Katie Van Slyke Reveals the Secret Behind Hollywood’s Full Show-Ring Tail — And Why It Isn’t All Real
If you have ever looked at one of Katie Van Slyke’s show horses and wondered how their tails manage to look so incredibly long, thick and polished in the show ring, Katie just revealed one of the secrets.
Not all of that hair is real.
While getting Hollywood ready to show, Katie gave fans a detailed behind-the-scenes look at how she installs a weighted fake tail and blends it with his natural hair.
The result gives Hollywood a fuller, more balanced appearance — but getting that polished show-ring look involves much more than simply attaching extra hair.
Hollywood’s Luscious Tail Has a Little Help
Katie opened the demonstration with a playful confession.
If fans thought her horses naturally grew those incredibly full show tails, she admitted they had been fooled.
The extension going into Hollywood’s tail is artificial.
But the purpose isn’t simply to make the tail longer.
Katie explained that a weighted show tail can help create a sleeker way for the tail to lie while also adding fullness and visual balance to the horse’s overall appearance.
Not every horse naturally grows the same amount or quality of tail hair.
That doesn’t mean a horse is any less talented as a performance horse.
Using a tail extension helps create a more consistent appearance among horses competing in the show ring.
Why the Tailbone Matters
One of the most interesting parts of Katie’s demonstration was her explanation of where the extension needs to be attached.
A horse’s spine continues into the tailbone.
Katie wants the braids holding the extension to sit near the end of that tailbone rather than much higher in the natural hair.
That gives the extension a stronger anchor.
And with a heavy weighted tail, security matters.
Katie also carefully checks the height before beginning.
If the extension sits too low, a horse could potentially step on it or pull it while backing up.
If it sits too high, Katie says the finished look simply won’t appear right.
So before securing anything, she visually checks where the extension will fall.
Katie Uses Three Braids to Spread the Weight
There are multiple ways to install a fake tail, and Katie made it clear that her method is simply the technique she has used for approximately 20 years.
The style of extension she uses has two loops of braided hair.
To attach it, Katie creates three small braids in Hollywood’s natural tail.
Some people may use only one braid, but Katie prefers three.
Why?
Weight distribution.
A weighted extension can put significant pressure on the horse’s natural tail hair.
By using three attachment points, Katie spreads that weight over a larger area rather than allowing one small section of hair to carry everything.
That is particularly important for horses that naturally like to lift or carry their tails high.
The Tail Is Carefully Interwoven
Once Katie has the three braids prepared, she threads them through the two loops in the extension.
The outside braids are woven through from different directions, while the middle braid passes through both loops.
This creates an interlocked structure designed to hold the extension securely.
Katie then checks the length again from a distance to make sure the tail is sitting at the correct height.
Once she is satisfied, she braids the three natural braids together.
And she makes sure everything is tight before letting go.
Rubber Bands Aren’t the Final Step
Katie doesn’t rely on a single rubber band to keep the tail in place.
She uses multiple bands for additional security.
There is a very practical reason for that.
Nobody wants a fake tail falling out in the middle of a class.
Katie joked that having a tail come out during competition is practically a rite of passage because it has happened before.
After securing the braid, she tucks the remaining portion back behind the extension so nothing awkward sticks through Hollywood’s hair.
Then comes another layer of insurance:
electrical tape.
The tape adds more security and helps keep everything exactly where it belongs.
How the Fake Tail Becomes Almost Invisible
Once the attachment is complete, Katie brushes Hollywood’s natural tail and the extension together.
The goal is to blend both sections until the fake hair and real hair look like one continuous tail.
Rachel even comes behind Katie for some additional brushing to make sure the final result is polished.
By the end, Hollywood’s natural tail and the extension visually merge together into one full, flowing show tail.
Unless someone knew what to look for, it would be easy to assume it was all natural.
Why Show Horses Use Weighted Tails
Katie’s explanation also helps clear up a misconception about why these extensions are used.
The fake tail isn’t intended to disguise a poor performance horse.
Instead, it changes how the horse’s outline appears.
The additional fullness can balance the body visually, while the weight encourages the tail to lie in a smoother, sleeker manner.
That means a talented horse that simply wasn’t born with particularly thick tail hair can still present a polished appearance alongside horses with naturally fuller tails.
For Katie, it helps create a more level visual playing field.
Hollywood Is Ready for the Show Ring
Once everything was secured and brushed together, Hollywood’s transformation was complete.
His saddle would go on later because Katie didn’t want him standing around wearing it unnecessarily while waiting through earlier classes.
But his tail was ready.
And with the fake extension blended into his natural hair, Hollywood had the full, polished look Katie wanted before heading into the show ring.
It may look effortless when a beautifully prepared horse walks into a class.
But behind that finished appearance is a surprising amount of preparation.
And in Hollywood’s case, one of the secrets is now officially out:
That gorgeous, flowing tail gets a little professional help.
