clipping and trimming

[fleabitten]

Is it necessary? Or do you think it is beneficial, makes them look smarter? Do you think show rules should be changed to forbid whisker trimming, tail pulling???


Discuss!!

[kateflashy]

i think some people go ott with trimming i just like to tidy mine up my harvey at the moment looks like a welsh d when he's actually 7/8th TB so i will trim his feathers and tidy his mane and cut his beard but i dont do whiskers and i cut the top of his tail because he is dirty

[abi]

clipping is ok in moderation where needed, clipped out steady hackers i dont really agree with as its only for the owner's convienience with cleaning, but half clips for horses who are in medium work/ competitions is good, as it means less sweat, so less necessary salts are lost, and theres less risk of catching a cold.

a lot of horses look quite smart trimmed, and long straggly manes dont look right on TBs in general, but i always think whiskers are there for a reason! xx

[haffyfan]

Apr 28, 2008 16:20:38 GMT @kateflashy said:

i think some people go ott with trimming i just like to tidy mine up my harvey at the moment looks like a welsh d when he's actually 7/8th TB so i will trim his feathers and tidy his mane and cut his beard but i dont do whiskers and i cut the top of his tail because he is dirty

I would agree with Kate...I trim Feathers and beards in summer but would never trim Whiskers...that is just not on.
Harry is more natural but I cut Murphs mane in summer as it's real straggly and dosen't do any good anyhow even when it grows as so thin. I ahve to plait Harry's mane in summer as he gets too hot under it and tails are always left full.

[flash7]

My horse is hogged and feathers,ears and beard trimmed if showing. I leave his whiskers as I feel they are important. I got told off at my last show for showing him hogged with a plaited tail. The judge said I should pull his tail but not sure how. Any ideas?

[fleabitten]

apparently you are meant to pull the tail the same as the mane although you could just shave it with the clippers maybe???

[brigadier]

HI
I like to see horses look smart and will clip feet out, trim ears and pull manes and tails if necessary- however and this is a big however!!!! If the horse objects and it obviously hurts it I will always look for a kinder alternative, so Ive been known to trim feet out by hand with scissors and a comb, I will back comb and scissors a mane etc Recently discovered the best tool in the whole wide world for pulling manes and tails- its by clippersharp.com and is amazing- does a tail brill and does not hurt the horse- will thin out the worst mane also but then you need to back comb and trim it to length. Its so fast as well that I just keep up to it during a normal groom.

Heres the link
www.clippersharp.com/smart_grooming/smart_manes/smart_manes

Brig

[salexis]

I think Moomin looks loads better when i tidy her fetlocks, pull her mane. i leave the whiskers well alone though.

when i first got her i got a bit happy with the trimmers and gave the poor love a bowl haircut fringe from hell.... so be warned and go easy! it does grow out eventually...

[abi]

has anyone used solocombs? the general feedback ive had from those is that theyre good for finer breeds but mess up thick cob's manes? xx

[duckles]

I have to admit , I do like the horses to look neat and tidy and I do pull their manes, trim feathers etc. I don't take off the whiskers because I guess they need them plus I think they look ok. I don't pull tails as it seems to cause a lot of pain and I think you can get a very neat look with washing and brushing. I do wash the tails a lot! I like washing the horse as well but you really need a hot day for that- which can be rare. By the way, I find Oster mane and tail brush fantastic for tails. Brig, the clippersharp- do you use on tails as well? ANd do you need to change blades often? Abi- I hate solocombs but I know most people swear by them. I think they make the manes look too short and thick and its not any quicker than ordinary pulling. One of my horse's doesn't much like his mane being pulled but he didn't like the solocomb any better so i just pull it a bit at a time- more if he's in a relaxed mood and very little if he isn't. I get the whole mane done in a week or so. But I might try the clippersharp! His mane is not thick but when solocombed- it looked thick and bunchy.

[zoon]

I like a neat looking horse, but I think it depends on the type of horse it is, as cobs with clipped out legs etc look weird to me and I like scruffy little ponies!

My lad came to me with no whiskers and he'd had them trimmed all his life so was very head shy for ages after I got him because I let them grow back. think he could finally feel things and it was a shock!

[Blonde Donkey]

i had savvy clipped twice but left her hairy this year and this is the first year she has managed to stay sound. Bracken came back from loan clipped and looked totally wrong. I think my ponies are just like me naturally scruffy

[flash7]

Thanks Brig, just had a look at that site. Very interested in buying one for tails and it even gives a guide on how to do it.

[danielsmom]

I used solo combes in the past, but I find after exercise mane pulling is easier because the horse is warm. I always clip horse completely when in hard work, Daniel is totally clipped, it is healthier for the skin and coat to be able to give the horse a good wipe over with warm water after a hard session to wash away the sweat and then a really good brush when dry will keep skin in good condition. I did orignally leave Daniel in hunter clip but he got very sweaty under his saddle patch and I could not keep it clean and dry as the hair was too thick and he got sores.

[spotti]

Hairy McClarey from Donaldsons Dairy...that's us! Faith is completley hairy, very long mane, full tail and full feathers. She has whiskers, a beard, a tiny moustache (tempted to trim that but not sure as it seems to be flattening down and not being very noticeable now), ear hair and any other kind of hair that she was born with!

I do trim her tail because it drags on the floor, gets in the way of her legs and generally gets covered in pee if I don't, and her fringe is cut (albiet badly because she hates scissors, but she's so much calmer and happier now that she can see!), but everything else is left natural.

Here is a picture of my hairy beastie (infact, I've found a few, so you can have them all)












And one of her about 2 years ago when I first met her...shorter mane and not looking half as pretty as she is now (you should see her mane flowing when she canters about in the field...oh, she looks gorgeous! Just want to hop on and fly away. It's magical)

[ceej]

I have always had TB types before so it wasn't too much of an issue. But now I have Harry - coz he is pure welsh d I am not meant to trim or cut anything apparently (not that I will ever show him)

what maintenance should I do? I don't want him to have a long straggly mane - is it acceptable to pull/trim that and trim his tail? I think he would look odd with trimmed feather but he does have quite short legs so it would make his legs look longer...I just don't think I could mess with his natural look that much - he might look just like a horse who should have feathers but doesn't! Besides, I would have to face up to his scary ergots then and they make me feel a bit queasy (sometimes, I accidentally touch them when I am picking out his feet - URGH!!!) its a bit of a thing I have - that and long chestnuts (retch retch) got my farrier to cut them last time and he threw one at me. Nice.

[spotti]

My farrier trimmed Faiths the other day. They were horrid! Don't think they'd ever been done beofre because they were all long and split and smelly....urgh! I too used to catch them when picking up her feet and they'd make me feel ill...glad they're gone though (for now)

Also, ever noticed how your horses hooves smell? Not so much when they're on their feet, but when the farrier trims a bit off and then you pick it up to dispose of it, have you accidentally caught a whiff of your hands after - yuk!

[ceej]

yer - and for soem reason, all dogs love to eat it!!

[Becca]

is it weird i sort of like the smell of the farrier? not him personally, when he puts a hot shoe on?

and no dont trim a welsh! i love hairy horsies! (says she who hoggs her's) if your not gonna show though like you said it wont matter, i have seen loads of welshies with trimmed/pulled manes so it wont look wierd

[spotti]

Hairy hairy hairy hairy hairy *dances round in circles, gets dizzy so sits down*

Talking of hairy...time to go see Faith me thinks

[racaille]

I box off Paco's tail so it doesn't drag on the ground but I've never felt the need to shave/trim him anywhere else. My pal thinks his mane is too long but I like it - it's his Spanish bit. He does get hairy in winter since he is out a lot but when he gets sweaty I leave enough time to walk him to dry him off (a 15 minute hack at walk does it).
It may be the different climate here too.
I'm not a great fan of bathing horses either, even though Paco is a white version of grey. For me, warm water is a must if it has to be done. I'm always anxious here when it is super hot and sweaty horses get hosed in icy water.

[gnuton]

I use a pair of scissors to keep their bridle path nice and neat and I trim their ears a wee bit but other than that I don't do anything.

I suppose that will change this summer when they go to the shows.

What kind of things do you have to do for a horse that is being shown. Hunter will be in the hunter class and I think Jazz will be in pleasure or something. Do they have to have a special bridle? and what about a bit. I thought I read somewhere that the hunter class are supposed to have a snaffle.

Showing sounds exciting and I just might enter something myself.

[finefilly]

i have a part arab x welsh and a pure arab and you are meant to leave their manes long and natural. i pull dazzles but havent pulled emirs yet. his is really long and would need some pulling at one time or another as it would end up round his knees! HIs mane is really fine though and knots so easily that i have to keep it conditioned every day. Dazzle's welsh comes out in him as his mane is thicker but still quite fine.

i dont clip either of them as their coats are really fine. Dazzle hardly worked up a sweat in the winter when he was ridden. we used to do jumping, long hacks, endurance and xc and he never heated up that much.

[toryoaks]

I clip both my horses feathers off (liveryman harmonys are amazing) and their chin hair. For their wiskers, i literraly shave them off with a bic razor as most horses really dislike the whiskers being clipped - noise and vibrations i assume - but they stand happily for the razor. I leave the ears alone as they both go doo dar if i try and do them, so i take the view that as they are not that bad its not worth the fight.

For shows, hunters should be trimmed and in double bridles ideally.

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