Grooming and horse care tasks that I’ve never learned to do

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I could never plait a tail, couldn't get my head round it

I could do a very bad plaited mane but only with bands never learnt to do thread

The leg lines clipping, so I'd just whip the whole lot off to avoid doing it!

I never attempted to take his face off, I don't like the way they look you see a lot of SJ with goggles of normal hair round their eyes, I also wouldn't want to remove whiskers or eye whiskers which you must have to do to get up close enough to avoid the goggles, nor would I want to remove all his inner ear hair which again seems to be the look when the face is taken off

 

[Rowreach]

Foredlock plait is essentially a tail plait.
.

In the days when I taught students to plait, my colleague and I used to teach them both ways (she did the twiddly version, I didn't) and let them pick which they wanted to do for their assessment. I wouldn't be seen out hunting with a twiddly forelock plait and she wouldn't be seen in the show ring with a plain one

 

[MissMay]

I can't trim feathers without leaving steps. Also can't cut a mane with scissors

 

[[153312]]

I can't bandage without them falling down when working as I get so vervous they're too tight, same reason I've never bothered to learn to bandage a tail properly.
I also can't plait a tail or forelock (but also can't french plait, I have had ear length hair for 15 years so not needed to)
Can clip, but can't blend legs..

people who can blend legs well are magicians

 

[[153312]]

driving harness is a mystery to me as well and i've always been too scared to try trimming, but will rasp (tentatively) if pushed

 

[LEC]

I am old skool PC educated and have B test. Whether I can do stuff well depends on my interest levels. I can clip straight but it takes twice as long than a hunter clip so tend to just take it all off. Heads drive me mad clipping - I love the look but cba most of the time so do half head unless they are doing something fancy.

If there is anything I can’t do and that’s leave long hair, I would never be able to have a hairy horse, well it just wouldn’t be hairy…. Even Spanish horses would end up with the pulled look…. I cannot stand long manes. Even the Shetland gets sorted but I do leave hers slightly longer. She also gets a full clip in April!! Don’t like plaited tails either.

I despair at my quarter marks as not as good as I want them to be but a lot depends on the brush. Smart grooming actually has an excellent FB group for grooming and turnout.

 

[Birker2020]

Foredlock plait is essentially a tail plait.
.

Baileys forelock plait was the size of a raisin yet she had the most gorgeous full tail that looked like it had had one of those wave tongs on it.

A Fish Out if Water - the only bit about driving harness I remember being taught was to put the collar on upside down and then spin it. I used to work with some chap who used to use Shires and Clydies for films and weddings and I worked in return for rides on some finer horses.

 

[equinerebel]

I also can’t plait and I struggle with bandages. I don’t think I have the dexterity required!

 

[Petmurf]

don't laugh at me - but i can't tie haynets up. No matter how much I'm shown how to do it, how much I practise......when I tie them, first pull and they fall down no idea why. it is so frustrating. I've never tried plaiting.

Same here, I can tie the haynet but in my own made up way not the traditional way

Feather trimming that doesn’t end up looking like someone just hacked away with a pair of blunt scissors!

Same as well, I have a Cob and his feathers look like steps at the back

 

[AdorableAlice]

Same here, I can tie the haynet but in my own made up way not the traditional way

Same as well, I have a Cob and his feathers look like steps at the back

Run your clippers down hill, going with the direction of the hair and following the contours of his leg, fetlock and pastern.

 

[honetpot]

I learnt to bandage at sixteen, there is something very satisfying about getting it even and flat, as nurse the many tailed bandage used to remind me of the chevrons you could make of a horses leg bandage. Saying that I never bandage apart from when I secure a poultice, and its a version of a stump bandage.

 

[Antxcazx]

I can’t clip (although do as we don’t compete) but never mastered the art of a forelock plait, sewn plaits or pulled manes/tails. I scissor cut all day long and have got away with it so far

I also can’t plait my own hair so really, I’m just failing at life

 

[humblepie]

I can plait pretty well even if say so myself but sewn not bands. Quarter marks and sharks teeth too. However never clipped. I can’t make nice banks in beds though.

 

[Ceifer]

I can’t plait manes for toffee. Ironically I worked on a hunt yard - as long as they looked vaguely bud shaped, stayed in and were easy to take out at the end of the day my boss didn’t care.

Eventing was same, show jumping boss didn’t plait and the dressage yard I worked on had another groom who was s*it hot at turnout so she did it all.

I can plait tails really well but nobody has ever required it .

I clip well but I am slow and I hate it. I admire anybody who does it for a living and is quick at it.

 

[Andie02]

Haven't quite mastered sharks teeth though!

To get sharks teeth sharp and accurate you need to use a pure bristle (and not a well worn) body brush. Brush the coat in a downwards direction before doing the sharks teeth. Some show sheen type of product will help. The 'right' body brush is key.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I learnt to bandage at sixteen, there is something very satisfying about getting it even and flat, as nurse the many tailed bandage used to remind me of the chevrons you could make of a horses leg bandage. Saying that I never bandage apart from when I secure a poultice, and its a version of a stump bandage.

Bandaging is another thing I learned at the yard. Stable, injury and emergency bandaging. There's so few of us on the yard trusted to do a proper 3 layer Robert Jones bandage because you get one of those wrong and you do more harm. It's scary how few people know how to do an emergency pressure bandage to stem bleeding.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

To get sharks teeth sharp and accurate you need to use a pure bristle (and not a well worn) body brush. Brush the coat in a downwards direction before doing the sharks teeth. Some show sheen type of product will help. The 'right' body brush is key.

One of our lovely owners bought me 2 Alan Davies body brushes to "brush up" on my sharks teeth. I can't use products on the racehorses. Water and skill that's all. I can Doodle all day long with stencils though oooh! Maybe I should make a sharks tooth stencil!

 

[Ceifer]

Bandaging is another thing I learned at the yard. Stable, injury and emergency bandaging. There's so few of us on the yard trusted to do a proper 3 layer Robert Jones bandage because you get one of those wrong and you do more harm. It's scary how few people know how to do an emergency pressure bandage to stem bleeding.

I’ve only had one arterial bleed and didn’t know Robert Jones bandage was a thing. I’ve just googled it.
I did stem the bleeding by bandaging and using my jumper and t-shirt. Vet was bemused when he turned up to me panicking, covered in blood wearing a bra and a gaping open coat. Horse survived.

We used to heringbone bandage tails but I think it’s not taught these days as if you get the pressure incorrect it will damage the tail easily.

 

[[153312]]

this thread makes me think travelling horse management skills instructor is potentially a gap in the market for anyone entrepreneurial here - in the sense of someone who travels from yard to yard teaching people these skills on their own animals, face to face (because wikihow and youtube are only so useful), for a fee.

 

[Andie02]

One of our lovely owners bought me 2 Alan Davies body brushes to "brush up" on my sharks teeth. I can't use products on the racehorses. Water and skill that's all. I can Doodle all day long with stencils though oooh! Maybe I should make a sharks tooth stencil!

Water will do the job, firm brush strokes, and practise.

Eta the bristles on the brush need to be firm, not soft, and densely packed.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I’ve only had one arterial bleed and didn’t know Robert Jones bandage was a thing. I’ve just googled it.
I did stem the bleeding by bandaging and using my jumper and t-shirt. Vet was bemused when he turned up to me panicking, covered in blood wearing a bra and a gaping open coat. Horse survived.

We used to heringbone bandage tails but I think it’s not taught these days as if you get the pressure incorrect it will damage the tail easily.

I've come away from a horse on more than one occasion looking like I've just walked off of the set of Carrie but all the horses survived. I've seen more blood come out of a horse than you could ever imagine they have so a bleeding leg doesn't phase me any more.

A Robert Jones is only a bandage you would know if you have ever had such a severe injury you would need one. Which thankfully 99% of the equine population will never need. But you do have to get the pressure right on every layer else it does more harm than good.

I only use tail bandages if travelling less than 5 hours. Put them on as late as possible, take them off as soon as we arrive. The ties or velcro to do them up I always make sure are below the Dock. I've seen horses lose tails over bandages.

 

[Boulty]

I can’t do a “correct” quick release knot that totally comes apart when you release it… just the cheaty version where you’ve still got to pull the rope through the ring.

I’m not great at plaiting with bands and definitely can’t do with thread. Running plaits remain a mystery to me and my tail plaits are even worse. Years of natives (& the only horse who has the ideal hair for plaiting would NOT allow it due to a bad experience as a youngster when he was plaited too tight)

I can’t clip so that it’s perfectly even on each side / probably could learn to but CBA.

Can’t do quarter markers either!

 

[criso]

I can do all the things mentioned except Robert jones and clipping. First pony was hairy but lived out all the year round and everything since then has been fine haired enough so only need one clip a year. Would take me years to get enough practice to get good so I pay someone.

I can pull manes and tails but don't, I use scissors for manes and leave tails. First pony had proper coloured cob flares but ithe natural look wasn't done so I got good at trimming comb over scissors. I can plait manes and tails not amazingly but ok and can do quarter marks sharks teeth and chequerboard with a brush but don't show so no need to

I have a TB so bandaging and poulticing are something I've had lots of practice with.

 

[toppedoff]

Dunno anything about dealing with first aid injuries or just general injuries.. bandages too or all those lotions and potions people use

 

[Ceifer]

I've come away from a horse on more than one occasion looking like I've just walked off of the set of Carrie but all the horses survived. I've seen more blood come out of a horse than you could ever imagine they have so a bleeding leg doesn't phase me any more.

A Robert Jones is only a bandage you would know if you have ever had such a severe injury you would need one. Which thankfully 99% of the equine population will never need. But you do have to get the pressure right on every layer else it does more harm than good.

I only use tail bandages if travelling less than 5 hours. Put them on as late as possible, take them off as soon as we arrive. The ties or velcro to do them up I always make sure are below the Dock. I've seen horses lose tails over bandages.

Vet called me Carrie for a while after that. But I got my own back after the 80 year old yard owner whacked him over the head with her walking stick and called him a ‘stupid boy’ (he was in his late 30s) for trying to explain colic treatment to her. So I was Carrie and he was SB until we both moved on.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Dunno anything about dealing with first aid injuries or just general injuries.. bandages too or all those lotions and potions people use

Essentially if you have something that is spurting blood you need to stem the bleeding. Grab something thick and absorbant - a wad of cotton wool, a jumper/t-shirt, a towel, whatever you have to hand and strap it on fairly tight with vetwrap, a tail bandage or a stable bandage and ignore it for a few hours.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Plaiting in any fashion
Clipping well - I can clip but don't ask for straight lines and no idea how to do around front leg. I make it up as I go. No idea how to blend legs, clip legs or clip faces.
(I have had Natives and now an Arab so plaiting not required).
Cleaning sheaths (I now have to learn ).

I hadnt heard of Robert Jones bandage - watched a video and that's useful. I need to stock up my first aid kit.

 

[Unicorn]

I can’t do a “correct” quick release knot that totally comes apart when you release it… just the cheaty version where you’ve still got to pull the rope through the ring.

I can do a special magic knot that comes undone as soon as anyone looks at it. I don't even know how I do it.

Can do a pretty good running plait and tail plait, but have never got the hang of proper mane plaits.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Plaiting in any fashion
Clipping well - I can clip but don't ask for straight lines and no idea how to do around front leg. I make it up as I go. No idea how to blend legs, clip legs or clip faces.
(I have had Natives and now an Arab so plaiting not required).
Cleaning sheaths (I now have to learn ).

I hadnt heard of Robert Jones bandage - watched a video and that's useful. I need to stock up my first aid kit.

You would have taken one look at the chests I had to clip yesterday and said nope! Turned on your heel and left they didn't have normal wee pectoral whorls they had massive great big d*cks on their chests! 2 massive pectoral that met in the middle and came all the way up to the point of the shoulder and the one on the throat came down and split them in the middle 3 horses I had like that yesterday!

 

[fidleyspromise]

You would have taken one look at the chests I had to clip yesterday and said nope! Turned on your heel and left they didn't have normal wee pectoral whorls they had massive great big d*cks on their chests! 2 massive pectoral that met in the middle and came all the way up to the point of the shoulder and the one on the throat came down and split them in the middle 3 horses I had like that yesterday!

Oh jeez. My highland is bad enough. Whorls in every which direction but at least they're small.

I clipped my friends horse last year. Down the underside of neck and around shoulders. Sent her a laughing message that her horse had a d*ck and balls clipped in and she was going to a show that weekend