Posts Tagged ‘tail’

If you’ve ever showed up at your horse’s paddock to find him a tail rubbed raw and clumps of tail hair falling out, you know what it feels like. You want to cry, you want to scream, you want to be mad at him, but you know it’s not his fault, so you just quietly despair (or not so quietly, if you’re anything like me). You know how long it takes to have the precious hair grow back. FOREVER!

Spring is in full swing and if you live in an area known for ticks, guess what…The reason behind the sudden onslaught of tail rubbing might be ticks nested at the  base of your horse’s tail. Some horses have a mild allergic reaction to tick bites – like my gelding – and they get so itchy they just can’t help themselves.

Solution? No quickie here. It takes elbow grease, a wide tooth comb and a bit of time.  Especially if your horse’s tail is thick. Peeling a layer after a layer of hair and examining every bit and piece of your horse’s tail base is quite a detective work, but it has to be done (if you care about your horse’s tail enough that is). Signs that you’re getting close to finding one is a yellow like crumbs in the affected area.  Pluck the ticks you find out with a pair of tweezers.

And how do you prevent the tick infestation at the base of the tail in the first place? We’ve figured out that thorough, regular and generous application of our 100% Natural De-Stress Intensive Mane and Tail Treatment does a triple duty. It not only leaves your horse’s tail, radiant, smooth and tangle free, it also makes ticks stay away. Rubbing  De-Stress into the base of the tail also promotes healthy hair growth thanks to rosemary plant extract and Tee Tree Oil is a powerful antibacterial.

And did I mention that your horse will love you? He will make all kinds of funny approving faces and if he’s anything like my boy, he will come and stick his bum in your face to tell you : “mom can I have some more”?

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Thank you Elissa for sharing her experience with EcoLicious products.

“We had a couple warm days that got up to 66 degrees, so I finally got the chance to wash Blue’s tail.  I am so impressed with these products.  I think I had said before that I’d been floating around looking for something that would satisfy me and hadn’t found anything quite right, let alone natural.  I’m so glad I tried this brand now.

“It was getting dark out and started to rain a little, so I didn’t even do that thorough of a job and it still came out great.  The Squeaky Green & Clean Shampoo was wonderful, I couldn’t believe how clean it got his tail all the way up into the base.  It usually takes 2-3 washes and rinses to get all that dirt out and I did not expect it to be clean after just the one wash last night, but it was.  And I mean really clean, not even stained.  His tail was pure white when I finished.  And it was great to be able to put the Silky Moisturizing Rinse Out Coat Mane and Tail Conditioner in right on top of the shampoo.  It saved a lot of time not having to rinse twice.  His tail is super long and thick and stays tied up all the time, so it takes much longer to wash than the average tail.  Once I brought him inside, I wanted to test out how well the conditioner worked, so before I sprayed anything in, I made one big brush stroke from top to bottom and the comb slid right through.  I couldn’t believe it.  That has NEVER happened even with spray on detangler, let alone without it.  It made blow-drying so easy since I didn’t have knots to pick through.

Elissa & Cravimg Blu

I did finish off with the Moisture Maniac Mane & Tail Detangling Infusion spray on conditioner for good measure and loved how his tail just felt natural when it was all dry.  Everything else I’ve tried made it sticky, waxy, tacky, slimy, or all of the above.  It just felt clean and natural, which is what I was going for.  And the glimmer it left was pretty amazing too.  His hair is sort of transparent, so it’s really hard to get a shine.  I’ll probably never even need to use the whitening product at this rate.”

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green horse care products &  horse grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com

You know that in EcoLicious Equestrian we’re all about grooming. And it’s not just about products. Did you know that grooming time is a great way to establish a tone for things to come? I am very excited to share with you the below guest  post by Horse Listening. I’ve been enjoying this insightful blog for a while now and highly recommend it, so make sure to stop by and check it out.

Here we go:

Are You Training Your Horse While Grooming or Is He Training You?

Well, of course you are! The real question to pose might be: do you KNOW that you are training your horse while grooming?

We all look forward to grooming our horses; there is no better feeling than having a thousand-pound muscle package wriggle and writhe under your ministrations, roll his eyes, sigh in contentment and offer his mutual-grooming nose in return. It is a time of pleasure for both you and your horse, a time to connect and a chance to put your worries of the day on the back burner and simply “be” with your horse.

However, underneath that feel-good moment, there is a constantly pervasive conversation going on between you and your horse that you may not even be aware of. Horses are physical animals and most of their interactions happen in the physical realm. As humans, we are used to verbal communication and are not as “tuned in” to the physical language of horses as we can be.

Do you know what your horse is saying to you while you whisk away the grime and dirt to reveal the glossy sheen of healthy coat underneath?

HorseSpeak 101 (while grooming)

1. Stepping side-to-side/backwards-forwards: Hurry up and get over with it! He has many more important things to do other than stand around and wait for you to do you “thing”.

2. Pushing you lovingly with his nose: Well, maybe it’s not as loving as you think! He wants to get you to step out of his personal space.

3. Perky-eared cute face presented in anticipation of a treat: He is the herd leader and is demanding that you surrender your feed stuff to him.

4. Pawing on the ground: Similar to #1. He really has no time for you!

5. Tail swish/pinned ears/”the look”: Stop whatever you are doing as it is making him uncomfortable. Beware! There may be a kick or bite coming next. (Note: Horses “think” about biting or kicking many, many times before they actually go through with it; be aware and pick up on the hints before it gets to the point where someone has to get hurt.)

6. Forward pinned ears looking at an object of interest/fear: Watch out! He may jump any second, either on your lap or in the opposite direction. The only thing he is NOT thinking about is you!

What should you do?

In all of the above cases, your goal should be to assert your leadership to your horse. For the sake of your safety and those around you (the horse is, after all, at least 8 times heavier than the average human), you need to firmly explain the boundaries to your horse.

Any pushiness should be met with your insistence that he steps away from you. You may need to push back on his shoulder or hip, or hold him by the halter and swing his hind end away. If he steps in your direction, gently push him away. If he nuzzles up to you (expecting a treat?), tell him your space belongs to you. In all cases, your space is your space and he may not infringe into that area for any reason (not even to snuggle). As a herd leader, you should be the one stepping into his space, not the other way around!

For the horse that paws, move him in such a way that his weight shifts to the pawing foot. If he has to put the foot down, he won’t be able to paw!

For the horse that is giving you a warning: first, identify the source of the problem. If the horse is truly being hurt or irritated by what you are doing, then back off and desensitize him first. Be lighter, quicker, or gentler. Work up to the strength level that you want to use. On the other hand, if the horse is being truly aggressive, then he needs a quick reprimand. Push him away, again asserting your rights to your personal space.

Correctly interpreting your horse’s communications will allow you to have a much deeper and meaningful connection with your horse. If you can act as a calm but assertive leader, your horse will know he is safe with you and will happily hand over the responsibilities that come with being herd boss. He will be less likely to test (although some horses continue to test regularly) and he will be more content overall.

P.S. If you follow the above guidelines, you can set the tone for your upcoming ride while you groom, but that will be a topic for another day!

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green horse care products &  horse grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com.

Spring is in full swing and with it comes my least favorite insect : TICKS. It’s right up there with horse flies. It’s important for our horse’s health that we check for them regularly and remove them speedily. 

Checking the base of the tail for ticks

Yesterday while brushing my horse’s tail I realized what a great tick removing tool is De-Stress – our Intensive Treatment for mane and tail. I always rub it in the base of the tail to moisturize the skin and encourage new healthy hair growth. After applying liberally and letting it soak in for several minutes I picked through his tail finding two ticks that let go. It can be often hard to find all the ticks on your horse’s thick tail dock or the base of the mane. When you apply De-Stress Intensive Treatment for mane & tail you’re not only making your horse’s tail go from dry and brittle to soft, silky and luminous; you’ll also get rid of those god damn crawling things from his tail. The fine oils and essential oil of Tea Tree suffocate the tick and the tick let’s go.I’m not a big fan of pulling out ticks with tweezers. I’m really afraid to leave the head behind inviting infection and this is a perfect way to ensure they let go head and all.

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Winter & early spring can be hard on tails with all the mud and ”poop soup”. To keep your horse’s tail clean you can do two things.

• Put your horse’s tail into a commercial tail bag.
• Protect it with a braid.

For lovely locks it’s important that you bag or braid a clean tail. You can safely bathe the bottom of the tail below the tail bone even in cold weather. Make sure to use a gentle shampoo without Sodium Lauryl & Sodium Laureth Sulphate (common ingredient in majority of horse shampoos on the market that is toxic to fish and wildlife) such as Squeaky Green & Clean. Always apply a tail conditioner before bagging/ braiding to prevent breakage. Go silicone free since silicone prevents hair from breathing and without oxygen the hair cannot regenerate. Try our 100% natural De-Stress Intensive Restructuring Treatment that is readily absorbed and doesn’t suffocate your horse’s tail.

Protect your horse's tail with a braid

How to Braid:

Divide the hair into three sections, wrap each section in a commercial tail tube protector (you can also use strips of torn bedsheet or an old pair of pantyhose) then braid the sections together. Once you hit the end of the tail continue braiding  for a few inches then finish off with a knot.

Ride Green!
The EcoLicious Equestrian

Check out our full line of delicious, natural and green equine care & grooming products at www.ecoliciousequestrian.com