how to bang your horse's tail

How to bang your horse’s tail

 

 

banged tails on police horses

These police horses’ tails are all banged.

 

There are plenty of reasons why tails can look chopped up and untidy….luckily it’s a very easy fix! Bang that tail for a tidy look.

 

  • Tails can get stepped on, chewed on, caught on fences, or just plain grow out weird. Banging your horse’s tail is one way to create a nice line across the bottom of your horse’s tail.

 

  • This is appropriate for most disciplines, but some disciplines, like the hunters, prefer a natural tail.

 

  • The line created by a banged tail serves to tidy the tail and highlight the action of the hind legs. It also will make a thinner tail look fuller at the bottom.

 

dark horse with a banged tail

What a lovely banged tail!

 

Banging your horse’s tail is easy!

 

  • The theory is to cut the bottom of the tail straight across so that it hangs evenly and crisply. The length will be determined by a few factors, such as how short you cut it, how much tail your horse can grow, and what his discipline is.

 

  • For most show horses, a tail that falls between the fetlock and hock is pretty standard. Tails that fall below the fetlocks can often be stepped on.

 

whip under a horse's tail

You can prop the tail out a bit to mimic your horse’s tail in action! Use a whip or a rolled-up polo wrap.

 

Start with a clean, dry, and combed-out tail.

 

  • You want to bang the tail according to how your horse carries it when he works. Many horses hold their tail out a little bit as they work, plan for this as you bang the tail.

 

  • The easiest way to do this is with a whip or polo wrap under the tail bone so that it pokes out just a bit, or a lot, as if he was working. If your horse is afraid of whips, please find something else to use. Like another person’s set of hands to help you. Or a sport boot or a rolled up towel under the tail.

 

Gather the tail in one hand and slide your hand down the length of the tail.

 

  • Try and stay as vertical as possible.

 

  • Stop with your hand at about the desired length or longer. Then you can stand up, keeping a tight grip on the tail end.

 

  • Then you just use your super sharp scissors to cut straight across! For thicker tails, use well oiled and clean clippers, otherwise, you are sawing with the scissors. Ta-dah!

 

You may want to also how to groom the top of the tail, either by clipping, pulling, or scissors. Refer to the article here for pulling a tail or this article for tidying up the tail top with scissors here!