Shdw, many aircraft don't have de-icing or anti-icing systems for the tail.
As for an MD-88, whenever you need airfoil anti-ice, the system automatically reverts back to the tail for one cycle if you turn off the system. Essentially, the engineers designed it so that the tail was always the last item to be heated -- even if you turn the switched off (it continues the tail cycle even after the switch was placed to off).
Was this done because they knew that smaller surfaces would catch more ice? I don't know.