Tail bag question

It would seem to me that a tail bag would allow the tail to get wet, too.  I was going to suggest a race horse tail braid, but that would have to be re-done every few days to ensure the hair has a chance to dry.

Start below the tailbone and do a regular braid down to the tip of the tail.  You want the braid fairly tight and snug.
Take an old tube sock and cut the top so you have two piece/strips.  Stuff the braided tail in the sock, tie around the top part of your braid by pushing the strips through the top of your braid.  Tie it up and you are good to go.  Take it off/change it and check your braid once a week.

Connie - I'm not as concerned about the tail hairs being wet. It just gets muddy and tangled (as well as wet) and he hates the pulling when I try to comb it. Yes, I hold the tail hairs below the tail bone and work my way up but it's still not comfortable for him. Stupid weenie horse. [&:]

Tanya - I don't have any old (or new []) tube socks but I'm assuming that's also the way to put on a tail bag. I'll get one and try it. If it works well, I might get a second so that I can change them out for laundering. Thanks.

He also messes up the middle part of his mane the same way. Don't know what I can do about that... Just have to deal with it, I guess. []

Thanks to both of you!

Tanya!!  Great to see you here.  A tube sock is a great idea   Hope all is well with Nike!

The sock trick is one I learned back in the days of showing pleasure and needing them to be oooohhhhh so pretty.  I spent a fortune on all types of tailbags and socks work the best, go figure.
 
Nike just came home from summer boot camp and Jake just came home from summer relaxation camp since I could not be around horses at all while dealing with chemo.  Both are doing great and look fantastic.
 
Kids socks work great for mane socks too if you need to keep a mane looking special.

My concern wasn't as much the tail getting wet, but it staying wet.  A tail left braided and wet just sounds like asking for trouble to me.  Maybe I worry too much.  I tend to get that way.

Connie I have always braided them dry with Show Shine on them.  That repels water and I do check them every week or so.  Never had a problem.

I appreciate the input from both of you.

I think it probably would be best to re-do the tail bag every week or two. I got a Smart Pak sale catalog and they have one that's supposed to be waterproof. That might be good. I'm sure a person would still need to re-do the tail regularly just because hair grows, and also, the braiding/attaching something might wear and weaken the hair. I don't know...all this foofoo stuff is really new to me. []

I make tail bags out of waterproof nylon with a velcro fastner that you loop through the braided tail at the top.  They  last, keep the hair from being tangled, breaking off and being  sun bleached.  I wash, condition, and rebraid the tail every two weeks at the least.
Here is a picture of my Arabian stallion whose tail is kept done up most of the time.  If you would like me to take a picture of the tail bags, let me know.

littlebit - a picture would be nice, and...since I haven't sewn anything in almost 20 years...what would you charge for one (or 2)? If you don't want to make them to sell, that's OK, too. Thanks - []

Can't find a picture in my files, but I make them 5 1/2 inches wide, and 26 to 28 inches long using about 6 inches of velcro at the top for  insertion in the braided tail.  Hope that helps you. 

We show Arabians, paints and Saddlebreds, all of which have their tails up 24/7. No tail bag will cut off circulation and kill the tail as it is not around the tail bone, just the hair. We use different tail bags depending on the horse or what we do. 
For the Saddlebreds and Arabians, we use vet wrap unless their tails are short. For the Paints, we use a braid in tail bag or a sock. A sock is probably the cheaper way to go but it is less effective. The most effective way for us to do it, is the vet wrap. 
 


First- The tail needs to be washed with shampoo and Conditioner, then brushed and braided. Start at the bottom of the tail bone and do it loose. Don't do the braid to tight or it will break off. Stop about 3 inches from the bottom and put the elastic on. 

Then- Fold the tail up backwards putting the end through the top of the braid.



You fold it until it's about 5-7 inches, then take the end of the tail and wrap it around your two layers. 

Then- Take your vet wrap, start in the middle and wrap up and then down and then back to the top, then split the tail right underneath the tail bone-in half- put the vet wrap through the hole and continue wrapping, make sure you get the vet wrap 2-3 times through the hole so it will  stay. Once you are at the end of the roll, put a strand of duct tape all the way around to hold the end. 

Hope this helps! If you need a video, I would be happy to make one! 

Also- Keep the mane braided or use mane bags. And if you use the vet wrap trick- leave it for a couple(2-3) weeks.

That's going to look adorable. Btw, do horse feel uncomfortable when their tails are braided and bagged?