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Tail Wrapping.. [Also, question of blanket?]

2K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  nrhareiner 
#1 ·
This summer has been horrendous for cockleburrs and Cerra.

Keep in mind, she was coated in clay/mud/burrs when I first bought her, so I just lopped her mane off. Then it grew back and BAM burrs.. According to the BM, she goes 'searching' for this particular thistle to eat and that's how she ends up with all of them vs. the rest of the herd. :-|

Her tail is clean now, and it's beginning to get cold. I've decided to wrap it [and re-wrap] every two weeks to keep it clean. [Or should it be more frequent? Less frequent?] Is this something you have had pleasant previous experiences with? And is it okay to have it wrapped while she is pastured throughout the winter?

ALSO -- Since this is her second winter [she's a TB yearling]; should I be investing in a winter turnout blanket? The place I bought her from didn't use one for her virgin winter, and she got super fuzzy. Even now, she's beginning to get fuzzy. {soo soft! <3 LOL} Just wondering cause I'm on the fence about:
a)
there's a only a wood/tin shanty for shelter where we board, so she's been pretty much exposed to the elements thus far this year. Wish there was a stable!
b) her first year was sans blanket and she's growing a coat really good right now
c) she'll grow out of it by next winter

If you can, also please let me know..
 
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#2 ·
I keep my horses tail up year round, and last year he was out in the pasture for the winter and it did fine, same with my friends horse. I think how often you take it down depends on the horse. I persoanlly take his tail down every two weeks, and leave it down while i work him so it can air out. While the other people i board with never take their tails down except to show and they seem to do fine. I get my horses tail wet while it's up and don't have any problems knock on wood. I also make sure when i put it up the braid isn't super tight.

As for blankets, most the people at my barn don't blanket at all. If your horse is getting fuzzy already she will probably be fine. When my guy was out in the winter if i knew the weather was going to be really really bad, i'd bring him in and put him in a stall for the night. Like one time it was sleeting so bad they all walked sideways to come in, they have no shelter trees nothing so we bring them in. If you do decided to blanket i bought my horse two, so he can always have a dry blanket on. they were water proof and the underneath stayed dry, but i didn't want him to carry around a sheet of ice all day ha ha.

hope this helps some.
 
#6 ·
Check this out, it;s a great way of keeping a tail put up.

LOL! Ironic. That's the video I watched and decided to copy earlier! It makes alot of sense. :) So, maybe not ironic.. but it's definately a coincidence!

Thanks for all your help!!
 
#4 ·
Apparently, a horses coat is warmer than a blanket (1 inch of fur = 2 inches of blanket). We tried that one year (I'm in Canada too) and they seemed to be fine. They did have a shelter though. If you aren't riding them hard at all they are fine when they are fuzzy, if they break out any sweat though, you have to make sure they are fully dry. Also, if there is rain you should probably put a rain sheet on your horse because his fur won't protect him from that.
 
#5 ·
I keep my horses tails up all year around. IN the summer they get redone every 2-3 days in the winter about every week or so depending on the horse.

I use a 3 tub trail wrap they keep the tail clean. In the winter or when it is rainy out I put the braided tail into a trail bag to help keep in dry.
 
#7 ·
I have tried the vet warp and have found it a wast of money myself. It does not stay in that long if you do leave it in for a long time you get a rats nest at the top of the braid.

Over many many years of braiding tails I have yet to find a way to put them up and leave them for more then a week or so in the winter and a few days in the summer with out getting more of a rats nest and then creating more work then just re doing the tails every few days or a week or so depending on the time of year.
 
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