How to Thicken My Horse's Tail With Leave-in Conditioners and Without Using a Tail Bag

Thick, luxurious tails are prized among horse groomers and breeders. Some groomers and breeders prefer to deep-condition their horses' tails by using tail bags, but the tail-bag method can be a hassle. Also, most horses dislike wearing a bag on their tail, since it can feel uncomfortable, especially during the summer. You can, however, forgo using the bag and keep your horse's tail in tip-top shape by using some common household items.

Things You'll Need

  • Horse shampoo
  • Horse conditioner
  • Horse leave-in conditioner
  • Large elastic band
  • Lemon or pepper juice
  • Spray bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Reduce how often you brush your horse's tail. Only brush your horse's hair before shows or events.

    • 2

      Scrub the roots of your horse's tail with shampoo. Washing the base of the tail helps to curtail hair breakage. Dirt at the roots causes the horse's skin to itch, so the horse will scratch the area and break off hairs in the process.

    • 3

      Apply conditioner to the length and ends of the tail only. Putting conditioner on the roots will attract dirt.

    • 4

      Rinse the tail thoroughly.

    • 5

      Apply leave-in conditioner to the length and ends of the tail, again avoiding the roots. Braid the tail, secure it with an elastic band and leave the conditioner in for a month.

    • 6

      Repeat Steps 2 to 5 once each month.

    • 7

      Spray your horse's braided tail every day with lemon or pepper juice, if you're concerned that other horses are chewing on your horse's tail; the spray will repel them from doing so.