Docked Tail :(

belles783

Question for my horsey friends... I have a horse with a docked tail (I did not do it! She is a former Amish plow horse...) and I am wondering if anyone has any ideas for what I can do to help her battle flies this summer as the hair is super short. I know that it will only grow some and it will never be a nice full tail so I wanted to see if anyone has dealt with this themselves and has any creative ideas to share. I have heard of tying in some hay strings as sort of an "extension", or maybe a tail bag... My husband wants me to get one of those $100+ fake show tails for her...not going to happen since one roll will destroy it lol! She is a Belgian, so at least she is light...(the poor black horses at the barn get relentlessly harassed all summer by those ginormous horse flies). I do plan to get her a fly sheet and mask (she has a bad haircut and her forelock is just a poof right now), but I feel bad that she does not have her fly swatter... Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!!!

hoyalawya2003

Does she have a pasture buddy? Our horses (that got along) would often stand side by side, head to tail, and swat flies for each other. Of course her buddy will be getting the short-end of that deal. Other than that I would just be super vigilant about fly spray. I would think that braiding in the fly strings would work. I ditto you on the show tail, though--those tie in and would not stay put for very long.

MD1978

Maybe one of those tail bags that tie into the top hair? I used to make my own and put fringe on the bottom.

belles783

Thanks guys! I'm thinking of making a make-shift tail extension with hay strings and a tail bag and sewing them together...I forgot I have a sewing machine lol!!!

epiphany29

I think you are on the right track. You might also be able make your own extension if you have friends with horses willing to donate a little bit of tail hair.

I'd be glad to donate some of Brego's, I am too used to TBs with no hair that I don't know what to do with all his tail.

Pip

belles783

Haha, thanks Pip!!! There are 9 other horses in the barn so I'm sure I can find enough hair. If I end up making her a rainbow tail from donations I'll post a pic since she will have one very interesting tail lol...