Tail one big rat's nest

[Hopeless]

I finally got to get good look at Tank’s tail (my recently adopted horse). I was hoping to pick it out and put it in a bag to keep it out of the mud, but (OMG) it is one huge rat’s nest! Some hairs on the outside are deceiving, looking rather normal. But when I started to brush it out I realized quickly it was a lost cause. First thing I thought of were scissors, but I don’t really want to do that.

I was going to get a detangler, but I can’t wash the tail now and it is dirty. Another thought I had, as I have used it in the past is corn starch. I thought the vast knowledge base here might have a better solution, or at least sympathy. Please tell me your best solution.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

Baby oil the crap out of it anď then hand pick it put as much as you can. Then brush. Your hands will be disgusting if you haven’t washed the tail first, but it works and dumping a bottle of baby oil in a tail is a lot cheaper than a bottle of show sheen.

Don’t worry about the excess oil, it soaks into the tail hair in a day or so and leaves it quite soft.

baby oil is 100% my tail rescue go to!! That and lots of time - be prepared to stick it out even if it takes an hour or more.

[Sansena]

Cowboy magic detangler & shine. Use latex gloves & apply thoroughly.
Or similarly, Santa Fe Coat Conditioner & Shine by Absorbine. Or Show Sheen. Spray liberally but don’t saturate. Let dry about 20 minutes. I like to use the Oster ergonomic tail brush. Start from the bottom up. I just lay the tail against my leg and brush from the bottom 3" - 6" or so down. It usually breaks apart into dreadlocks at this point. So I then work from the bottom up of each dreadlock until I hit the tail bone itself.

You can use 2 buckets to wash the tail from below the tail bone. One with warm sudsy water, then the other with warm clean water. Heck, even cool water would work but if the weather’s cold, you don’t want your hands in cold water to slosh out the suds.

If it’s REALLY really REALLY thick and tangled, cutting straight up through the mat won’t really show and it’ll make quicker work for you. Promise.

Patience.

[PeteyPie]

I’ve used straight conditioner on a dirty matted rats nest and it works. If the tail is truly filthy, rinse it in a bucket as per Sansena’s instructions, or just use plain water to get most of the dirt out. Then load up the conditioner and start brushing from the end. I think you will be surprised at how well it comes out if you are patient. I am embarrassed to admit that I have had some pretty bad ratty tails develop and I’ve been able to get them worked out. Give yourself a benchmark of maybe 1" at a time up into the mat, keep brushing below that mark and eventually you will work your way up. Keep applying the conditioner liberally as needed.

Another thing I do is limit the time I spend so I don’t drive myself (or my horse) nuts. If it is really bad, I will brush it out partway and finish it the next day.
This is my favorite tail brush:
http://www.osterpro.com/products/tools/oster-equine-care-series-mane-and-tail-brush/078399-140-001.html#start=16

[BeeHoney]

I wash with strong shampoo to get clean, then rewash with moisturizing shampoo, then use gobs of cowboy magic and slowly pick and comb through the tail starting at the end. If the tail is super long, you can bang it above the fetlocks and then after it is combed out obviously you will have to bang it again. Do NOT cut out a giant rats nest. Think of it as a meditative exercise and you will be amazed at how quickly it will come out. Super satisfying when done also. I’m going to try the baby oil on some of my draft tails!

[shiloh]

I have detangled many a tail like that - one was a Friesian mare that had not been groomed for several months - what a mess! I just used a ton of Show Sheen (or whatever knockoff suits you). DO NOT use baby oil - what a godawful mess and then you have to wash it out because it will attract MORE dirt. Apply a goodly amount of spray, let it dry, then comb from the bottom up. Do not power thru tangles - you may have to finger pick some stuff out. Be patient patient patient. When you reach areas that did not get sprayed, then apply more spray, etc etc. I start with a wide-tooth comb, then work to one with teeth with less spacing then to a brush. I like the Oster brush
http://www.osterpro.com/products/tools/oster-equine-care-series-mane-and-tail-brush/078399-140-001.html#start=16

Good luck!

[luvmyhackney]

Buy a bottle of conditioner, coat the entire tail and comb out what you can. Then wash well. Then rinse and condition well.

If its too cold to wash, I would coat with show sheen or cowboy magic or buy some PInk spray and coat the hair then finger pick it out.

The baby oil does work but you have to wash after. I prefer to use olive oil if I can’t wash.

[Miss-O]

Ugh baby oil is so disgusting to use. I tried it once and immediately realized what a huge mistake it was. It is also a huge mess to wash out and it NEEDS to be washed out. There are so many better options out there. I use healthy hair care spray and a paddle brush. The paddle brush works nicely as the cushion allows for more give and it’s easier to avoid ripping hair out because of that. Start at the bottom and comb up. If the tail is thick it is best to put it into sections and work through one section at a time. It is not necessary to take scissors to the mats. If you get frustrated just stop and pick it up again later. Cutting through a mat can make for an ugly brushed out tail that can take years to grow back.

[wsmoak]

Cowboy magic and the end of a metal comb. Tease out a few hairs at a time from the edge of the mess. It can take several sessions but eventually you get to the end. A lot of the hair is probably loose, so expect it to fall out when you untangle it.

[PrincessPonies]

I had the same issue with my Shetland pony rescue. I know people have washing tails in the winter but I’ve done it and it’s really the best option. I wash and that just use any conditioner I have laying around. If it’s still really hard to untangle I’m a firm supporter of Cowboy Magic. It’s the only thing I like using and you use very little compared to other products I’ve tried. Just keep working at it cutting the tail never work out. Also if it’s any kind of thick tail make sure to brush it at least once a week otherwise it’ll become a rat nest again.

[Guilherme]

We had one get that way once. My wife used No More Tangles conditioner and it worked very nicely.

G.

[akdraft77]

I’m also a HUGE fan of Show Sheen for this. I have been known to just dump a bottle on a big tail knot. work it in and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, start a the bottom and tease away at the loose ends. I’ll then wash and condition it really well. If the tail hairs show any “memory” of the knot, I’ll braid and bag the tail for a while.

Can use a 5 gallon bucket for the wash and rinse (Just soak the tail, don’t get the horse wet) in winter if you need to.

[NorthernHunter]

Absorbine Show Sheen gel detangler. A little goes a long way. This is my new favourite tail product; I comb a bit into the tail, and it makes tangles almost fall out. And my favourite part is that it keeps the tail from tangling for days after.
Best of luck getting that tail back!

[Hopeless]

Thanks for the ideas. I wish I could wash, but Tank is not used to being tied on cross ties and gets nervous inside the barn. This is something that we are working on but I don’t want to push him just to wash his tail. The only thing I hate about this place is that there is one one place to tie up outside and that is in a paddock with another horse. We are working on ground tying and he is doing well, but not well enough to stand while I wash his tail. Also, I don’t want to bother anyone to hold him while I wash his tail.

I have picked out bad tails before but this is BAD. So I know it is going to take time and plan on only doing a few inches at a time. I think I will try a detangler or cornstarch. Cornstarch works wonderfully with a tail full of burrs. He doesn’t have burrs … At least not that I know of, who knows what I find when I get in there.

Thanks for all the different ideas.

[NancyM]

Making a few vertical cuts with scissors up the tangle helps. It will result in a thinning of the tail hairs, but detangling by hand will do that too with broken or pulled out hairs, so that is difficult to avoid with either method. A combination of both has been useful here. Use the showsheen first, give it a good spray and leave it to dry and work itself in for a day. Then detangle by hand with a comb first. When you reach an impass with this, then make a few vertical cuts. Then go back to work with the comb.

[merrygoround]

Show sheen ! and then start at the bottom and work your way up. The temptation to cut is huge, but tails take forever to grow back.

So Patience, Patience and more Patience. It will be very satisfying when done.

[2DogsFarm]

Cowboy Magic is the best & cheapest in the long run, as you need so very little to get tangles out.
I use a teeny bit hand-combed through my mini’s below-the-shoulder Trolldoll mane & it keeps it untangled for weeks.

Another trick a showgroom taught me is to twist the hair like a rope, then start brushing (not combing) at the end, untwisting as you go. You end up with very little hair breaking off.
I break up mud clumps by hand, apply the detangler & handpick before even starting to brush.

[Willesdon]

As a Brit, I am always puzzled by the American fondness for very long tails… must be a nightmare to groom.

[2DogsFarm]

@Willesdon

As a Brit, I am always puzzled by the American fondness for very long tails… must be a nightmare to groom.

“Very Long”???
No snark intended, just curious.
Most tails I see - except for breed shows like ASB, Arabs & (Halter)Minis - are generally kept at fetlock length, or banged a bit above.
How long do you like a tail?

Grooming is not such a Big Deal - just keep combed/brushed so tangles don’t become snarls that break off hair.
.

[Willesdon]

The usual length is just below the point of the hock for a quality horse. Hand under the dock to lift the tail then cut at about 6 ins below hock or slightly longer depending how good the hock is. This avoids the mud. A native breed with a magnificent tail might be left a bit longer. I think it is a history of hunting and wet weather.