To Shave or Not to Shave that is the question...

[MiniArabLuvs]

So I am very interested in showing my miniature horses next year.... A good friend of mine said that a horse that has whiskers on there noises, eyes, and hair in the ears wont even be looked at in an arena... Is that true? I've been doing so research on what horses whiskers mean to them. It's part of the depth perception between their muzzle and the ground, ect.

I found on the internet that some people say absolutely not to shave because their horses got injured after shaving their whiskers and other say they never had a problem after shaving the whiskers.

So for those who have shaved their horses before, have you had any problems? And are your horses in stalls to pens or lose range horses?????

Thanks

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I shave whiskers off of my horses, I will NOT shave off the eyelashes like some though as those protect their eyes! I have never had horses have issues with depth perception afterwards and never had an injury due to clipping. I think that is a misconception that they are like cats and it hurts them to have their whiskers taken off, mine actually love it and play with the clippers while I am clipping. My horses that get clipped are pastured, stalled with turnout, by themselves and in herd situations, so I have about every type of set up LOL! In performance classes it wont be as noticeable but for halter or especially showmanship you would need the clean presentation. In an open show probably wouldnt be as big of a deal as a rated show too.

 

[Riverrose28]

I'm with Maple Hollow, I've always clipped my show horses, and never had a problem with them being turned out. I also leave the eyelashes. One thing that I do is leave the hair in the ears untill just before show time, as I feel it does offer some protection from mites and midges. It grows back real fast though. The only problem I have had is sometimes when you clip a horse the others in the herd don't reconize it with it's hair clipped off at first, till they smell, and they accept, doesn't happen often. Usually when my horses are being shown, they are in the indoor in stalls, with sweats, etc. so usually no problem.

 

[Barnmother]

I have always clipped my horses muzzles (both big and little horses); I also do bridle paths. I never clip eyelashes, just the long whisker like hairs under their eyes. I leave ears until just before a show and that is the only time I do ears. In the winter I tend not to clip anything, even bridle paths I just adjust their halters a little longer to accomodate the extra hair.

During show season I clip a bridle path to show length right before the show and between shows I don't clip it all the way back (I leave about and inch of grow out) or there is a tendency for it to keep getting longer and longer and the mane shorter and shorter. I only clip that inch right before a show.

I have never had a problem with injuries from clipping my horses in any way,

 

[targetsmom]

Be sure to read the rule book and follow the rules carefully. I once had a "trainer" tell me that I HAD to shave off all the hairs on the inside of my big pinto's ears or the judge wouldn't look at him. All I did was clip off the hairs that stuck out beyond the ear and then made everything look neat. Well this person was showing as an Amateur and I beat her in showmanship at the next Pinto show, winning the class!! I had read the rules and it said you "may shave the inside of the ears" - but you didn't have to. On my minis, I do clip the inside of the ears the day before the show, but I don't use a razor on them. I do shave the whiskers on the muzzle, though, and never had a problem.

If you have a strong feeling about anything - and it's not addressed in the rule book - do what you feel most comfortable with.

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I shave the horses whiskers, never heard that there would be a problem? Sounds like a cat LOL! I shave the inside of the ears at the show, i dont shave eyelashes, didnt know that was possible!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It is quite correct that horses use their whiskers as a cat does, and that they use them to perceive, or to help perceive, depth and width when negotiating obstacles. But very few show horses are clipped, shaved and then dumped in the wilderness so it is unlikely to affect them under normal circumstances. I have always clipped whiskers, even on horses going into small shows at local level. I just like the smoother look, and I have never noticed it doing any harm. This was riding ponies and horses, who lived out, btw, so if anyone was going to get into trouble with it, I think it would have been them! Horses adapt. I agree completely about the eyelashes- I am pretty sure you would be in dire trouble with the RSPCA, over here, if you were to do such a thing.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

If you body clip, it will look foolish not to do whiskers, and inner ears. Personally, my guy doens't even go to petting zoos without a trim bridle path and whiskers. I wouldn't dare take him into a show without inner ears done. If it's summer however, use Avon skin so soft on them when they go outside after the show, it keeps the lil biting flies out of his ears, but id MUCH gentler on sensitive spots than fly spray. Personally, whenver i see a horse fitted to the nines and hair left in their ears, i always think they must've been a jerk about it! LOL. I wouldn't ever razor inside the ears though, however, I wipe them out until they gleam with baby wipes. Makes an impression in showmanship when the insides of their ears are even clean!

I've never had an issue trimming whiskers. I make the eye ones shorter, but I don't take them completely off (my big pinto mare had the longest eye whiskers ever, it was distracting). My mini I don't razor, i just get super close clippers for the muzzle, which, once again, i clean the inside of his nostrils with baby wipes too.

My mini stud is kept outside during the day with his bred mare and an auction rescue gelding (long story), they all get along fine thanks to the mare who lays down the law. The fence is safe, and the pasture is super flat and well maintained with mowing, etc. He's inside during the night all winter, and all summer he's inside all day and outside all night (prevents bleaching of his coat, he can enjoy outside time without the buggies too!). I've never had a horse get hurt post whisker trimming, and I seldom think it would be the new hair do's fault that they do.

 

[MiniArabLuvs]

Thanks targetsmom, I'll defiantly check out the rule book for what it has to say. I'm glad that no one has had many problems on here, I am really looking forward to Halter showing him next year and was worried about shaving the whiskers off then running into problems. I have body clipped my horses many times to help with the summer heat just never their whiskers.

Thank you to everyone for reply