Clippers, whiskers, and ears... oh my!
Panama (and all the other horses at the barn) started shedding weeks ago. Probably since he has a thinner coat than most of the horses, Panama isn't shedding as badly, but I may still have to consider blanketing him a bit more liberally in March and April. Denver gets a lot of heavy snow in the spring, but enough warm weather between snowstorms that the horses aren't really prepared for the cold and the wet.
When I took these pictures earlier this winter, though, I was thinking a lot about winter coats, whiskers, and fuzzy ears. My trainer comments periodically that I need to trim Panama's whiskers. Once I did take her advice, but since then I've decided I prefer him all-natural.
I changed my mind because I read that horses use their whiskers to feel when things are close to their mouth. That made sense. And of course you'd never cut a cat's whiskers, so why do that to a horse?
I've also been advised to fold his ears and cut the longest hairs. Again, I did once or twice, but I've since decided not to do that anymore, either.
I do trim a rather sloppy bridle path with the scissors, but otherwise I don't pull or trim his mane...
...or his tail. In fact, I want that tail to grow, grow, grow, and often braid it in the winter to try to help it grow out!
Nor do I clip his body hair. My trainer would do it if I wanted, but I don't. I don't like the way it looks, for one thing, and I don't mind sticking around to until he dries after a ride, which has only been necessary a few times this winter.
What about you? What do you trim on your horse, and what do you prefer to leave natural?
Labels: grooming
posted by Katharine Swan @ 12:02 PM
Also a full-time freelance writer, 
4 Comments:
I don't trim anything on Gilly except his bridle path, with scissors also. I don't own clippers; sometimes I hold the edges of his ears together and cut out the long hair because it is pretty long. I don't like all the clipping either, neither would Gilly!
He likes his whiskers and Pokey likes his too. They like to be natural boys!!!
That's cool that you are the same way, Jane! I don't own a pair of clippers, either, though I've been thinking of borrowing a pair to desensitize Panama to them -- it wouldn't hurt to have him familiar with clippers, even if I don't regularly use them on him. When he was 2 1/2, he was injured and the vet had to use clippers on him -- he pretty much lost his marbles, so obviously we need to do some work there!!
I like to trim Chester's whiskers. It's bad of me - I know - because I only do it for me, thinking he looks sleeker and all...plus I clip a bridle path (for convenience) and his fetlocks (for easier grooming).
Sally, I don't clip Panama's fetlocks, but that's another one I've heard suggested. Panama doesn't get a lot of long hair there, though -- none in the summer, and only a little in the winter.
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