How do I get a white tail WHITE?

[beau159]

Alright grooming gurus! I have a gray horse and I am wondering what everyone’s secrets are to getting a tail WHITE again that has been yellowed.

Let me mention that showing is not our primary thing that we do, but I still like to make him look the best I can. I’m taking an extra step this year and getting him a tail extension for when we do show, so I really need to step up my grooming of his tail. Now, he does live in a pasture 24/7 so I know that may limit us, but we’ll do the best I can.

Yesterday, I washed his tail for the first time this year (yeah we’ve had a late start to the year, but that’s okay) and here’s a full view of his tail and then a close up view of the end of the tail next to the hair that is deeper in his tail. So obviously, I know it can be much whiter that what I got it.

I first washed it with the regular Mane and Tail shampoo, then washed it again with the Mane N Tail Spray and White, and then conditioned it with the regular Mane and Tail conditioner.

I only have access to a garden hose for washing, where I board. So no hot/warm water!

Normally, I do try to wash his tail once a week, or once every two weeks. He is a tail rubber, despite all my best efforts, but it does seem to help with his tail rubbing if I can keep his “pasture tail” somewhat clean. Since this was only the first time it’s been washed since last September, I suppose it will get a little whiter now that we can get back to our regular washings.

I can get those back feet sparkling white with the Spray N White shampoo but his tail seems to be a bit more difficult.

[bugsynskeeter]

I use vinegar then the UltraCruz Equine Foaming Shampoo.

People say to use ketchup - its the vinegar in it that makes it work.

[Hilary]

Wash with serious detergent - Orvus is good, but I have also just used regular horse shampoo - twice. Do it again the next day. Then wash it with the purple/whitening shampoo and leave it on for a short period - like the time it takes to wash the rest of the horse. Once you’ve rinsed it and let it dry, assess if it needs more. If it does, do the purple shampoo again. And again. For some reason washing over a period of days makes a difference. Once you’ve got it white, spray with show sheen to ward of stains and keep it in a tail bag.

There was a thing going around for a while about using catsup, but I suspect it’s the acid in the tomatoes that breaks down the manure stains. Lemon juice would probably do the same thing. You need the bluing to make it sparkling white.

[beau159]

^^I probably am guilty of not leaving the purple shampoo in very long, because I’m so deathly afraid of ending up with a purple tail!!!

You are probably right about the repeated washings, to get it back to white.

[OneTwoMany]

Orvus or Quik Silver. Again and again and again.

[KDuheme]

Sunlight dish soap is the bees knees for me! That and then a purple shampoo in just the yellowy ends… it doesn’t have to be the horse specific purple poo, I have blonde hair myself, so I use my stuff from home

[Janet]

Wash (shampoo) the tail (at least the bottom of it) at least once a day for a week or more.

Then, day before (or day of) the show, shampoo at least twice, maybe more, until the rinse water (in a bucket) stays completely clean.

With each wash, comb out all the tangles. The act of combing while the shampoo is in the tail helps to get out the dirt/stain

Rinse in vinegar. or vinegar and water.

Rinse again in plain water.

Wash with a bluing shampoo (I leave it in the maximum suggested time). Again, every time, comb out the tangles.

Rinse again in water, until rinse bucket is completely clean.

Spray on Show Sheen (or equivalent) a little at a time, starting at the bottom of the tail. Spray a little, then comb that section of the tail, and to the end. Then spray a little further up the tail, and comb that out, and so on, until you have the whole tail.

One of my grays has a tail that is full at the top, and she doesn’t raise her tail very far when producing manure. So when it is clean, I do a partial mud tail (using a very coarse french braid) so it stays clean.

My other gray get her tail WELL out of the way, so I do not do the mud tail with her.

I use a tail bandage/protector in the trailer.

For the one with the full tail, I allocate 3 hours to getting her tail clean the day before the show. It doesn’t always take that long, but that is what I allocate.

Both of mine are out 24x 7 - I do not think that makes a difference.

[retiredhorse]

Agreed re Quic Silver or other purple shampoo. It won’t turn it purple if you follow the instructions and don’t leave in too long (like 30 minutes or more (I have done this :eek:). about 5 minutes is probably fine; 10-15 min is pushing it, but i’ve been ok with that length of time). You can do repeated washings if it doesn’t get it white the first time. The blueing takes out the yellow tint; I used to add laundry blueing to soap/shampoo for greys, but I don’t see it around anymore. Then use conditioner and show sheen so you can brush out the tail after.

[2tempe]

I have a huge thick gray/white tail to deal with - though really its the bottom half that gets the worst. Like others - sometimes two washes in one trip to wash rack, then condition. Sometimes regular shampoo, sometimes add the purple stuff if its bad. generally only wash about every 10 days - two weeks. I tend to go by how it looks. But the week of a show I will do it early in the week and again on the Thurs. or Fri. I have used vinegar as a rinse, I think it helps some, but hard to know.

[Sparky0403]

Having had a grey horse, the product I found that worked best, is QuikSilver. It’s a shampoo. Wash the tail first, and rinse it last.

On the tail rubbing, make sure to rinse between his hind legs, really well, each time you ride. The dried sweat it very itchy to a horse.

Best Wishes,

[oldernewbie]

This is a temporary but highly effective solution:

https://www.amazon.com/Fanci-Full-Rinse-Minx-White-oz/dp/B001RU1Q3M

Wash and condition tail with whatever products you like. Follow bottle directions and apply a generous amount of the above. Towel dry. Voila! White tail, at least for a week.

Tip: Make sure you buy White Minx. There are some other shades, some of which are rumored to turn hair gray. Definitely not what you want.

Tip: My hairdresser says a vinegar rinse before you use the Fanci Full makes it work even better. I’ve always gotten a beautiful white tail, so have never tried the vinegar.

Good luck!

[hunterjumper98]

Three words: Wisk Laundry Detergent.

That stuff works wonders, and I’m not kidding. As the owner of white and black pinto, I swear by this stuff. Apply a small amount to the tail, work it in from roots to tips, let it sit for a minute or two, and rinse well. Follow up with a good conditioner if you don’t have to braid for shows. You will have a sparkling white tail in a matter of minutes with no hard scrubbing, fear of a purple tail, or human sacrifices needed.

Trust me, I have tried every single purple shampoo known to man and nothing comes close to how well this works.

As for the tail rubbing, check for pinworms or sweat trapped under the tail. Both can make them itchy. You can try to use some Equiderma Lotion on the tail head as well to help ease any kind of irritation.

[beau159]

Great suggestions everyone. Thank you!

[trubandloki]

I have used the technique listed Here and found it works quite well.

[FatCatFarm]

Quick Silver, the White Minx rinse, both work great. Have also heard that Gojo works quite well, but that you should condition afterwards. Head and Shoulders does too, but may take repeat applications. A lady I rode with recently swore by Tide Pods of all things and her horse’s tail was definitely very, very white. Like the Gojo, she does condition afterwards.

[aristokat]

Oxiclean and HOT water. Dip the tail in, with a bucket. Take the bucket away, wash the rest of the horse, then rinse the tail. Follow that with some of the purple shampoo from Sally’s, condition.

[PREconvert]

For the stained ends, Oxyclean laundry spray. Separate out the stained parts, spray, squish with your hands, knot it up for a few minutes then rinse. It doesn’t bleach so you won’t get to white but it definitely helps. Not nearly as drying as Goop or Orvus. Follow with blue shampoo and then condition it to seal it up. Then bag it or you’ll find yourself doing it again tomorrow;). I like the Sleazy braid in lycra bag. It gives them a functional fly swatting tail, you can ride with it on, and it’s the only type my horse hasn’t ditched in the pasture.

[retiredhorse]

I think the active ingredient in Oxiclean is hydrogen peroxide – so couldn’t you just use that? H2O2 does have a bleaching effect on hair (and could give it a slightly yellow tint, so the purple shampoo helps with the yellowing).

[beau159]

Well folks, his tail already looks better and I haven’t done a thing…

So to add another “tip” to the list ==> RAIN WATER!

We’ve had thunderstorms almost every night after work since I posted this thread, so I haven’t even been able to ride, much less get his tail washed again. Got a ride in Sunday and wow is the color of his tail looking good. Guess it helps for it to get “washed” with rain water three nights in a row.
:winkgrin:

[pologirl27]

Mrs. Stewart’s Blueing. Find it in the laundry aisle, it will work wonders (but use it a couple days before showing in case you over do it and have a slightly blue green horse).