A horse with a long, full tail is the envy of every horse owner in the barn.  Even if your horse tends towards having a thin and scraggly tail, there are a few simple things you can do to encourage it to grow out.

• Do not overbrush.  Brushing out your horse’s tail too often can actually cause breakage and dryness.  When you do brush, use a good quality tail brush rather than a comb that will cause further breaking of the tail hairs.
• Do not overbathe.  Bathing the tail might make it clean and shiny initially, but over time it will dry out the tail hairs, making them dull and easily broken.  If you want to keep your horse’s tail clean, try putting it in a tailbag.  Try not to do this when pests are prevalent, as your horse needs his tail for fly control.
• Feed your horse good-quality food.  If your horse’s nutritional needs are being met, there is a much better chance that he’ll have a healthy and shiny mane and tail.  You might consider feeding a supplement such as Farrier’s Formula, which not only helps with hoof growth, but also keeps coats shiny.
• Clean your horse’s sheath or udder to ensure they aren’t rubbing out of itchiness.  Also make sure that your horse is dewormed regularly, and check their backside for any clues as to what might make them itchy enough to rub their tail out.
• Use a leave-in conditioner when brushing.  These moisturizing products also make it easier to brush out your horse’s tail, reducing breakage and making knots easier to handle.  And they smell nice too!
• Be cautious of your fly spray.  Although necessary at times, many insect repellents are very damaging to hair and skin.  Try using a natural product if you think this might be damaging to your horse’s tail.

As grazing animals, horses have some unique needs when it comes to their teeth.  Meant for grinding down tough plant fibers, and other abrasive materials, a horse’s teeth are constantly growing.  Additionally, their upper molars are spaced wider apart than their lower molars.  In the wild, this is beneficial because horses graze on grass all day long, which wears down and polishes their teeth quite effectively.  It also requires a lot of side to side grinding, which is where the spacing difference is an evolutionary advantage.  Domestic horses are not usually solely kept on grass, and instead are fed much less abrasive forage that requires less grinding.  This causes the teeth to wear unevenly resulting in sharp points and hooks on the molars.  These points will cause harm to your horse by cutting the inside of his mouth, preventing him from eating properly, and making the bit uncomfortable to wear.

Have your horse’s teeth checked yearly to prevent problems from getting out of control.  A good time is during your yearly vaccinations.  If the teeth aren’t too bad, your veterinarian may use a simple rasp to file down the points.  However, some veterinarians prefer to sedate the horse and use an electric power grinder to wear down the points quickly.  There is still debate on whether this is a good method of dental care – some feel that it is too easy to wear down the teeth too much, too quickly. 

If your horse is dropping his food, salivating excessively, fussing with the bit, or is touchy about having his face and muzzle handled, you will want to be sure to have his teeth checked.  If done regularly, having your horse’s teeth floated will be a minor occurrence, and he will live pain free.