[hunterrider23]

Said horse kind of needs a fake tail, to fill out his for braiding, but to me he seems pretty short in the front. I don't want to put a fake tail on him and have the judge be like, WOAH something is really weird about this horse's neck, but I don't want to NFT and have the judge be like, There's absolutely no tail on this one, uglayyy. We'll be doing Children's Hunters @As, Cs, and AAs maybe juniors AAs/As down the road.

Please excuse the two ugly pictures of me as these are from only the first week of me having him (3 weeks now) and the first time I took him to a show (on the plus side, we were champion in the pre-childrens/2'6"). This is warm up 18" pictures , it was an unrated just for fun pony club run show, simply to see how he'd react to a new show environment (He'd previously only shown 5 times @WEF and once at Brownland, and I don't think he'd been anywhere but Wellington and Nashville. And please marvel at my beauty of a thoroughbred and distract yourselves from me lol.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/561719_3867825220114_362386967_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...60479636_n.jpg

So opinions?

Here's an additional pic:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...40007226_n.jpg

[Only By Night]

Aside from the fact that I think fake tails look silly a lot of the time (like hair extensions - I shouldn't be able to tell it's fake), his tail looks fine.

[reay6790]

Said horse kind of needs a fake tail, to fill out his for braiding, but to me he seems pretty short in the front. I don't want to put a fake tail on him and have the judge be like, WOAH something is really weird about this horse's neck, but I don't want to NFT and have the judge be like, There's absolutely no tail on this one, uglayyy. We'll be doing Children's Hunters @As, Cs, and AAs maybe juniors AAs/As down the road.

Please excuse the two ugly pictures of me as these are from only the first week of me having him (3 weeks now) and the first time I took him to a show (on the plus side, we were champion in the pre-childrens/2'6"). This is warm up 18" pictures , it was an unrated just for fun pony club run show, simply to see how he'd react to a new show environment (He'd previously only shown 5 times @WEF and once at Brownland, and I don't think he'd been anywhere but Wellington and Nashville. And please marvel at my beauty of a thoroughbred and distract yourselves from me lol.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/561719_3867825220114_362386967_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...60479636_n.jpg

So opinions?

I think you should braid his tail without the FT and see how it looks and take a picture (like professional braid).

My TB has a decent amount of tail...and then you braid it and there is none left! I don't put in a fake when it is SUPER soupy out, but otherwise he wears a pretty big fake tail.

I got mine from the Show Pen. Great prices (especially for grey tails) and great service. Mostly western people but I was NOT about to pay $400-500 for a fake tail.

natural: (and whoa so white on the ends...how unusual for him haha)
http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...82500567_n.jpg

With "George"
http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...5at75103AM.png

I think I got the 1 lb or 1.5 lb because that was the only weight offered at the time...I probably wouldve gotten the 3/4 lb.

heh ETA:
first picture is us playing in the jumpers, second is him getting champion in the A/Os...did I mention I love my TB??

[hunterrider23]

first picture is us playing in the jumpers,

Not to be super duper creepy or anything, but would the jumper picture happen to be in germantown, tn? That jump and the stands look super familiar.

[reay6790]

yep! second pic is brownland. Germantown is my stomping grounds.

[hunterrider23]

yep! second pic is brownland. Germantown is my stomping grounds.

High five! That's my home town and home show venue! I will literally be at every single show there that's rated. Come up and say hello if you ever see me!

[goodlife]

I have a hunter with a decent tail, but I put in a fake to show as well. She's a big bodied 17hh chestnut mare, and it really just fills out her look.

Without tail:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n..._3925602_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n..._3295656_n.jpg
(ignore the fact that i'm leaving from here to Texas hahaha)

With:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...41877040_n.jpg
(lol @ the lovely warm up ring...not)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n..._5815364_n.jpg

[alto]

only problem with those fake tails is that they are ... well ... fake: no idea how a judge could miss that ...


but if it makes yah happy - have fun with it

[kmwines01]

Personally I HATE fake tails. There are very few horses on which they look natural and you can't see it moving around. My most vivid memory is of a soupy undersaddle class and seeing someone's fake tail sitting in it as I trotted by. Your round shouldn't be judged on your horse's tail and hopefully most judges wouldn't you mark down for it. Unless it is super super thin, like some Appy's I've known, I would leave it off. Just looks unnatural to me to have this big poof at the bottom.

[Dewey]

It's hard for me to understand why anyone would think any of the horses pictured in this thread would need a fake tail. They all have nice, full, natural tails.

Personally, I find fake tails distracting. I tend to notice them as the horses are going around the ring. (Of course, I am not a judge.) There are undoubtedly horses who have wispy natural tails and need fakes if they are going to be braided, but I really don't think most horses do. A lot of fake tails really look fake.

[littlecreek]

I agree with the braiding and see how it looks scenario. Personally I think a bit of "extra" looks good, but you do see some that it's just waaaay more than needed and looks kind of silly.
I personally have one and do add it to Harry The Horse's tail on dry days. His tail is okay, and honestly since I have stasrted using it felt I am placing better in the U/S classes. I think it just kind of balances and completes the picture.
Also if you are going to invest in one makes usre it's a dead on match for his real tail, and maybe try him with a borrowed one just for schooling to make sure he's not going to be reacting strangely to it. I did hear baout a girl who borrowed one, went into the ring with it and jumped the first 2'9 fence at about 5 feet and spent the rest of the course with a kind of "GET IT OFF MEEEEE!" thing happening.
Also what does your trainer think?

[osgoka01]

Cute horse. Congrats! If you are doing the rated divisions at "A" shows, he will need a little help in the tail department. Even 1/2lb would give you enough to fill it out a bit.

Tails can really balance the horse:
Without: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=1&theater

With: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=1&theater

My horse clearly isn't working w/ much naturally, so she has a 1 1/4lb!

[comingback]

I agree with braiding it and seeing what it looks like, but from the picture I would say you should be fine.

I also am not a fan of the falsies. Of the pictures posted so far in this thread, I probably would only think it appropriate for the grey horses, particularly osgoka01's (what a cutie )

[ParadoxFarm]

I am not a fan of fake tails. I don't like the look. Kind of reminds me of the little girls with big poofy hair on Toddlers and Tiaras. Just doesn't seem right somehow. I wish the industry was less worried about how the tail looks. I do understand wanting to keep up with everyone else, but I still personally don't like it. Plus it adds to an already expensive sport.

[PaintedHunter]

I think he has a very nice natural tail and wouldn't dream of adding a fakie. I think you're overthinking this.

[Ghazzu]

I have a hunter with a decent tail, but I put in a fake to show as well.

I actually prefer the look w/o the fake.

[Janeway]

From the jumping picture I'd say he already has a nice full tail! In fact I'm envious, because my old-style hannoverian had probably only a 1/4 of that I was always jealous of full-tailed horses

[lauriep]

OP, pic looks fine. Doesn't need one. I hate them and will only use them for a chewed tail, or one with three hairs. NOT to add even more bulk to a perfectly fine tail.

[ponybreeder]

I personally really dislike most fake tails. No horse has a natural tail that is thick like the fake tails all the way to the bottom. When the horses trot with those big tails, they get caught in their hocks and look ridiculous. I can understand adding a tapered fake tail to a really wispy tail, but the big thick heavy ones that everyone seems to use are so unnatural looking. Someone commented that they "balance" a horse. IMO they do exactly the opposite. There is nothing natural or attractive about them and I can't imagine how this fad started.

Thank you. I have wanted to vent about that for a few years and never could find the right place. I feel much better!

[lauriep]

Yay, Robin!!! I am SO. With you!

I also think, KNOW, that it takes any incentive from the grooms to take proper care of tails and try to preserve them. Why should they when every horse in the barn gets a fake whether needed or not?