Fake tails?

I've been hearing that fake tails are "in" when showing. Is this a breed thing, or are all breeds wearing them? Also, what is the purpose of them? Personally, I don't think they look that great, but maybe I just don't get it.

From what I've heard, it's just a points getter for appearances. It's not something you can generally leave on a horse for a long time, but there are specialty ones that will help if your horse has lost a lot of tail and needs a fly swatter.

Is this just at a 4-h level, or high level showing too? Is it breed specific?

If they get points for appearances than I definitely don't get it because I don't think they look that much better than a natural tail, unless the horse has a really thin or nasty tail. Shows what I know, huh?!

A false tail is simply for looks... a fuller tail enhances a horse's back end. I don't know how things go over in America, but here in the Showring, 60% of a judge's opinion of a horse is based on conformation (or should in as it's in the showing rule book.... but realistically its all a game of luck)... if a particular horse has a wispy tail, and it affects the back end in some manner (and can not be hidden with a different length of tail etc), then some turn to fake tails to emphasise what a full tail on that horse should do.

I personally wouldn't use a false tail, but I'm not a huge showing person... I do however get what it does and how it affects the overall picture... if you want to make sure your horse's conformation is presented in the best way, then you''ll use whatever you can (thats obviously legal!) to help your placings... after all, you don't pay out all this money not to get anywhere all the time!
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It's kind of a breed thing. It is ILLEGAL to put a fake tail on an arab. At the QH shows you will almost NEVER see someone showing w/out a fake tail. Hunt shows, Only the QH riders use the tails that I've seen......

Actually, speed eventers don't use them at the QH shows...

I think fake tails look....well...fake..., but I'm not a judge.

I use them in my QH. They really enhance the look of the horse. I used them in the lower level 4-H shows to state shows. Im pretty sure for AQHA the tail has to be attached hair-to-hair... meaning no strings etc... I put the tail in before the show and then take out after my last class. It is a few day show I will take out every night and put back in for the morning.

If people don't know how to put the tails in right it can look pretty bad. I attach the tail on top of the tail bone so that if the horse swishes the tail it looks like one. It takes time to learn...

My tail for Chloe is about 3/4lb and 36 inches long. Aprils tail has been growing out really nice so "fingers crossed" wont need one next year. Otherwise Im going to have to buy a longer and heavier tail. Im lucky though cause both horses need black and black is cheaper then the rest. Here is a pic of Chloes tail...

Call me crazy, but I think Chloe's tail looks terrific as-is. I really do. I don't think it would look better with the fake extension. Sounds like this is mostly a QH/show thing and we aren't into showing (yet...) nor do we have a QH, so I obviously don't quite get it. But your horse's tail is beautiful.

Hahaha!! I just realized that that may be Chloe's tail WITH the extension - if so it doesn't look so bad! Maybe it's just the ones that are straight across the bottom that swish back and forth that I don't like as much.

LOL...that is with the fake tail. Alot of people don't realize it and they will come up to me at shows and comment about how full of a tail she has and they grab it and are like "its fake????" Ya its interesting in the different tail styles are out there and how people put them in.