How to Braid & Tie Up a Horse's Tail
Competitive equestrians showcase the athleticism and musculature of their horses by braiding their mounts' manes and tails. A braided tail, traditionally seen in equitation, show hunter and field hunter events, highlights the beauty of the horse's hindquarters and the animal's movements. A clean, well-groomed tail enhances the horse's looks; it can also catch the eye of the judge, giving a competitive edge -- and a possible first-place ribbon -- to the horse and its rider.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Equine hairbrush
- Sponge
- Clean water
- Small rubber band
- Blunt needle
- Thread or yarn the color of the tail
- Hairspray or liquid hair fixative
- Four-inch elastic bandage
Instructions
-
-
1
Brush your horse's tail, removing all snarls, knots and debris.
-
2
Dampen the tail hair near the dock -- the top of the tail -- with a sponge and clean water. Wetting the hair smooths down the ends and makes the tail easier to handle.
-
-
3
Pull a small strand of hair from the top-right underside of the tail, a strand of the same size from the middle and a similar strand from the top-left underside of the tail.
-
4
French braid the three strands together in the middle of the tail to a length of approximately one-half inch.
-
5
Pick a same-sized strand of hair from beneath both the right and left sides of the tail and plait into the center French braid for one-half inch. Selecting same-sized strands and spacing them equally all the way down the braid provides a neater appearance.
-
6
Continue plaiting individual strands of hair into the center French braid in this fashion until you have a central braid that reaches about three-quarters of the way down the tail bone.
-
7
Stop pulling the separate strands into the French braid at this point and plait the rest of the braid to the end of the hair. Fasten the end with a small rubber band.
-
8
Tuck the end of the long braid up under the central French braid. Stitch the end in place with a large, blunt needle and thread or yarn the color of your horse's tail to keep it secure while your horse is competing.
-
9
Spray the braid with hairspray or a liquid gel hair fixative and allow it to dry.
-
10
Wrap a four-inch elastic bandage loosely around the braid beginning at the croup (the highest point of the hindquarters). Overlap each layer by half until you reach two or three inches below the tail bone. To keep the wrap in place, bend several free hairs over an individual layer and cover with the next layer somewhere in the middle of the wrap. Unwrap the tail prior to showing your horse.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
For a neater, tighter braid, push the central plait into the tail as you are braiding and pull the individual strands taut as you are working.
To finish the plait, you can roll the end of the long central braid into a pinwheel and fasten it with yarn or thread to the French braid. Cindy Hale, a grooming expert for top show jumpers, suggests wrapping the end completely around the tail and pulling it through the bottom of the braid, tying the ends in place.
Unroll the elastic bandage completely and roll it back onto its cardboard tube before you begin wrapping the tail. This ensures the wrap is not too tight. A tight wrap can cut off circulation to the tail and cause it to fall off.
Never leave the braid in for longer than two or three days as the hair can break or fray. The tail will then be incapable of being re-braided.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
