How to Bang Your Horse’s Tail, Presented by Wahl
Why is trimming your horse’s tail so much easier than trimming your own bangs? The world will never know. But luckily, banging the horse’s tail is quick, easy, and instantly spruce’s up your horse’s appearance.
Please note that not every discipline – like the hunters – like to see a banged tail. If you’re unsure, ask your trainer.
Start with a clean, combed tail, making sure all the tail hairs are loose and brushed down. If there are knots, your line won’t be even.
The key is to mimic the way the horse carries his tail in work, which is slightly elevated. If your horse elevates his tail a lot, have a friend slide their forearm under the base of his tail when you go to trim. This will ensure that you don’t cut the tail too short for your horse’s tail carriage. Otherwise, sliding a crop under the base of your horse’s tail will do.
Gather the tail in one hand, and slide your hand down to the end of the tail, keeping the tail perpendicular to the ground. When you get near the bottom, take a firm grasp of the tail so none of the hairs slide out, and stand up so your face isn’t near the hind legs when you trim. With scissors, cut the end of the tail straight across. Let it fall back down and see how it looks, and adjust your trim as needed.
It’s not uncommon to see the end of the tail his mid-cannon bone, especially in eventing, but you can leave the tail longer than that as well, according to what is appropriate for your discipline.