Tail blocking gone bad years ago - any advice

[hokie98]

I’m horse shopping and have found one I really, really like, but he has a crooked tail from a bad block job (which I’m told happened 10+ yrs ago before the current owner purchased him). He’s a QH, and I’m asking here b/c I figure there are more stock people hanging out in this forum than H/J. I read some threads about blocking in the other forums, and it’s certainly not something I would ever do, so please, no flack!! I’m just wondering if this is a horse I should stop considering. The owner says he has use of the tail, but to be candid, during the few hours I’ve been around the horse, I can’t say I’ve seen him swish his tail. She said she had some scar tissue cleaned out of the tail several years ago, which did straighten it out some. It’s not AWFUL, but it is a little noticeable. It doesn’t lay flat, but sticks up a little bit, maybe because it’s to one side. Cosmetically, it doesn’t bother me too much. However, I have concerns about how much use he really has of his tail. The owner says he sometimes will get manure on the side of it, but the tail was clean when I saw the horse, so I don’t think it’s a chronic problem. The horse stays up in the barn pretty much all of the time, which I know isn’t so unusual in alot of WP trainer barns. I thought he was turned out alot more in the pasture, but after asking some specific questions about his turn out, that’s not the case. Being kept in the stall is certainly not the life he’d lead if I were to purchase him - he’d be at a boarding barn where they are out at night in the summer and out during the day in the pasture in the winter. The current owner says she keeps him up because when she was showing him, she was afraid he’d hurt himself, but has just kept doing it. Plus, I think it’s more convenient for them than walking him down to the pasture, but I’m also speculating if he has a problem not being able to swat flies! She said she will turn him out, he plays, be then he wants to come back in. She says she thinks he’d enjoy being out more, and would probably like a fly sheet. The other part of my concern his how AQHA judges would use him, although I have looked up the horse’s show record and it doesn’t seem to have been a problem. Plus, unfortunately, there are more bad tail jobs out there on the QH circuit than people care to admit!!

So for those that have had experience with bad tail jobs (again, it’s NOT a practice I support, but what’s done is done to this horse), should I run, or is it manageable, or are there questions to ask, things to check with the horse? I have a call into my vet to just ask general questions about bad tail jobs and get his opinion before I schedule a pre-purchase exam, but thought I’d get some other opinions. I hate to walk away from a nice horse, but then I also don’t want to buy something that may not fit my lifestyle if keeping the tail clean/keeping flies away/etc. is alot of maintenance!

[Bluey]

You are right, you will have to care for his hind end and be his fly swatter, because he probably can’t swat enough to stay comfortable.

Any more, most everyone does use fly sheets and hoods and masks and leggins and fly sprays, so you at least have some tools for that you would use anyway.

If he can’t go to the bathroom without getting dirty, that will be a worse problem, because that will attract flies in itself.

In some AQHA shows, the stewards go around checking tails to certain parameters and a dead tail can get you eliminated, or so I heard.

Not all horses have tails so active, or have been ridden where ringing tail has become a habit, that their overly active tail becomes a problem.
Maybe you should keep looking?

Guess we need to start breeding only horses that naturally don’t ring tails?

[saddleup]

I looked at buying a really nice horse who had his tail surgically cut a few years before I saw him. He was lovely in every way, but I passed on him. He couldn’t use his tail to swat flies, couldn’t lift it to poop, and it was going to be too much maintenance for me and my horsekeeping style. The owner said she keeps a fly sheet on him, washes his tail every day (!!), douses him with fly spray, can’t turn him out during mosquito-likely times of day, etc.

If his tail was clean it’s likely because the owner had thoroughly washed it right before you got there.

[hokie98]

Thanks all. This guys tail was blocked when he was 2, from what I understand. He’s 12 now. So I would have to guess at 2, it wasn’t so much a ringing issue as it probably was a bad trainer mentality that every horse needs a tail block. I know QHs that naturally have pretty flat tails and pack them close. This guy’s is more bumped out, which may be natural for him…now the crookedness, not natural. He carries it very slightly lifted, probably because it’s resting more on one butt cheek than in the middle of his cheeks.

[CHT]

I thought a tail “block” was temporary, and that you would only see long term issues if done repeatedly over a longer term.

A long time ago, when I worked at a hunter barn, they alcohol blocked a horse that would wring his tail. The block worked, but only lasted for a short period, afterwards the tail was normal.

I would not buy a horse with a permanently blocked tail if I wanted to show.

[Roxyllsk]

It’s supposed to last a few months, depending on what they use. I don’t recall what exactly they were injecting, but it def did not last a few hours. But if it’s not done ‘properly’ and a nerve gets hit it can cause permanent damage. That’s probably what happened to this horse.

If he holds his tail away from his body then he’s less likely to get manure caked in it. If you really like the horse and don’t mind dealing with the fly sheets and / or keeping him in under fans during the buggy parts of the day, then why not get him ! But do keep in mind that you will need to manage this every single day during fly season. If you don’t want to deal with that, then walk away.

[cutter99]

Tails can be blocked permanently. If the horse is found to have a blocked tail, he can be disqualified from showing. AQHA spends more than $1M per year in testing for tail blocking, so they are taking it seriously.

http://services2.aqha.com/iphonedev/www/sections/policy/policy.html

[Chuckles]

If you are interested in buying, the vet can check tail function as part of the pre purchase exam. Being crooked does not mean he won’t have full function as far as swatting flies or that he would have problems defecating. Being crooked is not an issue in the show pen (perhaps in halter), not being able to lift it is a problem at the World show.
If you want the tail to lay down more when you show, a false tail can help with that.

All in all, have it checked (it is a simple test that shows a reaction to pressure when the underside of the tail is touched, it is non invasive). Decide if you have an issue with the look of the tail, and purchase the horse for his way of going and mind.

[PeanutButterPony]

If you intend to show him, I’d pass, personally.

[hokie98]

I’m under the impression this was suppose to be a temporary block, but it was done incorrectly, causing the crookedness. The owner said he has use of it, but I haven’t seen him use it in the time I’ve been around him (I haven’t seen him use the bathroom either - but it’s possible he just doesn’t swish his tail much). I have a call into the vet to talk through this some since I’m not really familiar with blocked tails. The horse has been shown QH like this (mainly state level shows - which would be all I would do), but I think he was hauled to Congress a couple of years ago. He’s a palomino, and he’s been to, and won at, the PHBA World Show with this tail set. Not sure if they do tail checks at the PHBA World Show. If they do, I guess he has enough movement to pass. Their rule book prohibits altered tails, but I have no idea how much that is enforced. Agh, I could kick the person that did this to his tail - if he tail hadn’t been altered, he’d be pretty darn near perfect for me!

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=hokie98;8257165]
I’m under the impression this was suppose to be a temporary block, but it was done incorrectly, causing the crookedness. The owner said he has use of it, but I haven’t seen him use it in the time I’ve been around him (I haven’t seen him use the bathroom either - but it’s possible he just doesn’t swish his tail much). I have a call into the vet to talk through this some since I’m not really familiar with blocked tails. The horse has been shown QH like this (mainly state level shows - which would be all I would do), but I think he was hauled to Congress a couple of years ago. He’s a palomino, and he’s been to, and won at, the PHBA World Show with this tail set. Not sure if they do tail checks at the PHBA World Show. If they do, I guess he has enough movement to pass. Their rule book prohibits altered tails, but I have no idea how much that is enforced. Agh, I could kick the person that did this to his tail - if he tail hadn’t been altered, he’d be pretty darn near perfect for me![/QUOTE]

You may also consider, if his tail was not altered so it shows, he would be priced higher, as there would be more interest in him, if he is talented, by serious competitors.

In the horse world, there is a reason any horses is for sale and at the price it is for sale.
You then have to decide as a buyer if he fits you.

I think to have your vet check him all over is always a good idea no serious, honest seller would not want you to pursue.

[hokie98]

A follow up…I spoke to our vet office. The vet says if the tail block was done 10 years ago, if there was any damage that could result - back problems, lameness, etc., that would have already shown up. He says if it’s just crooked right now, it’s probably okay, but of course he can’t say for sure until he exams the horse.

In the meanwhile, I brought my concerns up with the owner who has sent me several photos this AM of him grazing in a paddock, swishing his tail.

Thanks all - I think I may go ahead with the pre-purchase exam and see what happens.

[JumpQH]

I bought a horse whose tail (they swear it wasn’t done) didn’t work and was off to the side. He was 14 at the time. It didn’t affect his placings at the AQHA shows. He could move it slightly - not enough to swish flies, so I made sure to keep him sprayed. He had absolutely no problems with flies, pooping, or anything. I would buy him again in a heartbeat.

[Hermein]

Why on earth would somebody block a horse’s tail!?!?!?!?! I realize that western pleasure people like their horses to look calm, but really, the still-tail biz seems a bit much.

FWIW, it doesn’t take much time to put on a flysheet every day unless you’re boarding somewhere and can’t make it by. I leave my sheets on at night because they’re treated with insect repellent and night time is when the skeeters come out to play.

[Ghazzu]

@Hermein;8258146

Why on earth would somebody block a horse’s tail!?!?!?!?! I realize that western pleasure people like their horses to look calm, but really, the still-tail biz seems a bit much.

Since most hoses tend to express displeasure much like cats, by tail-swishing, it’s “easier” for some people to prevent the expression rather than remove the cause. Especially those who have little finesse with spur stops.

Kinda the same principle as using a crank noseband on a dressage horse…

[Roxyllsk]

Western disciplines are not the only ones that block tails, either

[UrbanHennery]

Many QH are just really quiet with their tails, especially the well bred ones. In an average day, if there weren’t flies and you didn’t see him poop, you might think mine had A dead tail. I’d go ahead with the vet check.

[Plumcreek]

At the World Shows, if you win or are a random check, I believe the top of he tail (before it is all hair) needs to be raised to level when stimulated. I have never seen a tail check at any other show.

My friend bought a horse in a similar situation, not crooked, but not a lot of use, and had significant improvement using a P-3 Pulse Machine on the tail head area for several week long loaner periods. I would think if you could rent a laser from a vet clinic, that might help also.

Most of the old bad-block crooked tailed horses have aged out of competition.- He would stand out a bit, so the heavy tail extension is a good idea.