# Do you leave a tail bandage on overnight?



## Orangehorse (12 June 2012)

Well do you?  I never have, because I have heard those stories of tails falling off after a too tight tail bandage has been left on - but horse's tail looks like a loo brush and Ihave a show this weekend.


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## Miss L Toe (12 June 2012)

Its a hanging offence!

If you want to get a nice tail don't you have to pull it and then bandage on the day, travelling and so on, I am sure there will be a spray or a gel


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## madeleine1 (12 June 2012)

dont leave the tail bandage on. i have wet the top bit and put plaits in the very top to keep it pinned down so that it isnt fluffy.


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## Amymay (12 June 2012)

Nope, never.


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## Archangel (12 June 2012)

No, never.
It is a flogging and then hanging offence. 

Get some gel and slick it down.  It will probably be hissing down with rain anyway so everyone will have a bog brush tail.


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## Maesfen (12 June 2012)

Yes, many times and not once has there been a problem because the tail bandage had been put on correctly not like some of the vice like ways they seem to be put on now.   
A tail bandage should be just rolled on with no pressure not pulled while putting on as most people seem to do.


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## Theresa_F (12 June 2012)

Yes and as said above, put on correctly.  When my two are in overnight in summer I put cotton tail guards on to stop them scrubbing their tails as they have mild SI and a wall is just too tempting.  I would never use a neophrene one, but the cotton one works fine and the straps have plenty of give and it is on just tight enough to stay put.

You do hear horror stories, never put a bandage on a damp tail, never use a damp bandage and put them on so they are not too tight.


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## Ionadiamond (12 June 2012)

I don't, for the same reason I don't use elastic exercise bandages. If they slip or are rubbed they can easily be pulled tight in one area more than another, no matter how correctly they're put on!


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## dollyanna (12 June 2012)

I never have done, and I never would having seen my friend's pony. Before she bought him he had been turned out accidentally with bandage in place, and his dock was so damaged that it is completely floppy from about 3 inches down, lots of scar tissue and loss of hair, and she has to moisturise it every day to stop him from itching what is obviously an uncomfortable tail at times 

And this wasn't put on by novices as far as we are aware.


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## millitiger (12 June 2012)

Maesfen said:



			Yes, many times and not once has there been a problem because the tail bandage had been put on correctly not like some of the vice like ways they seem to be put on now.   
A tail bandage should be just rolled on with no pressure not pulled while putting on as most people seem to do.
		
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This exactly.

Mine always have them on the night before eventing and I have never had any hint of an issue.


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## ILuvCowparsely (12 June 2012)

No never  its a big no no as far as i am concerned


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## soot (12 June 2012)

I do but very loosely - I knew a mare with permanent scarring from where one had been left overnight, too tight, but I've never had a problem.


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## Honey08 (12 June 2012)

I wouldn't risk it on mine, however well they're put on.


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## fizzer (12 June 2012)

I use tail bags, alot safer.


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## VioletStripe (12 June 2012)

Nope, always been told not too. If my boy's tail is looking very bushy, at every opportunity on the days leading up to the show, I'll damp it down, bandage it, leave it for an hour, take it off, then slick it down xx


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## Orangehorse (13 June 2012)

Hm, rather divided opinions.  I think I will take the last option, putting one on for a short time.  I pulled it a bit this morning and it is looking better (remember the person who got kicked in the chest and killed when they were pulling a tail!)


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (13 June 2012)

PLEASE don't ever do it. I remember being in Pony Club when I was a kid and there was a girl who'd put a tail bandage on her pony and it was too tight, and she'd left it on overnight, and basically it cut off the circulation to the tail and the pony developed septiceamia and had to be PTS. 

Her father was a MFH but obviously no-one had realised what had happened. It was awful.


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## FairyLights (13 June 2012)

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:



			PLEASE don't ever do it. I remember being in Pony Club when I was a kid and there was a girl who'd put a tail bandage on her pony and it was too tight, and she'd left it on overnight, and basically it cut off the circulation to the tail and the pony developed septiceamia and had to be PTS. 

Her father was a MFH but obviously no-one had realised what had happened. It was awful.
		
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^^^^^^
this
I would never leave a tail bandage on overnight. Even 40 yrs ago at Pony Club we were taught not to do it.


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## smokey (13 June 2012)

Never, because of reasons given above. Also, I would be worried if it was put on loose enough not to damage the dock, it may come loose overnight, tangling round the horses legs. Not worth the risk or the worry IMO.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (13 June 2012)

Have never left one on more than a couple of hours max when am on the yard.
Never ever used them for travelling in either.


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## Moomin1 (13 June 2012)

Never.


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## SuperCat007 (14 June 2012)

Personally I would never leave a tail bandage on over night. But I would use a tail bag overnight as other people have mentioned. It has elasticated straps and lots of padding so low risk and if you put it on loosely and it falls off there is not much risk of the horse getting tangled up, you'll just have to dig through the bedding for it in the morning!

Personally I'd bandage the tail on and off over the next couple of days, providing the horse has no allergies and the horse and the bandage are clean. Bandage it for an hour or so whilst you're plaiting. Take it off, bandage again before you feed for the night and take it off and replace it with a tail bag before you leave. First thing on the day I'd brush, re-bandage and leave for the show. When you get there take the bandage off, brush again and re-bandage. Keep doing this over the day so that the tail stays flat and DO NOT forget to take it off before you go in the ring!!

You can also apply a little baby oil which can help it stay flat and make it shiny, or water. Personally I wouldn't use gel because it can get sticky, hot and itchy and sometimes (if you have a black tail) it will rub and come off in big lumps which are very hard to brush or wash out.


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## Charlie007 (14 June 2012)

Nope never ever and won't ever use a tail bandage again!

I put one on one day to stop him rubbing his tail in the stable.  It was put on correctly as I have done a million times.  Took it off before turning him out a few hours later.  Over the next few days he lost all of his tail.  The vet said that it was the heat, as it was a warm day, that had caused the loss. The heat had irritated the hair folicles and caused the hair to fall out. At the time we didn't know if it was lasting damage, fortunately he now has a lovely tail again, so no I would never leave one on over night!!


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