Wash with Vetrolin or a Tea Tree type of shampoo.
Rinse
Let it drip dry a bit
Marinate in Infusium 23 and leave it ALONE until it’s dry.
That tail will be soft and knots will fall apart in your hands.
The Olive Oil conditioner that comes in a foil packet in the ethnic hair aisle. Also, Queen Helene Cholesterol from the same aisle. I could not find that last time, so I have some Hair Mayonaise… and it seems to work well, also. It is in a screw top jar.
L
[QUOTE=Dee-Vee;6819520]
Argan oil.[/QUOTE]
Agreed! Great stuff!
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[QUOTE=Go Fish;6820329]
Out of curiousity, I had my stylist (new term for “hairdresser”) look at a few tail hairs. His opinion was that using conditioner on a horse’s tail or mane hair was a waste of money. The hair is not porous and will not absorb anything. Conditioner won’t coat tail hair the same way it does human hair.
My horses have absolutely amazing tails. I use cheap shampoo, usually Orvus or whatever’s on sale at Costco, the right type tail brush and Showsheen once a week. That’s it.[/QUOTE]
If a horses tail can’t absorb anything, how do white tailed horses end up being brown tailed horses when the poop/pee on themselves and then how do those same said horses end up with purple tails when we leave in the whitening shampoos too long?
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I’m going a bit against the grain here, but this is what I do: Wash tail w/Suave Coconut shampoo, and after rinsing, apply Suave Coconut conditioner and leave it in. No, it’s not labeled for use that way, but it’s what I do and I love the results. It’s only the coconut that I like, and I stock up when it’s on sale. I rarely brush the tail out, only for shows/clinics. When I do that, if I feel the need to, I use Showsheen or Cowboy magic.
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[QUOTE=Go Fish;6820329]
Out of curiousity, I had my stylist (new term for “hairdresser”) look at a few tail hairs. His opinion was that using conditioner on a horse’s tail or mane hair was a waste of money. The hair is not porous and will not absorb anything. Conditioner won’t coat tail hair the same way it does human hair.
My horses have absolutely amazing tails. I use cheap shampoo, usually Orvus or whatever’s on sale at Costco, the right type tail brush and Showsheen once a week. That’s it.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps I’m misinformed, but conditioners don’t “absorb” into hair anyway…
To my knowledge, conditioners are primarily silicones or other forms of “coatings” that just form a protective layer over the hair shafts that prevent them from drying out. In that case, a horses tail hair would have the same effect when treated with conditioner as human hair.
ETA–Oils on the other hand, are actually absorbed into the hair shaft (which most conditioners do not have enough of to make much of a difference). I do not know, the difference between horses and humans in this respect, but I cannot imagine that it would be that much different.
I think a lot of what you are doing with a conditioner is preventing tangles…tangles lead to torn hairs.
If I was serious about a full tail I would never touch it with a brush, but hand-separate the hairs. I am not that serious though…
You can leave any conditioner in. I have insanely curly hair. I condition it every day, and rinse most, but not all of it out. Otherwise, I would have an afro.
I do the same thing for my horse’s tails. Wash. Condition (I use Pantene Pro-V on my hair and on the horses). Rinse MOST of it out, but not quite all. Let dry, brush.
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How about making a dilution of one of the conditioners with water, and maybe an oil as well? I’d say coconut oil because I use it on my hair as an occasional mask with good results, but in an easy to apply spray/liquid coconut oil wouldn’t work (the stuff I use, in the cooking aisle, is semi solid in room temperature).
I’d dilute conditioner and give it a hearty shake before spraying on.
[QUOTE=fatappy;6815215]
Fructis Triple Nutrition Nutrient spray is a very light detangler that leaves a hint of shine and conditioning. Definitely no greasy feel. Smells really good,too!
I may be biased. I work for them ;)[/QUOTE]
I was going to say this one, and I DON’T work for them. I love this stuff in my waist length curly hair- and it does smell yummy too.
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Healthy Hair Care spray or Survivor, both of which are silicone free and smell awesome are horse products but work better then any human product I have tried. Survivor is expensive at first but lasts forever.
Another prop for healthy hair care. Smartpak has it. It is concentrated so you get a lot out of a bottle. The lanolin also makes your hands soft when you brush it out!
Love healthy hair care! My vet tech boarder turned me onto it. Now I have a bottle mixed up and sitting in my tack room. I think my horses coats/tails have benefited from the occasional use. 
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Yes! This stuff is great. It moisturizes but doesn’t leave anything sticky or oily for dirt to cling to. Somehow it adds shine and helps with detangling without silicone.
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