 Horses required to have naturally long tails sometimes have them kept "up" when not showing, the long hairs braided up to the bottom of the dock, then the braid rolled up, with a bandage or old sock put around the hair to keep it from breaking off and to keep the tail clean.When taken down and brushed out, a tail kept in this manner is wavy and flowing in the ring.If kept up at all other times, a tail may grow so long that it drags on the ground.