# Tying a hunting knot into a horses tail?



## Girlracer (8 December 2009)

Just wondering if anyone could tell me the 'correct' way to do this? Because my boys has a nack of getting it caught in hedges, getting it covered in burs and i think sometimes he even dips it in tubs of mud.

I mean the way with electrical tape round it, i had a go the other day without any clue how to do it correctly and it was a disaster so any help is appreciated!


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## combat_claire (8 December 2009)

There are some tips and pics on this forum:

http://www.stableads.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23399


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## muffinino (8 December 2009)

I just put a long plait in it and fold it up twice as high as it can go, then put a band of tape around the top and bottom to secure. Once that's done, I start at the top and wind the tape diagonally down to the bottom of the tail, then wind it back up the other diagonal so it criss-crosses over. Does that make sense?

T's tail is too thick to do it properly and sew it up, but that looks fantastic if you can do it. You put a tail plait in then continue the plait down so the whole tail is plaited, then fold it up twice so you can see the majority of the tail plait and sew it in.


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## tractor (8 December 2009)

My horse has a large thick cobby tail...nice! I wrestle it into a plait as follows....

Plait as normal (ie taking bits from each side) once you get to the bottom of the dock, then plait to bottom, secure with band. 

Fold up so the tail below the dock is underneath the dock bit. (hope that makes sense!). Get a very long bit of plaiting thread, double it over for extra strength and tie a knot in one end. Sew up one side, across the top and back down the other side until secure. I think sewing is easier than using tape as you can sew in any sticky out bits!! 

Picture of his tail here....

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bjc076/ThreeCompassesWestHanningfield211109#5406637049495634354

Excuse the poo and hair, he needed a haircut badly!! Think you will need to copy and paste the link...

Hope this helps. 

S x


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## Girlracer (8 December 2009)

Thanks guys, however his tail is pulled. So i have nothing to sew it to?!


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## Patches (8 December 2009)

I did mine to go hunting last time and regretted it. It was dirtier than ever as she just pooped in the folded back plait under her dock. 

Doomed....mind you she does have a white tail, so it's not likely to ever be clean after a day's hunting.


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## JenHunt (8 December 2009)

T's tail is too thick to do it properly and sew it up, but that looks fantastic if you can do it. You put a tail plait in then continue the plait down so the whole tail is plaited, then fold it up twice so you can see the majority of the tail plait and sew it in.
		
Click to expand...

you see, I always thought that Ron's tail would be too thick to sew it up, but really it isn't and the thread is incredibly strong.

I keep his tail shortish (so it just touches his hocks when he's trotting) and only fold it up the once, straight back up the dock. I use 3 bands to secure the end of the plait then secure the thread around it, and carefully sew it in. you feel like you need a knitting needle, but once you get going its ok. when you get to the bottom just tie the thread off against itself.

I need about a metre of thread to sew the tail in, and in total it takes me maybe 15 minutes. 

ETA... see 
http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm342/hedgehunters/Hunting/ronstail.jpg 
for an idea of how it looks.


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## muffinino (9 December 2009)

Poster: jenhunt
Subject: Re: Tying a hunting knot into a horses tail?  




			T's tail is too thick to do it properly and sew it up, but that looks fantastic if you can do it. You put a tail plait in then continue the plait down so the whole tail is plaited, then fold it up twice so you can see the majority of the tail plait and sew it in.
		
Click to expand...

you see, I always thought that Ron's tail would be too thick to sew it up, but really it isn't and the thread is incredibly strong.

I keep his tail shortish (so it just touches his hocks when he's trotting) and only fold it up the once, straight back up the dock. I use 3 bands to secure the end of the plait then secure the thread around it, and carefully sew it in. you feel like you need a knitting needle, but once you get going its ok. when you get to the bottom just tie the thread off against itself.

I need about a metre of thread to sew the tail in, and in total it takes me maybe 15 minutes. 

ETA... see 
http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm342/hedgehunters/Hunting/ronstail.jpg 
for an idea of how it looks.
		
Click to expand...

I appreciate what you're saying but T is a traditional and his tail is so thick &amp; long it touches the floor, lol! It takes half a roll of tape to secure it and whilst string would probably be strong enough to hold it up, I don't think I could make it look neat, tbh, partly because I am really not very good at plaiting tails (having natives and traditionals means I don't have to do it). Thanks for the advice, though.


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## Patches (9 December 2009)

My horse's tail is pulled too. I just plaited the bottom bit and folded it so the end was at the dock, then folded again so it's all contained to the dock. 

I wrap electric tape, that matches the colour of the tail, around it then in two (or it might have been three) places.

Yes it's not as neat as a fully plaited tail, but it works.


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## Ditchjumper2 (9 December 2009)

Just wondering if anyone could tell me the 'correct' way to do this? Because my boys has a nack of getting it caught in hedges, getting it covered in burs and i think sometimes he even dips it in tubs of mud.

I mean the way with electrical tape round it, i had a go the other day without any clue how to do it correctly and it was a disaster so any help is appreciated!
		
Click to expand...

Plait tail as normal.  Do not fold up the single plait at the end. Then take the tail, including the plaited piece, and divide into 3. Plait it backwards approx 3 times. Lift it up, wrap around dock and back the the front. Continue to plait until the end and put band on end of plait.  Then pull the plaited piece through the knot. A colour coded piece of elastic or rubber band if a chestnut just secures it. End result....a smart tail, no electrical tape and it will never fall down.  Simples!!!


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## vallin (10 December 2009)

eh??? ^^^^^


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## Fiona (28 December 2009)

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f181/fionalowry/Flora/Sophie/IMG_5860.jpg

Sophie's tail is pulled too at the top, but she has a long dock so I tend to start as soon as the hair becomes long (an ordinary tail (french) plait then at the end of the dock start to plait the whole thing down to the end.  Then use plaiting bands to secure bottom, and lots of white insulating tape to double it up again.  Tried and tested, and looks OK.

Its fab not to have muddy tail to wash any more.

Fiona


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