Tail Stretching

[desertmyst]

Don't want to start a train-wreck....
I have read the one thread on here about stretching tails already, just need some clarification.

Looking for pointers on stretching a tail, going to start showing my boy this year and he's never had his tail cut and is 14 years old. I've decided against having it cut for many reasons and have started stretching it before I work him.

I've been just stretching it up over his back and holding it then letting it back down and repeating a few times...I also try to mimic how it would look in a tail brace.

We will be showing Am. Park., our first show will be in late May.

I have a tailset, and am going to start putting him in a bustle (as soon as I get one).

1. Does this sound right with the stretching?
2. How often should I do it?
3. How will I know it is "stretched" and limber enough?
4. Any other pointers?

Disclaimer: I don't want to turn this into a cut tail vs. a stretched tail, just want help

THANKS!

[RKR]

You're doing fine. Just handling the tail daily is a good start. Get an ace bandage and wrap the tail to almost the end of the tailbone.You'll be surprised how this will loosen the tail and also enable you to handle it efficiently.

[SmartAlex]

If you start searching for "bustle" or "stretching" you will get a lot of old threads on the subject.
This one for instance:
http://www.trot.org/forum/showthread...ghlight=bustle

[luvtoshowcp]

My mare's tail has never been cut... I do not really care, as she carries it nicely, but she tightens and clamps her tail down when I go to put her longlining crupper on. I do not do this roughly or overtighten it. She is just very nervous about her " backside". Would stretching help her loosen up and/ or would the end result be worth the aggravation of accustoming her to this? How much difference can be achieved if you stretch regularly but never put them in a set? Do horses really learn to relax and enjoy this? Can you scratch or massage the underside to make it more pleasant? What is the point of RKR's suggestion of wrapping almost to the end w/ an ace bandage? Is this refering to the wrapping put on newly cut tails when the horse is out of the set and working? Or does he mean to wrap before/while you stretch?

[Mare-Girl]

I had a well known ASB trainer warn me once to be careful the first time you get the bustle on the horse, no matter how much hand stretching you've done. And he was right. No matter how loose the tail is, I'd either administer a couple of ccs of Ace myself, or have a Vet do it for me. The bustle may well alarm even the most steady animal, when he realizes it is chasing him about the stall, under his sensitive tail. Now some of them do just fine, but the trainer told me he always thought putting the bustle on was the single most dangerous moment with a horse. My experience has been that the ace just makes everything go a bit smoother, and after several hours the horse is accustomed to it, and no longer bothers about it. But right there at first. Be On Your Toes. (just warning a little bit from experience in my barn, and evidently in the trainer's very big barn)

The horse sort of goes, "WHAT THE HECK????" Yep, ace helps quite a bit there in the first few moments.....

[SmartAlex]

Originally Posted by luvtoshowcp

My mare's tail has never been cut... I do not really care, as she carries it nicely, but she tightens and clamps her tail down when I go to put her longlining crupper on. I do not do this roughly or overtighten it. She is just very nervous about her " backside". Would stretching help her loosen up and/ or would the end result be worth the aggravation of accustoming her to this? How much difference can be achieved if you stretch regularly but never put them in a set?

Yes. And a noticeable amount. My horse was goosey and had a poker straight tail. The more I stretched it and manipulated the "break over" the better his tail carriage was. I don't bother with it much anymore, but it isn't poker straight anymore.

Originally Posted by luvtoshowcp

Do horses really learn to relax and enjoy this? Can you scratch or massage the underside to make it more pleasant?

Yes.

Originally Posted by luvtoshowcp

What is the point of RKR's suggestion of wrapping almost to the end w/ an ace bandage? Is this refering to the wrapping put on newly cut tails when the horse is out of the set and working? Or does he mean to wrap before/while you stretch?

Wrap the length of the tailbone with an ace bandage. Do not double up like you would with a set tail.
#1 When you are making it a point to handle the tail daily the horse will become more relaxed with the process.
#2 The ace bandage seems to warm and soothe the skin of the tail
#3 The horse will be more aware of it's tail with the feel of the bandage to remind them
#4 If you are long lining or driving with a crupper, having the tail wrapped will difuse the sensation of the leather against the skin on the underside of the tail and make the horse more comfortable with the crupper.

[desertmyst]

Thanks for all the reponses and PM's

Ordered a bustle today and I'll update how he likes it when he starts wearing it.

[asbqueen]

I showed my park in am. park all last year with her tail braced and everything, never having cut her tail. I stretch my horses tails every day AFTER we work. After our workouts their muscles are nice and warm and more limber for stretching, and being more tired they arent going to clamp it as much and just relax into it so you can get a better stretch. If they do clamp, I find currying around the base of the tail to be effective to make them relax more.

I start out with a bustle, once they are wearing that well, I put them in a normal crupper a couple notches looser than I will want it later so as to ease them into it. Dont worry about a breakover till later. My mare eventually carried her tail similar as to if it was cut and and I showed her braced like any other horse, never had the first issue with any of it. Wouldnt do that with a horse I didnt completely trust but if you would like to see some before and after pictures you can PM me.

She has been out of work for about 6 months due to an injury and not wearing a set or being stretched regularly, and her tail looks totally natural now but it can still be stretched up over her back, so obviously the effects can be fairly long term.