Help! How to untangle dreadlocked tail?

[NanciK]

Need some advice here ... what would you recommend to de-tangle this dreadlocked mess ... with no/minimal cutting?

[swissgrl]

COWBOYMAGIC Detangler. That worked for me, it took me about 2 hours to get Gems mane untangled, just apply, rub it in, and start working on it. Sometimes you just need to take a strand and work on that, it's like a maze, but with patience it's doable. Keep applying it as you go along.

I took me a full bottle to get through his mane, and he had bailing twine, wire, and dreadlocks.

Good luck, looks like you have your work cut out for you.

[cutiepiepmu]

Cowboy magic is great - BUT, I have had excellent luck with WD-40 - just spray it in, use yoru fingers to work it around and let it sit over night. Combs right out the next morning. Make sure to use a good shampoo and wash the tail after - then apply a good moisturizer to the tail

Also - You can wash as best as you can and then slather with a good conditioner - I LOVE a human product by John Frieda Called Frizz Ease Straight Out. GREAT stuff!

Sara in WA

[kidznhorses]

I use a ton of conditioner, the cowboy magic works great or I even use cheap conditioner, work it through the tail as well as you can, even working a hole down through the top and dumping conditioner down through it, then put the tail in a panty hose leg for a day or two. Keeps more dirt and other garbage from accumulating. Much easier to work that feedlot mess out.

mta: By leaving it in the panty hose tail bag overnight, it really loosens that tightly matted hair up.

[bridgetah]

Cowboy Magic. My filly has a long, thick mane and tail, especially in the winter. I swear by Cowboy Magic for dreadlocks, mudballs, etc. . . In the summertime, anything works, but there is nothing like CM for her wintertime tangles.

[sassiedogtk]

WD-40 works the best.

[toeps]

My mustangs tail looked like that from top to bottom and was that long. Poor guy could hardly lift it to swat flies! I used the cowboy magic, soaked his tail about 6 inches at a time with it and worked it in with my fingers and just started combing from the bottom - it took me 3 hours but by the time I was done his tail looked gorgeous and he was sick of carrots ;D. We also took a few breaks to stretch out our legs
The only reason I didn't use 4D-40 is I wouldn't have been able to wash it out, he was leary enough of a spray bottle.

[MustangAppy]

Cowboy magic. Worked on Pals dreds. I would also suggest using a mat splitter to help get the product down into the dred. You can find one at a Pet store...

[wildwoman]

When I got Leo-his ENTIRE tail was a SOLID dread lock to the ground-a whole tub of "cholesteral"(cheapo stuff but thick) conditioner and worked through the mess.

[hayforhorses - The Food Angel]

Sorry, gals, but, I would NEVER use WD-40 on a horse's tail or mane...it is best to use more natural products, not chemicals. Read the label. And, WD-40's fumes are horrible and not safe for horses as well as the human applying it.

[toeps]

oh, I just remembered - I also had a sharp knife that I used to "comb" thru the really nasty stuff that had twigs in it.

[angelinmydreams]

Cowboy magic it is a miricale solution. I just ran out yesterday. Use a old hair brush for people and a lot of patience. A pocket knife is good too but be careful with it.

[highdesertequinere]

I have also used Cowboy Magic and work from the bottom, it takes alot of time but the end results are fantastic and safe to use.

Patty Martin
www.highdesertequinerescue.rescuegroups.org

[endurorider81]

I have to agree with the WD 40 , I have had lots of very long tails and manes to deal with and that is the best. Cheap, easy and just wash it out after tangles are out. Makes butter out of concrete!! After dealing with crappy owners with their "prized" show horses, long manes and tails (arabs/saddlebreds and NSH) it makes life easier. The fumes never bothered me, or the horses and most of the time the spray bottle really doesn't spray, just leak!!

[cutiepiepmu]

lol - and WD-40 is in a base of linseed oil (flax) lol not bad stuff. You can use it to fix a squeeky door, remove soap scum from your shower door, remove gum from carpet - and walla - remove mats from tails Of course - it is a fix, not a daily application deal lol.

Sara in WA

[hayforhorses - The Food Angel]

Sorry again, gals, but WD-40 is NOT safe...and, btw, it does stain things yellowish-brown, so, it probably also stains the hair of a horse's tail...this especially wouldn't be good in the lighter colored tails and manes:

www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infwd40.html

"WD-40 has a slight yellowish-brown color and can stain fabrics. (Heh heh... so much for stain removal.) Any fabric treated with or touched by WD-40 should be laundered."

Also, WHY WD-40 is NOT safe:

"BE CAREFUL... There are a few... to put it politely... insane people suggesting that WD-40 is safe to apply to the skin or even ingest! WD-40 may work a few miracles but it is not a medicine. If you don't believe me, click HERE to read the MSDS... the official Material Safety Data Sheet for WD-40. (You need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.)"

www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infwd40-msds.pdf

Page down to the box that is titled: "Health Hazard/Routes of Entry" where it says that if WD-40 is inhaled, the person (or horse or any animal nearby!) should be removed to inhale fresh air...and give artificial respiration if necessary (!!!!)...and, "if breathing is difficult, add oxygen"...!!!!...AND, "pre-existing medical conditions such as eye, skin and respiratory disorders may be aggravated by exposure"...there is more important info, go through the link as it is a PDF so I can't copy and paste the info...also read "Special Handling information"...

[agilitygal]

Did this tail get untangled? Don't recall ever seeing one this bad. I think I would have cut it short and worked out the tangles from there.

[NanciK]

No, he's still in QT. We'll start working on it when he gets to California!

With all the great advice above, I'm poised and ready to start, from the bottom up, and taking as long as I have to, to preserve as much of it as I can.

Cutting would be an absolute last resort.

Thanks again everyone for all your ideas and moral support! Can't wait to post an "after" picture. Wish me luck!!

[beckybee]

Raz had a really big dred down the center of his tail and Zephyr had a few in his mane. I hadn't learned the magic of cowboy magic yet so just used elbow grease. I found I worked most of it out with my fingers. Also, much of the hair in the dred is actually not attached to the horse anymore so don't worry if big bunches of hair come off!

[pikzeedust]

COWBOY MAGIC, COWBOY MAGIC, COWBOY MAGIC........

[hystyle]

I LOVE Canter Mane & Tail. I use to use Cowboy Magic and it worked good, but the Canter Mane & Tail I love. It workes great on the horses as well as on my Havanese coats. I just ordered two more bottles.

www.quayequestrian.com by CARR & DAY & MARTIN

[halfwayhome]

I have used all of the above and eventually got tails like this detangled, some took a couple days to do in stages to not tire horse or me out! However something else that works and is cheap is vegetable oil! Get the cheapest kind and go at it! Its a bit messy but not harmful and then shampoo and wash when you are done! I also use a hoof pick and push/get it into the snags to open them up a bit and then put the oil into the holes I make and squish with hands and fingers to get into all the areas, let sit a bit, then start slowly using the pick and fingers to loosen it up. Yeah, start at bottom end and work way up, holding up above area with other hand when picking and pulling hairs so horse does not get painful "tug" at the roots. Actually this is hard to describe huh!! LOL

[Horse poor]

Coconut oil is great for untangle dreadlocks!!