Banging a tail means to cut it off blunt at the bottom. Traditionally horse's tails were banged to avoid them becoming soiled and straggly at the bottom. Not all horses should have their tails banged. Arabians and Welsh Ponies and Cobs should have manes and tails left natural. If you are showing in breed shows check to see what the requirements are.

If you are headed for the hunter ring or ride Western tails are not generally banged.

Horses ridden dressage will often have their tails banged. Again, check the requirements of your sport before proceeding. Also if your horse's tail is on the short side, banging it may only make it look shorter.

Banging a tail is not just a matter of chopping it off at the bottom. Before you begin pay attention to how high your horse carries its tail while it is trotting. Some horses carry their tails quite high, while other keep their tails flatter. You want the cut to be parallel to the ground while the horse is moving. If you just chop it off while the horse is standing, when the horse is moving the tail will look uneven. The banged tail should end about 4” (10cm) to 5” (12cm) below the hocks. Any shorter may detract from the look of the tail. You may want to mark it with a little piece of masking tape or a chalk mark before you cut. Better to leave the tail too long, than cut it off too short. You'll need:

• Mane Comb
• Sharp scissors
• A plastic bottle or cardboard tube about 4 in. (10cm) in diameter. (optional)

• Or in lieu of a tube or bottle an assistant who will 'lend an arm'. (optional)

Your horse should be accustomed to being groomed and handled and be calm when you work around its hindquarters.

Step One:

Brush the tail smooth. Don't wet it. Grooming sprays and detanglers may make it harder to keep the scissors steady for a straight, clean clip.

Step Two:

Have your assistant place the bottle sideways beneath the horse's tail so that it lifts the tail more or less into the position it would be if the horse were moving. Alternatively, you could just hold the tail up with your arm, but this is more work and you could easily move your arm without realizing it. An assistant can be helpful to either cut, or hold the tail up.

Step Three:

Grasp the bottom most portion of the tail and hold it into a tight bundle. Cut straight across the tail hairs. When the tail is dropped (bottle, tube or arm removed) the cut ends of the tail will be at a slight angle to the ground—the front being slightly shorter than the back. The cut will now be square to the ground when the horse is moving.