Differing tastes in show clipping?

[choklitbean]

My first experience seeing a clipped mini was on a web site when I was searching for harnesses. The first few pictures I thought it was just one of those really ugly plastic horses used by so many tack shops, after all it had a "varnished" look to it and was always in the exact same position - then I saw a photo where it was standing slightly different and I realized the poor creature was really a living thing.

I'm sorry but I find the clipped and balded look hideous - but each to his own - oh, except in the case of shaving off eyelashes. Whoever dreamt that one up should be slapped silly.

 

[susanne]

I don't see what's wrong with Balding, I don't think show horses with a lot of whiskers look good. Having them cut off makes them look clean cut, and well groomed. JMO.

My "problem" with it is this idea that one has no choice but to give in and do it. If you want to do it, that's fine -- it would be just as bad for someone to say you COULDN'T do it. All I want is to see at least a few have the guts to follow their own tastes and instincts.

Also...to me a natural look does NOT mean taking a dirty, unkempt, ungroomed horse into the arena. A horse can be meticulously clean and groomed, but without the techniques I dislike.

Just to show that it's all relative, at our first show, I sprayed a tiny amount of mink oil on my hands and rubbed it on Mingus' clipped but not balded muzzle. Keith had a look of utter horror. "I can't believe you're doing that!" he said. "You of all people!" I explained that this was hardly going to give him the patent leather embalmed look that I dislike... Of course, Keith didn't have a choice (I'm going to be in trouble if anyone tells on me...), but others do.

Do what you want, but don't let yourself be forced to do something you don't want to do!

 

[midnight star stables]

I don't see the difference... cliping & putting a little oil & balding/shaving & putting a little oil... they seem the same to me, cutting the whiskers around the nose, moth & eyes... on is alittle closer...

I'm not a big shower, if i did show alot i would not worry as much over the little things... but if i am only showing in one show i want every thing to stand out... or benifet(sp) my horses look...

I must be missing some thing... they seem very simular to be fighting over

JMOSO

 

[susanne]

Lest I sound like a hypocrite...

Putting a smidgen of mink oil (and this stuff is very light, not like the gloppy, greasy stuff) on a muzzle with hair creates at most a slight sheen, barely noticeable, unlike the balded and greased patent leather look.

The two looks are worlds apart.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Lest I sound like a hypocrite...
Putting a smidgen of mink oil (and this stuff is very light, not like the gloppy, greasy stuff) on a muzzle with hair creates at most a slight sheen, barely noticeable, unlike the balded and greased patent leather look.

The two looks are worlds apart.

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Susanne

This is how it starts a litte mink oil and poof your on that slippery slope and next you'll be shaving Mingus' eye lashes off

 

[midnight star stables]

Lest I sound like a hypocrite...
Putting a smidgen of mink oil (and this stuff is very light, not like the gloppy, greasy stuff) on a muzzle with hair creates at most a slight sheen, barely noticeable, unlike the balded and greased patent leather look.

The two looks are worlds apart.

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Susanne

This is how it starts a litte mink oil and poof your on that slippery slope and next you'll be shaving Mingus' eye lashes off

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ok just had to laugh

 

[susanne]

Me, too!

 

[lilhorseladie]

I like to see the pretty show horses. I however, when I did show, would simply clip, wash, goo and show. I didn't do any balding. I tried to make my horse look the best I could. The problem is this: against those professionally looking and yes, beautiful animals, I looked like an ammy. I was an ammy, but It didn't look like I knew what I was doing, when really I did what I did on purpose. So I think to be competitive you have to do an extent of this, or you have to know how to make it look like you did. I won't bash it because those who groom them and make it look nice deserve a round of applause. It must take hours and hours at the salon for your horses. I am not even close to brave enough to do that to one of mine! Those who think it is cruel...these animals on the show circut are babied to the hilt. They don't get much sun to burn in since they are being pampered!

U understand the argument of judging the horse and not the grooming, but if there are two horses comparable in quality and one is groomed professionally....you can guess the results. That is what we call SHOWBIZ! That is why our professional showers spend and make the big bucks for their horses!

 

[AS IF BY MAGIC]

haven't had a baldy in Ireland yet ! But I'm sure it will come.

Have any of these baldy horse been in the show ring with loo- roll still stuck to their shaving mishaps !

Just kidding !! I think a lot of us have hit on a problem... JUDGES !!

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I guess i am unclear as to what the huge deal is. NO one is forcing anyone to do anything if you can go to a local or National level show and groom how you want and place how you want what is the big deal?

It isnt a cruelty issue at all I think we can (most anyway) agree with that. I dont see anyone at the in-gate saying nope cant enter your horses arent groomed the right way.

We arent the only breed that razors for halter in fact many do-

 

[capall beag]

I am sorry BUT I have to disagree with some of the posts.

I don't even know what the balding thing really is BUT I hate shaving my legs because I cut the heck out of them SO I wouldn't take a razor to my horse or I might just kill her

But kidding aside. I am NOT talking about balding or clipping etc

BUT for anyone who is unsure on this REMOVING any animals eyelashes is a CRUEL act!!! You have eyelashes for a reason, you need them.

Would any person want their eyelashes removed?? Nor would any horse. I think you can show and clip with any size balde you want and still have your horses best interests in mind.

However, when winning becomes your goal OVER your horses overall well being YOU have crossed the line. NOT just IMO that is FACT!!!!

I absolutely respect the HUGE amount of time and effort that goes into breeding, showing, grooming, clipping etc to make your horse the best that it can be BUT any extreme is NEVER a good thing. I really don't think extremes in anything ever produce any good.

I think my opinion on balding, gel, oil is irrelevant because I don't know the first thing about it and I don't show. I do what I like and everyone else can do the same!

 

[Feather1414]

Ok, I know you guys dont like it, but I would like to show my example of a horse showing in a natural coat and being balded.

This is Dealer at the Rocky Mountain classic. I swear that literally only one horse didn't get balded at this show, and he didn't place anything about 3rd-and that was in a class of 3.

Granted its not the greatest picture ever, and the little booger decided he didn't want his ears up, but this is how my horses show. I have NEVER cut them while razoring their muzzles. I am not ruthless about it. I go slowly and make sure I do a good job, and that they are doing ok. For the record, there was NO black makeup on Dealer. I just razored him and put on a light layer of baby oil.

 

[Buckskin gal]

People in your area must be very caring about their horses and not just follow the fads. good to know it is not happening everywhere.

Chyngurl*~
Not thats not balding.  Balding is where you take a razor(like you shave your legs with)  and actually take all the hair off the nose and above the eyes.

I personally dont like it, wont do it.  And actually if you were to show up here and do it, you would stand out like a sore thumb.  Very rarely do I see it being done up here anymore.

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[Abby]

I'm a former QH person who prefers the natural shiney coat.

But this was my first year showing a mini and I did body clip, shave muzzle and the long hairs around the eyes. I don't "bald" or grease up either.

I have a show in 2 weeks and have debated wether to clip again. I much prefer Snips rich color and shine with hair so I don't think I'll do a full clip.

Fiona, I have a mare that I don't show and she just now is fully shed out naturally. Boy does she shine! With minis, they just don't shed out early enough. Next year I'll clip Snip in the spring and let her coat grow in, just my preference.

But, to each their own. I don't think it makes much difference just showing locally and that's what I do.

Lee

 

[Ashley]

They used to do it up here. It lasted about one show season.

I have a mare who you would like I balded but didnt. She is just naturally like that. MOst trim with a 40 or 50. TO me that is short enough. Clip them that way, a little baby oil gel you your good to you. To me they look sharper that way then the balded look.

And again a judge is gonna see the good in bad in a horse no matter how much or how little hair they have.

Feather, im sure the horse placed that do to the body style/comformation not do to not being balded.

 

[Buckskin gal]

Lisa, I would guess that the "big deal" is the removal of the eyelashes because eyelashes are there for a very good purpose. I have seen, more than once, dust flying in the air and without those eyelashes the dust easily enters the eye. I just think it is an extreme and see it as doing something that really isn't needed on a good horse. I also think that too much goop distracts from the natural beauty of a horse. This is just my thought on the matter and do feel that it is a choice that should be made because of a personal like for the look but I tooagree that no one should feel they have to do it and I hate to think it has to be done to win. Mary

I guess i am unclear as to what the huge deal is. NO one is forcing anyone to do anything if you can go to a local or National level show and groom how you want and place how you want what is the big deal?It isnt a cruelty issue at all I think we can (most anyway) agree with that.  I dont see anyone at the in-gate saying nope cant enter your horses arent groomed the right way.

We arent the only breed that razors for halter in fact many do-

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[Margo_C-T]

Well, I am one of those who loathes balding, never have and never will do it-and 'amazingly', my horses have done their share of winning 'in spite of'

that--'nuff said.

What interests me is the photos of the horse showing undeniably stretched at the Estes Park show...it's an AMHA show...VERY interesting.......wonder if those judges have read their AMHA Rulebook lately?

Also-although pretty much 'everyone' agrees that removing the eyelashes is a very BAD idea, go around at the national shows and see how many horses this has been done to....

.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Buckskin Gal we were talking about clipping with a 50 or using a razor on the muzzle and eyes not shaving off eyelashes so I still stand by it isnt a big deal.

Not compared to other issues our breed has anyway IMO ...

I have clipped muzzles in a 30 , had them done in a 50 and razored as well.

 

[MooreAcres]

I will be showing in my third show, in three years of showing minis, at the end of this month.

I personally won't bald my horses. I have nothing against someone else balding their own horses, but for now I refuse to bald mine. I will be body clipping with a 10 blade, thats it. From the tip of his nose to the point of his buttocks will be clipped down no more than a 10 blade. I will be applying a light amount of baby oil to his face at the show and possibly some "show sheen type" product, to give him a shine. I'll run some LA Looks Gel through his mane and forelock before entering the ring. TA-DA, look at us! If we place, then we place...if we don't, then we don't. This is more about having fun then winning to us, so we'll play the game our way...balding free and as natural as possible.

Erin

 

[Fred]

Exactly! I was at a clinic on grooming a few years ago {by a VERY well known}

judge and trainer. He said use a #10 blade and never take off the eyelashes!

HA! Every horse this person shows is clipped with a #30 or #40 blade and no

eyelashes. I do clip my horses and I will groom them according to what suits

what horse. If I like it I'll use it. I hate razoring on my grays it looks too

artificial, so I don't do it. I have been told I should but gosh darn, wouldn't you

know that both those mares have made national or reserve champion. WITHOUT

BEING RAZORED! It looks good on the bay gelding so I will razor him. Do what

think best and what you prefer! It's YOUR horse and YOUR decision! Linda B