Tail Bag... how on earth do you attach them?!

[high ho silver]

So... for Christmas Santa got me  a sleazy sleepwear tail bag like this one:-

http://www.ss4horses.com/product/print_lycra_tie_tail_bags.html

It says "easy to tie on or braid in" .... am not finding it so easy (!) anyone got one? How do you attach it? Do I braid those end bits into the horses tail? And how high up do you go? I know docks are sensitive do you leave the whole tail bone un-braided and uncovered and start just below that? If so how does anyone get the top bit of their horse's tail to grow out?

Thanks...

[RynlarTack]

What I do is braid the tail from under the end of the tail dock all the way down to the bottom of the hair. Put that in the bag.
The ties at the top of it put through some of the hair at the bottom of the tail and tie them together.
Hope this kinda made sense.

[swan480]

I don't use a tail bag or anything, but the way I get the top bit to grow out is to French braid Panama's tail, starting at the very top.  I haven't had any problems with it being sensitive or bothering him.  Maybe you could French braid your horse's tail before using the tail bag.

[JstPAM]

Start with a clean, dry and combed out tail. Hold the tail about two inches past the end of the tailbone. Loosen the feathers (top tail hairs) and remove them from your grip.  

Start the braid very loosely, two inches below the tailbone, and do not braid tight, so you do not have hairs pulling on the tailbone that will pull out, break or itch causing the horse to rub its tail.

 After a few  braids place strips of sheet that are longer than the tail, and continue braiding to the end.  Tie off the strips of sheet to finish the braid, you should have about 6-8 inches of material left over.

 Poke the end of the braided tail back thru the top one inch below where your braid started. continue to double up and poke the end thru the braid until you have it all neatly folded into a 4-6 inch bundle.  Tie the ends of the sheet around the bundle to hold it together.  

Then take your bag, put it over the tail, and put the strings thru the top of the braid and tie.  Or do like I do, and put the bag over your hand, grab the bottom of the braid bundle, slip the bag tight over the braid, then use black tape wrapped tight aroung the top of the bundle (below the tailbone).  Then reverse the bag and let it hang down with the ties hanging towards the ground.  Not so important now, but in the summer they are fly swatters.  

Make sure your horse has nothing in his stall, corral or pasture that he can catch the braided part of his tail on, he can pull out huge chunks, and or do very serious damage to his tail.

 Make sure that the tail is washed, and rebraided, at least every two weeks. The feathers on top will grow if the tail is kept clean and tangle free.  Make sure all shampoo is rinsed out, and horse is current on worming to prevent rupping the top of the tail out.

If you need pictures, I have to redo a tail in the next week or so, I could take pictures and send to you.

References....years of caring for Saddlebred, Morgan and Arabian tails, including several 8 footers!

[swan480]

Make sure that the tail is washed, and rebraided, at least every two weeks. The feathers on top will grow if the tail is kept clean and tangle free.  Make sure all shampoo is rinsed out, and horse is current on worming to prevent rupping the top of the tail out.

It's off the topic of tail bags, but since you seem to be experienced with growing out tails, let me ask what you recommend for my situation. 

I don't braid Panama's tail in the summer, only in the winter.  Unfortunately he rubs out the top of his tail around late summer (August or September) every year.  I don't think it's worms because I deworm him every 2 months during the warmer part of the year.  I've been told a number of things that it could be: an allergy to mosquito or fly bites, mites living on or under the tail, etc.  Is there anything you'd recommend for keeping him from rubbing his tail out?

[JstPAM]

I don't know if I can help much, my pony Godzilla does the same thing.  It could be a fly bite reaction, and some say that an extra worming with Ivermectin works.  I have thought about using the spot on fly/tick treatment to see if that works (worked somewhat on a stallion who has fly bite dermatitis).  Other than that I try to wash and condition her tail weekly, and I use Infusium 23 Leave in Hair Treatment on the skin as hat seems to help hydrate without being greasy and attracting dirt.

[swan480]

Okay, thanks.  I suppose I should ask my vet about it too and see what he thinks.    Washing and conditioning weekly is a good idea though -- I haven't been doing it that frequently.

[Colspal]

I have one horse that every spring will begin to rub his tail.  We tried EVERYTHING!  Cleaned his sheath, dewormed again, cleaned his tail, I used anti itch cream, we gave him a steroid shot, the whole nine yards.  Then I read somewhere about feeding them Flax seed.  I started feeding him flax seed, and everything cleared up!  There are controversies about feeding flax whole or grinding it up.  I feed it whole and make sure that I start him on it in about March and a 50lb bag will last me until about October.  You will want to start out gradually if you do start your horse on it.  I normally start at about a  1/4 of a cup and build up to a full cup.
Cols

[high ho silver]

Thanks so much everyone...JstPam I would love to see pics if you happen to have your camera when you are doing it next time... there is a surprising lack of info about it on the internet....

[swan480]

Cols -- what does the flax seed do?  Do you know why it helps?

[Colspal]

Swan- I am not too sure exactly why it helps.  Maybe the flax oil helps to moisturize the skin and also to help repel those little nosee ems that makes them scratch?

[FortunesProphecy]

Is there anything you'd recommend for keeping him from rubbing his tail out?

Buy Listerine (the brownish color original) put it in a spray bottle with a 2(Listerine):1(water) ratio and spray it on the tail bone 1-3 times per day. It does the same thing to the tail as it does to your mouth. It goes in and kills any and all bacteria that may be hanging out there. This is also useful for and fungus on a horse (e.g. rain rot after bathing in betadine). Hope this helpd and goodluck with the tail this summer!!!