Banning the Trimming of Whiskers

the ferret said:
hello everyone, the trimming of a horse's whiskers has been banned in my native germany by law (animal welfare act) for many years. it is considered as cruelty to cut or shave them off for the whiskers help the horse to sense/feel an object (for instance when picking up food from the floor etc. or in the dark) before actually touching it hence preventing injury (especially to the eyes). you wouldn't think twice about trimming your cat's or dog's whiskers, would you?
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Actually, as a dog groomer I shave plenty of dog's whiskers off on a regular basis. I don't think twice of it. Poodles for example, are shown with clean shaven faces. Not sure how you'd leave whiskers on while cleaning the face. However, I'm told that Kennel Club is thinking to ban removing or trimming of whiskers on shown dogs in the UK. Not sure how one would show traditionally groom poodles, chinese crested, bichon frise, portugese water dogs (for a start). Anyway, not exactly on topic is it...sorry for the digression.
 
Actually, maybe that's why I never trim my horses' whiskers - When I was little I cut my Cat's whiskers off and I got such a rollicking off my Mum!! :eek:

Although like PucciNPony, I regularly clip dogs' whiskers off when I'm grooming, but can't say I would just randomly chop my dog's whiskers off! :D
 
My pet hate is cut whiskers! Once had my horse clipped by someone else while I was away and when I returned to find her face whisker-less I could have cried! Bit dramatic but i do love her whiskers!
 
Got my first dressage competition tomorrow (unaffiliated) had to give up half way trimming his whiskers as he wasn't settled. Was going to have another go in the morning. I've always done it before and never considered it cruel. Now thanks to this thread I can leave it in the morning and not feel scruffy :D
Now if someone can advise plaiting is cruel and about to be banned I would be even more grateful :D:D:D
 
kirstyhen said:
Actually, maybe that's why I never trim my horses' whiskers - When I was little I cut my Cat's whiskers off and I got such a rollicking off my Mum!! :eek:

Although like PucciNPony, I regularly clip dogs' whiskers off when I'm grooming, but can't say I would just randomly chop my dog's whiskers off! :D
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i cut my boxer dog's whiskers off when i was very small, and got SUCH a rollicking from the vet (who noticed instantly) and then my mum (who had to put up with the vet's disapproval).
i never touch my horses' whiskers any more, i much prefer them au naturale , but i know people who shave them every week.
 
One of the big differences between dressage and showing is the type of horse that completes at TOP level in those disciplines.

For example, most warmbloods do not get a lot of hair in their ears and around their face.

But take a look at this horse in full coat
robo%20hairy%20pic.jpg


and then trimmed

robo%20hoys.jpg


(ps - there were about 3 months between each of the photos above)

You cannot compete on a show cob that is invisible under its beard, ear hair and sundry other common hairy bits!

We have had our horses trimmed all over for many years and they all, without fail, manage to find their buckets, feed, avoid trees, live out at night (yes, in the dark) without bumping into each other, go out with several other horses and seem to survive without any problems at all.

So no - I don't agree that trimming is cruel. I assume you all (well, most of you) remove hair from your legs, eyebrows and other places? Presumably that is also there for a reason .... ?
 
I tend to trim whiskers to around half an inch just for neatness, rather than taking them off completely.

However, each to his own. Horses don't seem to care either way. I don't show, so don't really feel the need to trim them completely. Surely, surely, the FEI has FAR worst issues to deal with????!!!!????!!!! :rolleyes:
 
TarrSteps said:
Sorry, not being difficult but how does the verbindend not sit on the tongue? It's just a snaffle with no port, just a different configuration.
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Have you got one? It is made so bent that when it comes into contact with the bars the middle rises into a port which matches the port on a warmblood weymouth and removes all pressure from the tongue. It is not "just" a snaffle with no port, it is radically different in its action in the mouth than any other single jointed snaffle.
 
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I disagree with trimming whiskers, but only whiskers.

I don't care if you shave off all the rest of the non-sensitive hairs (as long as you don't allow your horse/pony to get cold).
I'd maybe be a bit careful about how much ear hair you remove - external stray hairs only, perhaps, so the horse doesn't get bothered by insects, but apart from that, shave away!
S :D

PS FMM, you did make me laugh. :D
 
I cut off the whiskers of my last horse having done it on previous horses with no problems at all and it was awful. It was like she was getting electric shocks everytime she touched something, she wouldnt eat, was distressed and was sort of shocked. My friend said I needed to get the vet as she was so distressed. I didnt as there wasnt really much he could do as it wasnt like he could stick them on again. She did calm down and start to eat later on but I felt terrible and never touched them again and havent touched my current horses either.
 
Well. Guess thats the end of my stressage adventures then as mine are trimmed for the show ring.

I have never joticed my horses to be uncomfortable or have injuries due to having no whiskers, so they will continue t come off.
 
I am totally in favour of this ban and do hope it is enforced. As TarrSteps has correctly said, trimming whiskers is illegal in certain countries.

Out of curiosity, when you look at Totilas do you think "Oh my goodness that horse is disgusting, he's got whiskers!"

It seems to me that it has been proven that at least *some* horses react very badly to having their whiskers trimmed and *do* suffer because of that. How do you know your horse isn't one of those? You won't know until you try, and if it does affect your horse, then it's too late until they re-grow again. Why take the risk, for something so vain and shallow?

Of course there are more serious welfare issues. Does this mean we should ignore the 'minor' ones altogether? And we're talking about the FEI here anyway, which is a sports organisation, not an animal welfare one. It seems logical to me that they want to try and cover as many sporthorses-related welfare issues as possible.
 
my horse has had his whiskers trimmed for the last 5 years and he has never had a problem! i can see why you would, and why would wouldn't but i think there are bigger issues that need adressing before the trimming of whiskers!
 
Out of curiosity, how do people KNOW their horses don't feel (;)) the loss of their whiskers? Their purpose wouldn't be to stop things like horses banging into walls, anyway. If someone taped gloves on your hands you'd still be able to get through the day but I bet you'd feel the loss of your finer sense of touch. As kirstyhen pointed out, the whiskers are given a great deal of "brain space" (like tongues and thumbs in people) which the body wouldn't do "just because". It really isn't the same thing as hair.

And I still don't see how addressing this issue means they aren't addressing other FEI RELATED humane issues? (Which means, btw, no one is talking about showing or anything other than FEI sports.) Aside from the fact that almost every other issue is far more complicated. As FB said, the FEI's mandate does not cover the humane treatment of horses in anything other than their remit. This seems an easy thing to be seen to be doing something about, a very easy one to police and an issue with no negatives and at least one possible positive.

I don't really see what the big deal is. It's not exactly a brand new issue and I don't see how making this minor change means they're ignoring more major issues.
 
I used to trim whiskers, then after my first mare had uveitis and my late mare had them removed she would not eat for 4 days after, every time she put face in manger and touched her food with lips, she jerked her head out again.. Now I refuse to trim any of my horses whiskers just for human vanity. IMO
 
Don't think it needs to be banned - there are bigger fish to fry in terms of animal cruelty!

Perhaps the practice will die out naturally, as doesn't really serve any purpose - other than appealing to showing judges. I am sure some people will always think untrimmed whiskers looks untidy which is fair enough but tastes and standards do evolve over time.
 
I show so they are trimmed. Strangely enough I do sometimes when I see pictures of dressage horses notice the whiskers and also want to chop dressage horses tails up to showing length.
 
I refuse to trim my horse's whiskers even for showing. Then again, I only do a bit of local showing so suppose it doesn't really matter!
 
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