Horse tie in tails?

I have a QH that I'm selling for someone and I need to get him a tie in tail especially for the photo shots. He's sorrel and my own horse is bay - do you think that you can dye a sorrel tail black with human hair dye? I hate to spend money on a tail that I would have no further use for once this horse is sold (although could send it with him) and so thought if I could dye it black, I could use it at a later date for my horse.

Horse tie in tails?
Lisa,


Spaeking from my own personal experience, dying a false tail can be a diaster, since the hair is so coarse, that dye soaks up quick and sometimes the peroixde will slightly burn the hair. I have several tails in different colors and would be happy to send you one that you can use and return. No big deal. Is this a dark sorrell, light or medium? Tail a dark rich red or more of the cinnamon color? Email me and I will be happy to help you out. And for the "soap boxers", a false tail does not make a winning horse. Training does that. We add these (and have for years) to make a better overall appearance in the ring. No illegal or inhumane about it. Sound like sour grapes here.





Edit to the post: If a person cannot going to look at a horse cannot tell a false tail when they see one, then they do not need a horse. I can tell a false tail in a picture and in person a mile off. So can just about any other show person. As far as this being "deceptive" , what a crock! The last show horse I sold had his tail chewed off by a colt. To his hocks. When I advertised him, I did the pictures with the tail. The person that wound up buying him, saw him for the first time without it. What mattered to her was how well he rode, not how long his tail was. And since she did not have a tail for him, I loaned her mine until she got one.
Reply:For all the lamebrains who think that this is not a common show practice, your ignorance is showing.





If you're selling a show horse and advertising to show buyers in a show market, you photograph them as a show horse... and there's nothing against the rules about a horse wearing a butt-wig. Guess what. Their hooves aren't naturally THAT black either!!! OH!! DECEPTION!!! GAHHH!So get over your uneducated selves.





Lisa, have you thought of the theatrical spray in/wash out hair coloring?
Reply:I'm with Mary unless the tail actually is real then I wouldn't mind but if someone lied then I would be so mad.
Reply:Darker dyes coat the hair shaft, whereas lighter dyes bleach and then replace the colour.





Yes you could dye the tail black afterwards.





EDIT: I've always heard/read that the WP/QH/Paint worlds often use tail and mane extensions. I can't fault Lisa for wanting to portray the animal as it would look like turned out for show! I do believe that is the point of a sales ad for a show horse.
Reply:haha slick





of course human hair dye would work.





if you mixed it properly, you could probably even use something as temporary as henna ink.





im going to play volly ball now cause julia is FINALLY back from new york!!





i can only imagine what you feel having him all th way pver there, and for so long.
Reply:It looks like a nerve was touched here. A person posting a question cannot alter it after it comes up on the board, but they CAN try to spin it. If you ask if the tail can be dyed so you can use it on YOUR horse, you obviously aren't planning on sending it off with the horse you sell, but that didn't sound so good, did it?





It's no wonder horse people are regarded with suspicion. "Everybody does it"....sounds like either junior high school or politics.





I can look back on my AQHA High Points and Honor Roll with pride, not piety, knowing that my horses were clean, and exactly as represented. If I'd wanted to go in for the "brand of crap" you are referring to, I'd have shown poodles.
Reply:While I like the idea of retouching the pictures with photoshop I still think you'd get a better "look " with the extension.


Probably the best idea would be to phone or e-mail the manufacturers and ask them directly as you can bet there will be some it will work on and some that it won't.
Reply:Another thought, for the horse that's for sale, how about a cheaper synthetic type because it is only for photos and can be retouched. Or can you simply retouch the digital photos and add the tail length? No cost involved.
Reply:In the first place, what you are proposing is deceitful, unless you state clearly in the ad that it IS a fake tail....in which case, the buyer would wonder not only how bad the real tail is, but what else you aren't saying. In the second place, if you photograph him with a fake tail, (which I think is a ridiculous affectation by the way), it SHOULD go with the horse....just like his blanket and halter.





Y'all can get busy with the thumbs down....but if you bought a horse from me, you'd know exactly what you were getting.
Reply:Maybe you could, and I think Dover saddlery offers false tails, but shouldn't you be honest when you're selling your horse? People won't be happy if they see a nice, full tail, then realize it's fake! I'd say just take a pic of the horse as it is, and someone will like it. My friend bought a horse with very very short tail hair, but with some hard work it grew out.
Reply:There are several ways to make a horse's tail look thick. My opinion when I look at horses for sale I prefer a shot without the fake tail in. Now it you want to make the horse's tail look thicker this is what I do. I've done this for a Ranch Horse Show (you're not allowed to put in fake tails)


Braid the tail in layers. Meaning under the tail bone put about 4 medium size braids in if possibe. I'd braid them kinda tight. Then the rest of the tail braid it loose but not enough to come out. Leave it in for 2 hours (thats how much time I had between my classes/break until halter) Then undo it, it'll make the tail look thicker a natural way and you don't have to pay money.


Another thing you can do is to take horse spray paint and spray it on your fake tail. Once you take pictures and sell this horse, all you have to do is wash the tail out with some shampoo and you have your orginal fake tail back.


I know a person when she bought her horse, the price included a nice 1 1/4 lbs. tail that matched the horse, so you could buy it and include it in the price. But then you risk if hte person wants to show the horse or if they even want a fake tail