Black Mane / Tail...Using Either Equitone black and/or Show Touch up

Products are from Shapleys and can be purchased at TSC.

What I am wanting to do is grow the main and tail on my buckskin mare. Her black main and tail have sun bleached reddish ends. I am wanting to experiment by showing her in the halter class at the county show. I would like to try to get her as close as I can to looking her best without dumping a bunch of money into it.

I just started using MTG to help grow and thicken the main and tail. I put the tale in a sock and braidied it.

Since the hair color is a mix of the black with reddish ends, I would like to darken it. Has anyone used the equitone black or black show touch up (spray) for the purpose of darkening the apperance or bringing out the color of the tail?

Don't use the touch-up spray in the mane or tail! It's really sticky and the second the horse swishes his tail, big chunks of hair will get stuck sideways to the rest of the hair. It's hard to describe... just don't do it, haha. It's a huge pain.

I haven't used the Equitone, but I'd like to try it. My favorite shampoos are Emerald Black and Black Horse Henna.

This year after Halloween, stock up on the little cans of spray in hair color. It brushes out and lasts just long enough for a show. Wal-mart and other retail stores mark them down to like $0.25 per can. A can lasts me almost all season. Cheap and it isn't sticky or messy and brushes right out.

I use touch-up spray on my horses tail all the time. I brush it really well before I use it (so it doesn't clump) and then spray it in. After I'm done I hold the tail up in my hand for a few minute, maybe swish it around to air dry a little and then it's good to go. I haven't had problems with the tail sticking to anything.

I have also equitone black, but I was disappointed in the results. My horse is brown, but appears black when on BaK, however the shampoo, while it did make him soft and shiny, brought out all of his red highlights.

Quic Black by Exhibitor Labs and Black Horse Henna by Cheval have worked best for me, though I'm not sure they work well on tails. I've never used any shampoo that has significantly changed my horses tail color.

I JUST did a blog article with a piece concerning this.

Here, use this. I'm willing to bet it's much cheaper, and much easier to wash out. Just don't rub too much, and put it on AFTER you brush her tail, and AFTER you braid (if you are braiding). It shouldn't stain if she swishes her tail, but if you handle the hair, it could likely get the spray on your hands (although it washes off with water).

Streaks 'N Tips - Streaks N Tips Temporary Highlight Spray Silver Glitter

Link says silver, but you can get it in a variety of colors. You can even get glitter, although I'm not sure that would be appropriate for the show ring.