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Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

Qrtrhorser — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 04:27:24 GMT

I clip them; I do the whole nose area, bridle path, under the chin, around the eyes, and the edge of the ears, also sometimes the fetlock. To me it's a neat appearance and I do it every so often even when I'm not showing, but defiantly for shows, but that's just my personal opinion I want to look my best and I want my horse to look well kept. The first time you trim them they may seem sensitive because there used to the feelers feeling first but after that initial trim I have not noticed any ill affects, yes they serve a purpose but mine have managed okay.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

dark_duet — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 20:50:35 GMT

Mine are always clipped for any type of show. I do their muzzles, under their chins, bridle path, and their fetlock hair. I think it gives a more 'professional' apperance, but that's just my opinion. During the winter though, they all pretty much have really long whiskers, but sometimes I'll trim them to make it easier in show season.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

spragueme — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:50:29 GMT

I don't show at all and I shave my guys. I trim the muzzle, under chin/jaw, around the coronary band and bridle path. I shave their legs a couple times a year during the summer too. It makes them look neater in appearence. I don't trim out the ears, just trim the bottom of them where the hair gets really long. My guys are out 24/7 and have never gotten into any trouble because they couldn't "feel" something without whiskers.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

4X4 — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 23:37:59 GMT

I always clip for a show. I think it is the small finishing touches that makes a horse looked perfectly turned out. I clip muzzle, under the chin, bridle path, leg and fetlock and the base of the tail. The only thing I don't take off is the feelers around the eye. Last year I only clipped the outside of the ear, but am seriously considering clipping out the entire ear.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

ilovewhistle — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 22:17:26 GMT

I show in dressage and sometimes hunters and I shave everything: chin, eye hairs, ears... they grow back and they are feelers for the horse, but my has done fine for years without them during show season... it's partially just prefrence.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

Solaris — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 22:02:21 GMT

No, I hate shaving off whiskers. I'll shave off the nose ones if it is a fancy show, but not for a schooling show. That's part of how the horse senses his environment!

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

AMM — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 15:15:58 GMT

My horses are clipped/shaven right out, ears, muzzle, bridle path, fetlocks and tops of tails, in winter a full body clip, when we go to official shows they are plaited, first impressions count, even in the dressage arena, at club days the only thing I DONT do is plait, otherwise the turnout routine is the same.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

citabobita — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:47:37 GMT

I hate doing it. It does play a big role in horse's sensory perception. I especially worry because in the summer, Cita goes out all night, in the dark. During months she's not showing, I won't mess with them.

But because she's a busy girl with showing, I've come to a happy medium so that she's acceptable for turnout at the big shows and I leave her with some hair. I have to shave her down past her nostrils, but I leave the hair at least an inch long around her lips and on her chin. She still looks sharp but she has some "feelers" around her muzzle for when she's in her stall at night (in the dark) and turned out overnight. I call it her "goatee." It's barely noticeable, especially in the summer since her nose and wiskers are both black.

I'd love to say I don't touch them at all, but it's not the most acceptable thing in the hunter ring to have a horse looking like a goat. When I'm traveling hours away for a show and paying hundreds or *gulp* thousands of dollars to compete, I'm not going to risk being knocked for some unshaven wiskers.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

Anonymous — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:04:11 GMT

In the past I always shaved their whiskers for show. My dad commented once about my sister's horse (who was a yearling at the time) & his looooong whiskers. He thought only old horses got them! lol (because we always kept ours shaved)

I haven't shown in years, so I started to just trim them down to an inch or two when they got unruly. But now that Magic is blind in one eye I realize even more the importance of having them!

I don't shave them anymore but I do trim them. Maybe I shouldn't even do that.....

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

robison02 — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 04:50:58 GMT

I've been competing in showmanship since I was 8, so not clipping a horse completely is jsut totally against my nature. Even my barrel horse was perfectly turned out The poor boy was probably very embarrased to wear his tail bag around his fellow barrel horses...

We had an old broodmare that would use her whiskers to test the electic fence, find the shorted-out section, and proceed to tear down the fence and get the entire herd out. She got clipped regularly!

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

EllieMay_horse — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 01:51:21 GMT

I also show dressage and you don't have to trim up the whiskers. However, when I show showmanship, hunter, and saddleseat I lightly trim the muzzle. I leave about an inch of whiskers. That way it still helps the horse, but it is also less noticable. I trim the ear hair, but not the hairs within. I do clip a small (1 inch) bridle path. I leave the eye lashes, but cut them a little when they get in the way of the bridle. That is about it. If you looked clean and workmanlike then it is not needed to clip the horse everywhere.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

reinchick53 — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:35:01 GMT

Personally, I would not enter a show ring without whiskers and all shaved. Too me it just looks sloppy (sorry..) I do not shave the insides of the ears unless in a class that is judging on looks, like a pleasure class. Although a judge would not pin someone else just because their horse is trimmed and yours is not, judging is very subjective and the overall impression a judge gets can be the deciding factor in a close call. Now in a dressage test or reining run which is scored on points it may not be a factor at all. But I love the look of a beautifully groomed horse and to me that includes the whiskers, just makes their head look so much more refined. JMHO.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

Emmy J — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:23:28 GMT

I do clip whiskers, around eyes, (NOT lashes, just the longer hairs above and below the eye) around hooves, the outsides of ears, and bridle paths. I really only do that for shows, except I keep bridle paths trimmed and legs tidy all year so my horses don/t get scratches.

If you don't want to get rid of the whiskers completely you could probably just trim them a little shorter.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

MBronk_horse — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 22:49:24 GMT

If it makes ya feel any better, none of mine get anything shaved or trimmed, including bridle paths, except their hooves

I do use a battery operated clipper once every couple years on the bridle path just so the horse will learn to allow it, but I do not like the look and have not found a need to have them clipped, so don't do it regularly.

Re: Shaving off whiskers for showing?

Tickin — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 22:21:00 GMT

Well it would certainly make it easier to groom for shows if you don't have to! I am so used to shaving that unshaved horses look messy to me.