The mystery of the disappearing tail.

[tammy68]

My rising 3 year old year old is out 24/7 with his pal a rising 2 year old filly. Over the past month his tail has been disappearing from the bottom upwards to the extent that it now looks like a foalie tail. When it first started going it looked as though it had been cut out on chunks of 18 inch lengths. Surely if the other was chewing his tail then she would have done it long ago and it would look chewed from the top too.

What do you reckon is happening?

[Ryan&Dizzy]

ild go for the other one chewing him!

[tammy68]

Is there anything you can suggest to stop this tail chewing, if this is what is happening. Nobody has actually seen the filly chewing this gelding's tail. It looks as though it has actually been cut. Never had this problem before. It is really irritating.

[smudge]

My money would be on Milly Jake has been chewing Frankies mane. I noticed it looked a bit thinner, then loads of new growth at the crest. Try spraying some anti Crib biting spray or even nail biting deterrent on it

[tammy68]

Have you seen it Smudge?!!! Take a peek when you drive by. Belated Merry Christmas by the way!

[jen1]

my filly chewed my geldings tail off, try putting vicks chest rub on the end, it doesnt wash out as quick in the rain,

[smudge]

I shall have to come and have a look at it Merry Christmas to you too. Thanks for Noah's present. Mollie has a present here for Megan and your card so we must catch up soon.

[daniwithchester]

Do you have any barbed wire or thorny hedges that he could get it caught on and then pull it out?
I put baby oil on my older horses mane and tail to stop my youngster getting a grip on it and pulling it out, his teeth just slide off it!

[Donnalex]

I bet you have a turnout rug on it that has clips either on the fillet string or the legs straps? This happened to mine last winter, it was the clips snagging the hair and it really did look like it was being cut as it was so level. I went through all the horses in the field, mentally extracting their teeth until I knew what was causing it. A baling string fillet strap stopped it.

[chubblaura]

We had 2 of the horses at the yards tails disappear quite a few years back - around the time there were a lot of horse attacks, we were convinced someone had come onto the yard......turned out to be the goat!! :-)
My boy is always leaving clumps of hair in the hedge, or bringing branches in with him stuck to his mane/tail!