Whiskers... To trim or not to trim!

Serendipity Zip · 10-26-2006, 11:57 AM

All the horses I've known without eye whiskers know when to close their eyes. How do I know? I've watched countless walk up to something, close their eye, and ich it on the object.

It's not like he's walking about pokeing his eye ball against things, lol.

I think it really depends on the horse. The show horses Im talking about are used to not having any whiskers.

Abberlaze · 10-26-2006, 02:05 PM

haha. that's a good point.
folly's intelligent...but always manages to get into everything, and just poke her head where it doesn't belong.

serendipity zip: just out of curiosity, when do you start clipping your show horse's whiskers: when they start to show or when they're still young'ns so they can get used to it?

Serendipity Zip · 10-27-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

serendipity zip: just out of curiosity, when do you start clipping your show horse's whiskers: when they start to show or when they're still young'ns so they can get used to it?

That's a very good question!

We usually start clipping when the horse is a bit more matured mentally (so not a baby baby). We start it off slowly. Just the muzzle for a while. The ears and bridal path. The eyes are usually only done before a show.

BluEyedCowgurl · 10-27-2006, 09:29 AM

I only clip mine before show...other than that my girls and boys have always lived a unruly, messy looking monsters I guess lol.

I think their whiskers are cute. I do know a few people who can't STAND it when their horses look 'messy' with whiskers, so they're always trimming off the whiskers on their trail horses

Crazy.....I just leave 'em until we hit a show.

bettonskyblue · 10-27-2006, 09:39 AM

I think this is great information but my own opinion is that it cant hinder the horse too much to trim because most of the people I know keep thier horses trimmed and I have never noticed any hinderence in thier communication with other horses....nor has any of them been injured and it pointed to thier senses not working up to par because we shave thier wiskers....I keep my horse clipped year round..we go to shows almost year round. She doesnt have contact with other horses, she is turned out alone when she is turned out.
Thanks for the cool information though it is something to keep in mind. I dont clip horses that are strictly field horses, just so you know.
thanks agian, lovely info.

powertomyhorse7 · 10-27-2006, 11:22 AM

trim them trim them

MelissaH · 10-27-2006, 04:13 PM

My instructor went up to my horse and just shaved his whiskers! Never again. And last year I shaved his neanderthal beard. Now I regret it. I love his bushy beard he grows.

**BabyGurl** · 10-28-2006, 02:56 PM

Haha thanks guys!!! Interesting points of view! As i said previously if anybody fancies reading it ill see if i can find it somewhere if not PM me and ill tell you the magazine it was in. It really was brilliantly written and really thought provoking.

Im kind of on the fence on this one though. I can totally understand it from an avid show persons point of view but then i also agree with the article... If only we could get inside horses heads and REALLY know what their thinking...

Apart from the fact we're all a bunch of loons

AppalosaCowGirl · 10-29-2006, 11:34 AM

dont they use their whiskers to figure out which grass is edible and what is not? i dont trim, i dont show either...

AppalosaCowGirl · 10-29-2006, 11:36 AM

quote=powertomyhorse7----trim them trim them[/quote]

why?

10-26-2006, 02:05 PM	#22
Abberlaze Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: PA Posts: 866 Images: 22	haha. that's a good point. folly's intelligent...but always manages to get into everything, and just poke her head where it doesn't belong. serendipity zip: just out of curiosity, when do you start clipping your show horse's whiskers: when they start to show or when they're still young'ns so they can get used to it? __________________ Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep It's time to trust my instincts Close my eyes: and leap!

10-27-2006, 09:29 AM	#24
BluEyedCowgurl Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: MT Posts: 742 Images: 46	I only clip mine before show...other than that my girls and boys have always lived a unruly, messy looking monsters I guess lol. I think their whiskers are cute. I do know a few people who can't STAND it when their horses look 'messy' with whiskers, so they're always trimming off the whiskers on their trail horses Crazy.....I just leave 'em until we hit a show. __________________ Everytime you ride, you're either teaching or un-teaching your horse.

10-27-2006, 09:39 AM	#25
bettonskyblue Full Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 198 Images: 42 Blog Entries: 55	I think this is great information but my own opinion is that it cant hinder the horse too much to trim because most of the people I know keep thier horses trimmed and I have never noticed any hinderence in thier communication with other horses....nor has any of them been injured and it pointed to thier senses not working up to par because we shave thier wiskers....I keep my horse clipped year round..we go to shows almost year round. She doesnt have contact with other horses, she is turned out alone when she is turned out. Thanks for the cool information though it is something to keep in mind. I dont clip horses that are strictly field horses, just so you know. thanks agian, lovely info. __________________ "I've Been Boo'd"

10-27-2006, 04:13 PM	#27
MelissaH Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: SoCal Posts: 5,248 Images: 163 Blog Entries: 4	My instructor went up to my horse and just shaved his whiskers! Never again. And last year I shaved his neanderthal beard. Now I regret it. I love his bushy beard he grows. __________________ I'm real curious about how all four candidates feel about NAIS, about maintaining horse access on federal lands, and about what bit to use on a gaited horse! ~Johne

10-28-2006, 02:56 PM	#28
BabyGurl Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Swindon...United Kingdom baby!!! Posts: 600 Images: 10	Haha thanks guys!!! Interesting points of view! As i said previously if anybody fancies reading it ill see if i can find it somewhere if not PM me and ill tell you the magazine it was in. It really was brilliantly written and really thought provoking. Im kind of on the fence on this one though. I can totally understand it from an avid show persons point of view but then i also agree with the article... If only we could get inside horses heads and REALLY know what their thinking... Apart from the fact we're all a bunch of loons __________________ A womans place is at her yard, In her saddle, On her horse......

10-26-2006, 11:57 AM	#21
Serendipity Zip Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California Posts: 3,526 Images: 11 Blog Entries: 11	All the horses I've known without eye whiskers know when to close their eyes. How do I know? I've watched countless walk up to something, close their eye, and ich it on the object. It's not like he's walking about pokeing his eye ball against things, lol. I think it really depends on the horse. The show horses Im talking about are used to not having any whiskers.

10-27-2006, 11:22 AM	#26
powertomyhorse7 Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: alabma Posts: 542 Images: 36 Blog Entries: 25	trim them trim them

10-29-2006, 11:34 AM	#29
AppalosaCowGirl Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: PA Mason/Dixon border Posts: 1,859	dont they use their whiskers to figure out which grass is edible and what is not? i dont trim, i dont show either... __________________ I'm not LAZY, I just hang out a lot Sori and Lilly

10-29-2006, 11:36 AM	#30
AppalosaCowGirl Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: PA Mason/Dixon border Posts: 1,859	quote=powertomyhorse7----trim them trim them[/quote] why? __________________ I'm not LAZY, I just hang out a lot Sori and Lilly

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