354 Western Live-stock Management 



A tail braid which is often used in sale stables and also in 

 the show rings is made by tying a loop in a stout cord and 

 then tossing the cord over the horse's croup and drawing 

 the loop end down over the tail. Draw it far enough so 

 that the loop hangs below the end of the tail bone. Braid 

 an ordinary underhand three strand braid over this cord 

 and tail by selecting small bunches of hair from the out- 

 side. This braid binds in and conceals the cord and most 

 of the tail. After the operator has braided down to the 

 end of the tail bone, all the hair is braided in, care being 

 taken to leave the loose string out of the braid. When 

 about six inches of tail remains to be braided, a small 

 stout piece of the cord about eighteen inches long is 

 braided in, and when the end is reached the cord is used^ 

 to put a hitch on the braid. This braid is then tied back 

 to the loop string, and the cord is pulled out, pulling the 

 large braid up underneath the braid surrounding the 

 tail where it is tied in position so that the ends will not 

 work loose. This is often used in shipping horses, and 

 the tail is covered with muslin so that it will not rub out 

 and be unfit for show or sale purposes. For show pur- 

 poses it is decorated with yarn and made into an attrac- 

 tive braid. For long-tailed horses in show, it is not cus- 

 tomary to braid in the entire tail, but braid about eight 

 inches, drawing the portion back and decorating, leaving 

 the larger portion of the tail flowing and natural. 



Another method that is often used in the show ring is 

 that of fixing the tail with rye straw. Tough, clean straw 

 about eighteen or twenty inches long is needed. Twenty 

 or thirty individual straws are selected and placed side 

 by side and the ends trimmed. The straws should be 

 damp and very tough. Tie a plain knot in the band 

 of the straw, leaving one end about five inches long and 



