How come some minis tails are so long

[Basketmiss]

Might be a dumb question, but I have seen quite a few minis that tails drag the ground 4 to 8 inches!

Do you ever cut your horses tail?? Do these people NOT cut their horses tails so thats why they are so long?? Or do some just grow longer?

Should you cut their tails??

My Giddys tail just barely touches the ground..

 

[Dream]

I regularly cut my horses' tails so that they don't step on them when they back up. In backing they drop their butts down making the tail easy to step on. They can pull out large chunks right from the root and this thins a tail out really quickly. It takes years to grow that tail hair back in. I like the tail cut straight across at about the level of the ergot to be safe. The really long tails you are seeing on show horse are probably kept braided up between shows.

 

[skanzler]

Genetics have something to do with horses tails growing long or staying shorter, kind of like humans. But it also has to do with horse keeping. Some people braid and tie up the tails to get them to grow longer. I personally like my horse tails to just "kiss" the ground. I think that long tails, that drag, look unkept and unnatural. When we cut our tails, we will braid them loosely and then cut them. We then unbraid let them fall and then if they are still to long we rebraid cut them again, unbraid them and continue this process until the get reach the length we want. Always start long and work your way up. You can always take off more, but.........

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Our horses' tails usually grow very long, I keep them trimmed up like you would do your own hair to do away with split/dead ends, I usually keep them trimmed to just above the ground simple to prevent the tail from getting muddy in the wet months and from the horse or other horses stepping on it.. I also trim them up to just below the hocks in the winter, and come spring time they've hit the ground again..

 

[Bonny]

I like to keep my horses tails trimmed also. I think it looks neat and tidy. Plus keeps the tail out of the mud and from being stepped on.

 

[Basketmiss]

Ok thanks, thats good advice...

I think I will keep my Giddys where it is now just above the ground..

I guess some just grow more than others!!

 

[Alex]

Personally, I love long tails. My horses tails are braided and up, 24/7. Theyre may come a time when I will trim them, but probabally not. Currently, both my horses tails drag several inches.

 

[MyBarakah]

Hi! I like to keep mine trimmed up right at or a hair below the fetlocks. When they are trimmed it makes the tail look full and fills out..... I've noticed on tails that are SUPER long that drag the ground..... they are super thin and stringy...... I personally think they are healthier and can grow thicker when trimmed and just looks nicer.

 

[Warpony]

My gelding's tail was dragging the ground right around the time he hit yearling. I thought about bagging it to see how long it would grow but that is really pointless for me to do so I trimmed it right above ground level so he wouldn't step on it and rip hair out. My mare is 8 and hers stops growing about 3 inches above the ground and never gets any longer. I think genetics is a HUGE part of it.

 

[Suzie]

I agree that genetics is a key player. I have a mare that her mane drags the ground and I keep it braided up also. Her hair is so thick and long all over. She has a daughter that is the same way. I noticed her colt this year even as a weanling had long hair also. Most of mine have tails that touch the ground, some grow faster than others and they basically all eat the same, etc.

 

[TripleDstables]

My coming two year old filly, has her tail bagged and braided 24/7 and it's a nice thick silky tail. A lot of long tails are thin and nasty looking, but if you keep them up right, they don't get broken off etc. Her tail drags about 3 inches now (when it's wavy from braiding!) I love a long tail, but not rediculously long... My other two have their tails cut right at their fetlocks.

Personal preference I guess!

 

[wiccanz]

I trim my tails somewhat shorter than most, you'd be surprised how much it can change your horse's appearance

And I definately keep my driving horses' tails trimmed up high, I hate seeing them step on their tails.

I believe it used to be the 'fashion' to have long, dragging-on-the-ground tails.

 

[maplegum]

Oh how I LOVE long tails

Bailey is only 14 months old and his blonde locks already touch the ground. I got just what I wished for when I wanted Bailey to have lots of hair! I'm going to hate giving his tail it's 1st trim, but I don't want him stepping all over it.

I guess its all genetics and good feed as both Baileys parents have gorgeous manes and tails.

Personally, long tails and long manes look so elegant and pretty.

 

[Barbie]

[SIZE=12pt]My horses tails regularly have to be trimmed as otherwise they drag the ground. None are kept braided - actually I do little with them other than brush them once in a while and wash them periodically. In fact, I was looking tonight and saw that my stallion's is dragging the ground as well as one of my mare's. They'll both get trimmed tomorrow. I think some horses just have more of a tendency to have a beautiful long tail than others.[/SIZE]

Barbie

 

[love_casper]

My Charm's tail reached the ground when he was about 5 months old. It's cazy! now he's a year and a half and ohhh it drags. since this year's gonna be his year to show, i am gonna start keeping it braided, maybe bagged.

His hair grows just plain crazy! his mane is down past his shoulder, and so incredibly thick that even when split down the middle it's got more to it than my other horses' manes combined. and i haven't done anything with it! i bet it would be longer (and in much better shape lol) if i had been keeping it braided. but it's also hard to manage since it is naturally curly. don't know why, it just is, but that makes it catch every shaving, hay peice, or turd that he walks by LOL! OH!

Anyways, i think the length of the tail you're seeing is just a personal preference. I know lots of big horse people - like the one saddlebred farm i used help out with - love their long tails and kept them all bagged. One of their mares who i may be able to find a pic of had a tail i measured at 7 ft long!!!! They would only let it down for the show ring of course, but when they did... wow. she was tall, but it still dragged out behind her, and looked amazing when she was trotting. very flashy.

 

[Katiean]

My answer to this question is "Because they are so short!?"

 

[muffntuf]

I have never worried about length of tail or mane. I always wondered why people kept their horses tails braided and in bags. I only have one pony that I might consider doin that too. I know how to braid it, I have never seen a bag put on it. Most of my miniatures have tails that drag the ground. I only keep my dwarfs tail trimmed because he doesn't move as fast as the others and I often step on it myself.

So if anybody can explain about the bagging, that would be very helpful!

 

[MyBarakah]

Does anyone ever noticed.....once thier young horses tail touched the ground if they stoped growing? I've heard that once a yearling or young horse's tail touched the ground that they were done growing..... and I've kept notice on mine..... and have noticed that a few of my young one's.......once thier tail touched the ground...... they haven't grown any more...?

 

[TripleDstables]

Yeah, Diva's wasn't growing for a while, because I wanted to keep it just kissing the ground. But, i decided to start braiding and bagging about 5 months ago, and it started to grow again.

 

[Cedar Ridge Farm]

Katiean You crack me up***

The mare pic in my avatar had an incredible growth of mane and tail as a yearling. I kept the tail braided and tied up unless showing her. At the age of 2, I cut her tail to just above the ground, then measured what I had cut off. I had cut 16 inches off and took pics so I could show my friends. It was a royal pain to keep up with, but it was so beautiful stretched out when she was running in liberty class.