These are pictures of my Missouri Foxtrotter, Avalon.  Her tail puts my own head of hair to shame!  I have even briefly and irrationally considered lopping it off and making myself a nifty Scandanavian wig, but if I did she might get some sort of a complex and act even sillier than she usually does.  No...best just to leave it on her and deal with my "tail envy" quietly and gracefully.

Now, on to some great tips on how your horse can have his/her own awesome tresses.

• What are the first steps to achieving a  winning mane and tail?

No matter what product you apply to the outside of a horse, you can never achieve a satisfactory result until you have taken steps to assure that all is well with the inside of the horse, including his mind as well as his body.  As humans, our outsides almost always mirror how we take care of our bodies and minds, and I have found the same holds true for horses as well.

This sometimes-daunting task includes making sure your animal(s) get the finest quality hay you can find and afford and plenty of chewing and roughage to keep them munching and mentally occupied.  They also require lots of fresh clean water and many will benefit from a good balanced vitamin & mineral supplement (I personally like a brand called Accel.)  Salt is also important and if you are giving a vitamin and mineral supplement, the plain old white kind will work great. 

You can also add some stabalized rice bran to help increase the fats in your horse's diet and help promote a nice healthy coat.  If your horse is tubby, just give a 1/2 cup scoop a day and if your horse is leaner, you can add more accordingly.  *Make sure you buy stabalized rice bran, however.  Unstabalized bran can go rancid and although you may have just purchased a bag, you have absolutely no clue as to how long it has been sitting around the feed store.  Best not to take any chances.

Just my two cents and nothing more:  In my own humble opinion, most lightly-ridden pleasure horses do not require large amounts (if any) of legumes (Alfalfa) or grain.  Both will create a lot of energy that probably will not be used up if the horse is not active enough to burn off the additional energy.  Also, "hot" horses who cannot work off their energy during riding or round pen or pasture time will almost always re-direct that pent-up energy in other annoying and often downright dangerous antics, and through no fault of their own.

 Now that my horse is in tiptop shape, what grooming tools do I need to be on my way to a winning mane & tail?

Despite the gazillion horsey products out there that are constantly being flung in our faces , the only items required to properly groom a horse are actually few and simple.  If you are new to horse ownership, the following items are a good start. 

1.  A rubber curry comb to get rid of shedding hair

2.  A brush for the mane & tail

3.  A soft-bristled body brush

4.  A sweat scraper

5. A tub of generic unscented baby wipes (indespensible in my barn for wiping dirty noses and faces, and making dirt-cheap fly wipes; just spray fly product on wipe and use on faces, legs, or wherever.  Toss a few in a small baggie and stick in your pocket for trail!  Now you can forget those ridiculously priced "pre-moistened" fly wipes!)

6.  A medium-stiff brush to clean off muddy legs.

7.  A good hoof pick.  I use the Oster brand  because I have found it the most ergonomically kind pick out there on the market.  I have had surgery on BOTH my elbows to repair the tendons that I ruined from too much manual labor, and this is the only pick that is useful to me. Oster Hoof Pick

After buying the basics, you can then begin wasting your money on needless, overpriced stuff  like most of the rest of us women tend to do.  If you are a guy, you have a natural immunity to this behavior, but I have seen some men that have succumbed as well, so beware...

• What kind of mane & tail brush works the best?

Actually, I have not found one single equine brush that I have had any use for.  The best brush that I have found to use on my horses' manes and tails is a flat, human paddle brush!  Belive it or not, I buy these great brushes at a 99Cents City.  Some are even brand-name like Halsa. I pay a buck for a brush that is far superior to the more expensive equine versions.  Oster does make a mane and tail brush, but I found it pulled out way to much hair, and it is sitting around collecting dust now.Halsa Paddle Brush

• What products work best for detangling and shining manes & tails?

I have personally found that Cowboy Magic Mane & Tail Detangler is superior to most other products out on the market.  Just a small amount rubbed into the hair will enable you to brush through in much less time and with far less hair breakage than some of the other brands. Cowboy Magic 

• Should I use a tail bag?

I personally have not had satisfactory results with using tail bags.  When I first tried one, it was during the wet winter months here in Southern California, and I only left it on for about three days.  When I removed the bag for grooming, I found an annoyingly large amount of broken hairs in the bottom of the bag! EEEEEEK!  Split ends!  Perish the very thought!!  However, some of my friends like tail bags, so you will have to experiment with them if you wish.  I do think it depends on the particular texture of the hair.  My own mare's mane and tail are like silk, while our other three horses have the usual, somewhat coarse manes and tails like most equines.

• Alright, alright...we get it.  Ya don't like tail bags.  So how do I groom and protect my pal's tresses? 

Ok, here are the exact steps I have been taking at least every 3 days for the past 4 years.

*Safety is first and foremost.  Always stand to the side of your horse when you can during tail grooming, and always stay frosty because even the calmest of horses can kick out when frightened or spooked and you need to be ready to jump out of the way if need be.  You are far safter to the side, where a kick will have less chance of connecting to your fragile carcass!

1.  To make life easier for all parties involved, I have trained my horses to enjoy being groomed during their meals.  They are relaxed, happy and love to be sung to and fussed over while enjoying their hay.  All of my horses have gone from dangerously food aggressive to polite and respectful, but it does take time and repetition, and I don't mean a few days.  It's been 4 years for Archie our Appie/Quarter & Avalon, our Missouri Foxtrotter, a year for Arwen the mini, and we are still working on our new Foxtrotter mare Autumn, who is coming along nicely. 

Your horse won't stand while eating?  Ok, break out the halter and give him some hay to keep him busy.  Ok, Ok...I know many people don't agree with using hay to keep them occupied, and if you are one of those, just tie him up without the hay.  But speaking strictly for my own horses, they have, through time and consistency, come to regard grooming with something VERY pleasant (food!) and now enjoy the entire process immensely, with or without hay now. 

2.  Finger comb the tangles, burrs and debris from the hair, making sure it is as clean as possible before applying any product.  If there is a buildup of manure on the tail, wash it out, because when you add grooming products it will become a wasteful, slimy, smelly mess.  UGH.  I know this from experience from our gelding Archie, who tends to drink a lot and can get loose manure.  He squirts all over the back of his tail and it's miserable to try to brush that mess.  I just start with a complete wash with any good quality equine shampoo, or even human shampoo if you like.

3.  If the tail has been freshly washed, apply Cowboy Magic Detangler in nickel-sized increments and massage it in well.  Refrain from brushing the tail at this time.  Wet hair can be very elastic, and will pull out and break.  Simply divide the tail into three sections and make a long, loose braid.  Stop about 4 inches from the bottom.  The tail gets thinner here and if you braid it, it may encourage breakage.  Secure with a regular rubber band.  (You can try non-pulling "pony" bands that girls and ladies use, but be aware that they are coated and can slip off.  I have had this problem often, and gone outside to find the entire tail loose and filthy.)  When the tail is dry, lightly brush it out and make another braid exactly the same way as you did when it was wet.

If your horse does not need his tail washed and you have already removed debris and finger-combed it, begin the process of grooming by separating the tail into three sections like you are going to make a braid.  Tie two of them in a loose knot to keep them out of your way, and on the third section, apply a nickel-sized amount of Cowboy Magic Detangler.  Work it well into the hair and then start brushing very gently in small flicks from the bottom of the tail.  As the hair is smoothed out, work you way up until your brush glides effortlessly through the section of tail you are working on.  Then, tie it up in a loose knot like you did with the other two sections, and repeart the process on each one of them, knotting each section back up when it is finished.

When all three tail sections are smooth, clean and free of debris, you can undo them all and begin brushing them together.  Again, start at the bottom and work your way up to the top.  Be sure to apply some Cowboy Magic Detangler to the base of the tail to help smooth down and train the short hairs at the top to lie flat.  Next, take your soft body brush and gently and firmly brush those hairs at the tail base to stimulate the hair follicles.  Most horses like this part! 

Finally, when the tail is soft, clean and tangle free, again make 3 sections and braid it in a long, loose plait, leaving your 4-inch fly swatter on the end.  If you braid the tail too tightly, it will encourage breakage, which you don't want.

If you wish, you can now apply whatever tail bag or aide you like, but again, I have achieved great results without one, so don't feel compelled to buy one unless you want to.  They are not required to produce a great tail. 

I hope this guide has assisted you in some small way, and wish you many years of joy with your marvelous equine comanion(s.)

Peace & Happy Trails,

Anni