or put a tail bag on (I don't like them, can't explain why, just don't). I've tried almost everything that has been suggested to me for cleaning tails (apart from the obviously damaging ones) and nothing has really worked.


Dont worry she is only backed and very carefully too.

I do worry, it's too young for a horse to have a human on it's back.

[Wally]

Mares white tail will yellow because they pee on them. biological waching powder used on the ends get's the yellow out, but don't get it on her skin or yours too much.

I likie to wait until a horse is a bit older before getting on his back.

[Lindsayanne]

I have a grey with a white tail. his tail was the same way. I washed it well and braided it into a 3-tube bag, and now I unbraid, wash with whitening shampoo, and rebraid it every 2 weeks or so, and do a hot oil treatment once a month or so. I've been doing that for about three months and there is a HUGE difference in his tail- lengthwise too.

This was his dark brown tail last summer, then one of it last weekend after 3 months of pampering.




http://www.raraequus.com/regal/gallery/images/butt1.jpghttp://www.raraequus.com/regal/texas/images/IMG_4140.jpg





BIG change, huh?

It's still a little yellow on the end but slight yellow is the natural color of a white tail- hair that long is actually dead and is yellow is the color of dead hair lacking pigment. I spray a little Canter coat whitener on it before shows and it helps a lot.[/quote]

[NoviceNic]

I tend to ignore the colour of my piebald chap in the Winter. :eek: He enjoys 1 bath a month in the Summer and I enjoy a white boy once a month..:rolleyes:

[Mimi + Me]

Can't give you any advice on white tails I'm afraid as my horse's tail is black. I just wanted to say ISN'T YOUR MARE GORGEOUS :p There's something about palominos that makes me go quite weak at the knees and she is stunning :)

[blackhorses]

My sisters Arab is white, well pink at the moment :p as we have red soil and he loves the mud, his tail never really comes up pure white, although I do find putting coat shine on it after washing it helps a little!:)

[1 morejump]

She is adorable! Try diluting some bleach in a bucket of water and just soak the tail in it. I have also heard that purple shampoos remove the stains really well, not sure why. After you clean it really well apply some kind of conditioner that has silicon in it, those things really help to repel dirt.

Its funny, kids always want either a black or white horse, get the black! They hide dirt better!

[Mareish]

After washing your tail try adding a couple of drops (not too much mind) of purple wound spray to the rinsing water, it gives a white tail a wonderful glow for showing and is totally safe too :)

[Tim]

I was told by Harry's previous slave, that cheap washing up liquid is the best for keeping a light tail clean, and after trying it, I concur. A good scrub with Tesco's own does the trick. :D

[Tim]

After washing your tail try adding a couple of drops (not too much mind) of purple wound spray to the rinsing water, it gives a white tail a wonderful glow for showing and is totally safe too :)

Is this the equine equivalent of a 'blue rinse'? :D

[Pinto mad!]

mines a pinto and is tail is always something but white. i wash or brush forever. good luck. have fun washing

[morgan4eva]

i use bleach or vanish oxey action. maybe stain remover if its really bad!! but make sure you wash it out fully!!
BUT:
one day my sister brought out in a mop bucket what i thought was bleach washed my ponies tail to find it was bleach mixed with stain remover and washing powder (bleach) and haha it turned out red where it had been so powerful that it actually bleached his tail!!!!!!:eek:
poor man!! xx

[PaulaqhMax]

I picked up a couple of tips on white tails at a stud I used to work for.

1. Wash with washing up liquid.
2. Condition with pantene conditioner.
3. Work cowboy magic into tail.

We used to do this routine with all the horses once a fortnight or the day before a show and it really does work.

[mogadoga]

i cleaned alex's tail today to get stuff for his sweet itch off. Used dermaline insecticide shampoo, as its obviously going to be kind to his skin as well as disinfect the area. and blimey! im sure its also a whitner!!!!!

[Horsesarelife]

I'm lucky that my mare’s tail comes clean really easily even though its white. I just use whichever shampoo is at the yard and then if were going to a show a bit of baby powder/chalk put through her tail just to make it really white.
Instead of buying ‘proper’ whitening shampoos I've realised that a couple of sprays of purple spray in a bottle of shampoo (just enough to turn it deep purple) and this is just as good as any expensive product :). Just don't leave it on too long as purple spray stains quite easily :rolleyes:

[michie]

There's a product called "Quicksilver" (not exactly sure of the spelling) that my yard owner uses to keep white socks clean. I'm not certain if she uses it on tails, but I think she does.

[michie]

Update... it's spelled "QuicSilver" and people use it on tails too! :)

[Kazzie]

I use horse shampoo - the one for greys. I also use mane & tail conditioner as it seems to keep it clean longer.

By the way - what a stunning horse you have there!