ASKHQ: TAIL CUTTING

Q: How do I cut my horse’s tail correctly?

Asked by Emma Wood

A: To avoid cutting the tail too short, and to make sure that you cut at the correct angle, you need to put your arm under the dock of the tail to raise the tail to the position it is in when the animal is moving.

Supporting the dock with your arm, measure the tail to the chestnut. Use your other hand to mark the place and to hold the hairs at the correct angle. Then cut the tail straight across and then square off (or round off) any unlevel hairs to get a neat finish. The end should now lie parallel to the ground when your horse is moving.

It is worthwhile, however, to check the grooming standard for your individual breed of horse. In some breeds the tail must be cut to a specific length or in a certain way.