Feather on or off?

[JJS]

Funny the things that occupy your mind at 2.30am, but anyway! I was looking at the state of Mary's feather in the field today and I must admit I was tempted to take it all off. She got badly bog burnt this winter, and all that's left now summer has rolled around is a few pathetic wisps.

A part of me thinks maybe I'd be better removing what's left and letting it all grow out evenly, but another part wonders if I'd be better leaving it be so she's not left with a ridiculously long mane and tail alongside clean shaven legs.

I couldn't possibly bring myself to chop the rest of her hair, so I'm worried she'd look like some strange hybrid cross between a Trad and goodness knows what else!

Any thoughts?

This is the current state of her feather...

... and this is how it looks when it's not all been burnt away.

 

[EllenJay]

Leave them on.

 

[catkin]

leave it on, it will grow back evenly over time
also if her skin is pink she could get sunburn and cracked heels on her pasterns, especially if she's always had feather and is used to the protection they give her.

 

[meleeka]

Leave them on. If you take them off you’ll also have to take her mane shorter or she will indeed look like a hybrid

 

[Tiddlypom]

I thnk that she'd look much better and would be more comfortable in the hot weather if her feathers were clipped off and her mane was solocombed tidy and short. It's what I did with my late maxicob. I left his tail full but not too long (well, it's probably a tad too long in this pic ). You can put sunblocker on freshly clipped pink skin to protect it.

 

[Flicker]

I loved a clean, clipped leg. But I am possibly put off feather after stabling my horse next to a poor trad who had loads of unkempt feather and clearly had mites. The sound of the poor girl stamping her feet day in and day out was horrible. Fortunately the head groom eventually took it upon herself to treat her. Her feathers also used to freeze in winter if they got wet in the field, which must have been uncomfortable too.
I guess my point is that feathers need just as much care and attention as clipped legs.
Mary’s looking great, btw.

 

[SEL]

Take them off. I've just de-feathered mine and it's all a bit scabby underneath. Even with my awful hairdressing skills he looks a lot better!

 

[ester]

I'd leave them if she isn't having problems with them.

 

[eggs]

I'd take them off unless you are planning on doing showing with her.

 

[Sandstone1]

Id take them off and tidy up her mane. If you dont like it you can always let it grow again.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Id take them off and tidy up her mane. If you dont like it you can always let it grow again.

Exactly. It's not a permanent thing.

 

[Goldenstar]

Definatly off and the mane short as well ... will look lush .

 

[GoldenWillow]

I've a traditional cob with full mane and feathers. When I bought him he'd had his feathers clipped and mane pulled to native length. The feathers grew back in 6 months to look like proper feathers, 12 months for full feather. His mane took about 3 years to grow to current length. He gets a bit of bog burn in winter, it usually looks fine by Julyish. Whilst other cobs I've had looked much smarter clipped legs and pulled mane he didn't look the best, think large head! You could tidy up the back of her legs a bit and seee how it looks, whatever you do it'll grow back but the mane will take a lot longer than feathers.

 

[Surbie]

I would leave them on, particularly if you don't want to do her mane and tail. Aas long as they aren't itchy or scabby underneath then they don't look too bad at all and it does take a fair while for them to grow back. I am biased though - I don't like the look of clipped legs or trimmed manes/tails.

 

[saddlesore]

I’d leave them, I like them hairy 😬 my boys feathers really suffered this winter too so he’s sporting loo brush legs 🤦*♀️