Removing Burrs From Horse Tails

Few animals in the world are more beautiful than a horse with its flowing mane and tail flying. Unfortunately, that long hair often attracts little spiky burrs, creating a tangled mess that̵7;s painful for him and time-consuming for you. In worst-case scenarios, when many burrs are present, and its tail is impossible snarled, you may need to cut the hair. However, before going to such extremes, you can attempt to remove the burrs and save your horse's lovely tail.

  1. Cause

    • Burrs come from burdock and cocklebur plants. The plants flourish in moist pastures, creating a nuisance for grazing horses. The prickly burrs become tangled in the horses̵7; manes when they lower their heads to eat and attach to their fetlocks and tails as they walk through the pasture. Horses with longer coats may have burrs stuck all over their bodies.

    Removal

    • Removing the burrs requires patience. Spray or squirt a liberal amount of a slippery liquid, such as a baby oil, hair detangler, hair conditioner or even vegetable oil all over the affected hair. With your hands in leather gloves to prevent pokes from the burrs, you can then remove them in one of two ways. You can rub the burrs together to break them into smaller pieces and then remove them by combing through the hair, or you can go straight for the comb and comb them out section by section, using your fingers to pull out any lesser-tangled burrs. Regardless of the method you choose, always stand to the side of your horse just in case he kicks, and always work from the bottom of the hair up to the top.

    Prevention

    • The best form of prevention is removing the burdock or cocklebur plants from the pasture by chopping them down as you see them. The plants hit their growth spurts in late summer, so checking frequently during this time may help prevent their rapid growth. As another preventative measure, spray your horse̵7;s manes, tails and fetlocks with a detangler frequently to reduce the number of burrs that attach. Use an unscented product, as some odors attract bees and flies that may annoy your horse.

    Concerns

    • Removing burrs that have attached to your horse is essential for his comfort. Not only are they painful when they poke him, but in large amounts they may prevent him from moving his tail, which he uses to keep away flies and biting insects. Burrs can also cause sores and irritation to the skin, and if he whips his tail around and breaks the burrs, microscopic slivers can float through the air and get caught under his eyelid, leading to infection and possible blindness.