How did it start?

[Lizzie]

I have often wondered why some leave longer hair above the tail when showing. I presume it is to make a low set tail seem higher. Silly really, since (to me anyway) it draws more attention to a maybe lower set tail. How did this start and become accepted?

Lizzie

 

[disneyhorse]

It is actually a fairly traditional practice when body clipping horses of all sizes... it is a neatly-clipped appearance without risk of shaving any of the tail off. Otherwise it can look somewhat blunt.

The miniatures do use it to give the appearance of a higher tail set... and it does work somewhat.

Andrea

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't know how it started or who started it. I only know that when I clip for showing I leave a V and blend it in. My daughter that owns 4 minis hates it and clips it off! To each his own. Judges doen't really care about it, really! The same thing with facials, I hate razoring, but some do it all the time, I only do it for Nationals, judges don't care otherwise. I think it is done to make the tail set look higher, whatever, either the horse has it or they don't! Just like dying the manes and tails, when I first got into minis I didn't know it was allowed, now I know better, better not go into the ring with a sun bleached mane & tail!

 

[Sue_C.]

Yup, as already mentioned, it is traditionally done so as not to cut tail-head hair off...but is used (as is most everything else "miniature") excessively. IMO, left as long as some I have seen, half ways up the butt...it looks silly and unprofessional.

 

[maestoso]

It is too general to state that judges don't care about facials or tail V's. Some judges may not, but some judges absolutely do care. Just like exhibitors, judges have their own preferences.

 

[maestoso]

It is too general to state that judges don't care about facials or tail V's. Some judges may not, but some judges absolutely do care. Just like exhibitors, judges have their own preferences.

 

[minimomNC]

I feel like it also helps when the hair is growing back in and they get itchy, leaving the hair above the tail keeps them from scrubbing their tails because of new hair growth. But a long V can't make a flat topline, no matter how long you make it. Judges can tell.

 

[Eagle]

I was taught that it shouldn't be longer than it is wide but this was for big horses

 

[HGFarm]

I dont know but have seen some so extreme it looks ridiculous, and have had judges mention that if they see that, they begin to look for what is wrong or what the owner is trying to hide. I leave one pretty short- about 2" maybe and blend it so that there is not a big dark colored V going up the horses rear. I have never had a horse rub out their tail or scratch their butt because I left a very short V vs. a bigger one.

 

[maestoso]

My general rule is that I end the V at the point between the two hips. This is not to make the tail set look higher, it is because it creates a very clean groomed look. I do not leave the full winter coat, a leave just barely more than the shaved coat right until just before the base of the tail where I blend it. I will change this based on the horses shape or conformation as needed (example, a horse that drops off badly, a tail V that long can make it look even worse...)

 

[a mini dream come true]

Thanks for the thread. I'll have to look at the "V" more closely as we are showing for the first time this weekend. In the picture I took after we finished, I wasn't too happy with the "V". Thought it looked too out of proportion. Love the information and views on LB

 

[susanne]

Blending the tailhead into the body makes sense, but the long Vs are done because somebody did it and won, thus everyone else thinks that's what the judges expect.

I'm waiting for the day the overly long bridle path meets the overly long V.

 

[Minimor]

I don't think there's anything that looks worse than a big bushy V that goes way up the croup. It just looks silly. If someone clips that way to make it look like their horse has a higher tailset, they are really fooling themselves. Not only that, but they're not giving the judges much credit. A good, even average, judge is going to realize that no horse has a tail that starts way up on top the croup--and if the judge is dumb enough to get fooled by the long V then chances are he's going to notice that the horse has an extremely short hip. Take a closer look--when you clip & leave a long V all you're doing is making it look like the horse has a really short hip!!

It is quite possible to leave only a short little V and still serve the purpose of not cutting any of the tail hair off!

 

[mizbeth]

I think if the "V" is tapered into the tail it looks nice. I have also seen a long "V". Appearance when entering the show arena is one of the most important factors of having your horse "judged" well or placing well. I have seen Judges barely look at a horse once it is in the arena but place them very well - no this is not a handler situation that I'm speaking of. It is the first impression of you and your horse. Clipping the "V" is an acceptable practice as so is razoring the muzzle. The degree to which each is done should be done to accommodate the overall appearance of the horse and is not necessarily the same cut on each horse. It is something you need to do to improve the overall appearance of your horse, make him look "manicured", "well groomed".

There are always shows that require less of this - as are some that require more of it.

* I should not use the word "require", but rather "preferred" - sorry!

 

[Sue_C.]

Blending the tailhead into the body makes sense, but the long Vs are done because somebody did it and won, thus everyone else thinks that's what the judges expect.

I'm waiting for the day the overly long bridle path meets the overly long V.

You took the thought right out of my head....

:OKinteresting

:OKinteresting

 

[LindaL]

The person who does my bodyclipping for me does the V, but then blends it in with a stroke going with the hair, so it almost looks like the V isnt even there. I like it that way much better than a big puff of hair sticking up.

 

[kaykay]

Years ago Tony G posted that it originally started as a way to tell the "true" color of a mini. I think it was Tony? Many times when we all clip you clip most of the color off. He said it then grew from there.

I hate them and would rather not but I do a small one.

Big mistake newer people make it leaving the winter hair on the V. To have it look good you should always clip it all off on that first clip after winter. Then do a V after the hair regrows.

 

[Sue_C.]

Years ago Tony G posted that it originally started as a way to tell the "true" color of a mini. I think it was Tony? Many times when we all clip you clip most of the color off. He said it then grew from there.

Well, the part about "telling the true colour" might work, but not that it is the reason behind it. I have clipped horses wayyyy back before being involved with, or having known about minis, and ALWAYS left the triangle over the tail head. As a matter of fact, here is a quote from an old book I have on clipping horses...(all horses, doesn't even mention minis)

" Make a 15cm line from the side of the tail to the spine. then do the other side to match. Traditionally this isosceles triangle is left unclipped. "

 

[ohmt]

Well I would never show a horse with the fluffy V, but when I clip my yearlings for the first time in the spring I always leave the fluffy V because otherwise I almost always cut some of the tail off. If the horse makes any sudden movement while i'm back there, bye bye pieces of tail. That's less attractive than fluffies for a month or two.

 

[kaykay]

Well, the part about "telling the true colour" might work, but not that it is the reason behind it. I have clipped horses wayyyy back before being involved with, or having known about minis, and ALWAYS left the triangle over the tail head. As a matter of fact, here is a quote from an old book I have on clipping horses...(all horses, doesn't even mention minis)

I have never seen the extreme V's like the minis have on any other breed. Small ones yes. Many breeds do not clip them at all. Many Shetlands are never clipped with a V and I have never seen them on any of my neighbors show horses.