tail extension help

[awaywego]

My mare’s tail is above her hocks thanks to her tail-chewing pasture buddy. She’s young herself - just turned 4 - but without the tail she looks more like she just turned 2.

I have zero experience with fake tails. How much tail should I buy to make it look ok? I don’t need or want a super full tail, but I would like her to look a little less ridiculous when we finally venture out into public this spring. I see that Smartpak sells in 1/2 or 1 lb sizing. If she has no tail at all below her hocks, do I want the full 1lb?

If you hate fake tails and think they look dumb and are not allowed, please avert your eyes from this thread. I’m still wearing my pull-on field boots and a wool hunt coat, so let me just have a horse that looks ok, thankyouverymuch.

[GoodTimes]

It really depends on how well you’ll be able to blend her natural tail with the fake. Both colour wise and chewed off pieces. If it’s somewhat blunt across the bottom you’re going to have a harder time and a 1lb would probably look more natural. You might even have to layer her tail so the chunky short bits aren’t so obvious.
If it’s scraggly across the bottom then I would go with the 1/2lb.

[jhg140]

I would work with whatever braider you plan to use to help figure out a solution - if you’re going to be braiding her tail yourself, maybe see if a pro braider can help you find one that will work and blend in well. For such a severe length discrepancy, I’d definitely get a pro’s opinion

[TresGauche]

You are being referred to a braider because it is braiders who ferret out the right tails for horses either by making or buying them. You might want to go hang out at one of the bigger shows around 10 pm and hit up whoever is braiding at the bigger BNT barns. Or, if you know any BNTs who use a good braider, ask them to get you contact info.

[awaywego]

It seems to me if Smartpak is selling tail extensions, not everyone gets them from their secret source braider. I was just thinking this was something I could easily order while sitting at my desk this morning :lol:

[hunterprincez]

I got my guys tail from customtails.com. I emailed back and forth with them about length, color, attachment etc. They were super helpful and very responsive. My tail extension looks very natural on my tail challenged horse!

[comingback]

I am also “the braider”, and while someone was recommended to me by a pro braider at a show, I ended up also going to customtails.com. Barb was super helpful.

Given your picture, I would say you probably need a pound. My horse has a 3/4 pound and it looks natural. In fact, many of my barnmates complimented me on his care since I bought him as they thought his tail had gotten so thick. Another was shocked to see me take it out. They had no idea it was a weave!

Custom Tails sent me a couple of options, I tried them on my horse, kept the one I wanted, and send the other back for a refund. She made it very easy.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I am typically marginally anti-fake tail “for the sake of having one” because generally I think they look ridiculous.

But dear, said with love and not to make you feel bad- get the tail.

(someone I braid for got one from SP, it is fine. No secret tail mafia going on in that case.).

[awaywego]

Sounds like I need to call Custom Tails. I have been anti-fake tails since they became a thing but I can’t let a girl go out in public like this :lol: I actually do know someone locally who makes tails but I just wanted to do an anonymous purchase online

[raisethebar]

I second the need for Custom Tails - it was referred to me by a friend who has a beautiful tail from them. Matched up her grey perfectly and although its a just a tad too thick for my taste, it really balanced her large WB out and puts that finishing touch on him.

I also do agree that I would get a tail for her too. I am not anti-fake takes nor the person who puts a fake tail in everything, but I have seen what a difference it makes in horses and I do believe it is a worthwhile purchase for your mare.

[awaywego]

Really looking forward to the conversation at home tonight when I explain that no, I won’t be getting a new rug for our bedroom this month, I need to buy a custom fake horse tail. :o

[TresGauche]

@awaywego

It seems to me if Smartpak is selling tail extensions, not everyone gets them from their secret source braider. I was just thinking this was something I could easily order while sitting at my desk this morning :lol:

Just explaining, not alluding to some top secret thing LOL!!

But, the best and most natural tails I have seen do come from the braiders. They tried about 20 for my old tail, a pretty red with flaxen and dark brown in it. It was beautiful and just the right size. No fakey QH looking mess.

[awaywego]

lol, “fakey QH looking mess.” YES, that is what I am afraid of. I’ll talk to my trainer about it too. I guess I would just prefer to get something local since it sounds like it’s not just a matter of picking the right size.

Meanwhile, I have wondered if I can just buy something at the hair store around the corner from my office. I’m afraid that would be another kind of mess altogether.

[Foxglove]

We use extensions on all of your show horses (Western Showmanship) and I’m VERY GOOD at it --so good that people ask me why I don’t use extensions on my horses! I have 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound and 1 pound tails. Be aware that you can dye tails, and lighten them. I make sure that all our tails are lighter at the bottom --because THAT’s how natural tails are! Look on YouTube for fastening tails -i have my own method-- but YouTube is most helpful. If i were you, I’d start with something smaller than a one pound tail. That’s a lot of hair! I have used two 1/4 pounds in the same tail as I think it is more natural looking than a big chunky fake tail. Watch your color choice. I use a chestnut tail on one of our bay horses because although you might THINK his tail is black, it actually has deep chestnut hair far more than black. Again my goal is to enhance not to “look fake.” And to those who complain about fake tails --I see it as a balance --the 1/4 pound tail on his booty balances the 1/4 pound halter on his face! LOL

[drawstraws]

I’m thinking a pound as well. At least black is easy to match so you don’t have to go through a ton of different shades of brown/chestnut/sorrel to find one that will blend. You’ll want to decide if you want a tapered end or blunt end and what sort of top you want (there’s a few different ways to tie them in).

And I’m one who thought fake tails were ridiculous but since I show stock breeds I finally had to cave and now I think they do complete the picture (in most instances, at least).

[comingback]

I just want to add one more thing. In my opinion, what makes a fake tail look fake is that it either doesn’t match in color (not all black tails are completely black…mine has a slew of other colors in it), or it is not hung well, and you see it either separate from the rest of the tail during movement, or it gets stuck in between the horses hind legs… Definitely take Foxglove’s advice on the youtube videos, and be sure to practice with it at home a couple of times before using it at the show. That will help your horse become familiar with it and you get a technique you like.

[Midge]

The weight is not as important as the length. If I made your fake tail without seeing your horse in person, I’d ask for a picture and have you measure from his fetlock to the base of his tailbone, plus six inches.

And no, there is not a secret braider tail mafia. What there are, are lots of braiders frustrated by too short fake tails bought off the rack.

[Spotless]

You may want to look into a tail wrap extension. She may not have enough tail to gracefully cover a normal tail extension. I believe you can layer the wrap arounds, some have layers that you can put in and ‘customize’ with.

[awaywego]

@Spotless

You may want to look into a tail wrap extension. She may not have enough tail to gracefully cover a normal tail extension. I believe you can layer the wrap arounds, some have layers that you can put in and ‘customize’ with.

Funny, I came here to say, basically this same thing and ask what I should do now!? I got the girl a tail - a 1/2 lb - and it is a very natural look/amount, EXCEPT that since her own tail stops just past her hock, the fake tail kinda hangs down like a mop - there is no blending with her own hairs at all because she has no hairs to blend with.

I was thinking today that I need to get layers cut in the tail by a hair stylist :lol: Please tell me I should not attempt to do this myself. Or can I?

And/or what is a tail wrap extension?

[drawstraws]

Make sure that the fake tail has been washed and left out to be dried so that it fluffs a little bit. If it’s been sitting in a big or wrapped up tightly it’ll hang just the same way - one big clump of hair. When I’m at a show I make sure to take my tail out of the bag the day before, wash and condition it if necessary (just like my horse’s real tail), and leave it hanging so the hair poofs a bit and hangs a little more naturally. I usually only use my fingers or a wide-tooth comb to go through it once it’s dried.