How to make scruffy pony a bit less scruffy

[Rosiewells86]

Advice please what to
Do with our lovey little scruffbag would you cut feathers and pull mane or just leave her natural? I’m not showing her she’s my little girls pony just a happy hacker really but wondering whether we should
Smarten her up at all

 

[SpringArising]

Feathers shaved off, cut mane in half and trim tail a few inches.

 

[Rosiewells86]

Feathers shaved off, cut mane in half and trim tail a few inches.

Thank you. This is what I thought but people told me not too. She’s not got enough feather or mane to pull off having them I think but I didn’t want to do the wrong thing by giving her a chop! 😂

 

[Cocorules]

I wouldn't cut her feathers personally, but I would trim her mane and tail

 

[SpringArising]

Thank you. This is what I thought but people told me not too. She’s not got enough feather or mane to pull off having them I think but I didn’t want to do the wrong thing by giving her a chop! 😂

There isn't a wrong thing to do - but I can say I bet she'd be a hell of a lot cooler and more comfortable without them.

I personally hate any type of hair on any sort of horse, but that's just my opinion.

 

[honetpot]

No. It’s lovely as it is. You could get a thinning comb and thin the mane and shorten it an cut a few inches off the tail, but if you want an easy life I would leave well alone.
I know it’s hot today but it won’t be long till winter when all that hair will do it’s job of protection . It will need no rugs, and probably no extra food. Once you’ve hogged it you are losing the mane that will keep off the rain and the feathers that protect the legs from mud and wet.
I have natives, and apart from a bit of mane thinning they are left a nature intended.
One I could trim one up to do show hunter pony classes but it’s a lot less hassle going native.

 

[meleeka]

The one thing you could do to dramatically smarten her up would he to trim her beard. It makes such a difference to mine.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've got a trad coblet like the OP's plus another hairy-heeled thing with lots of mane and tail. (Note to self: do not, repeat, do not buy any more hairy cobs!).

I trimmed her feathers back in the Spring coz we were doing a pleasure ride and they're just growing out now. Vet was here for teeth etc and sedated both of mine so I nipped around PDQ with the clippers till they'd come round and realised what was happening!

I personally wouldn't do a lot, not at this time of the year. Apart from perhaps a light feather trim-up and yes I'd take off a bit of the tail and maybe an inch or so of the mane so as to stop it getting too out of hand. I'd also whip the clippers underneath the jowls area as that always shows an improvement! I'd leave the majority of the feathers in-situ now coming up to Autumn to protect from mud-fever, unless pony is cubbing??

 

[windand rain]

Leave well alone once you start it is never ending she is lovely I can see the merit in taking a bit of tail off if the ground gets muddy but would leave the rest

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Feathers shaved off, cut mane in half and trim tail a few inches.

Perfect guide for making the pony in question look hideous. She's a traditional cob, for flip's sake! They're supposed to have plenty of hair.

 

[oldie48]

I'm with SpringArising in this as I'm also not into hairy types. Also a shorter mane is less likely to get up in the reins, a shorter tail won't get dirty and muddy as easily and trimmed legs just look so much neater and she'd look so smart!

 

[Firefly9410]

I like cobs all trimmed up they look so smart and a lot easier to groom mud brushes off in seconds instead of caking onto everything in clumps. Feather clipped off, mane hogged, beard off, a few inches off the end of the tail, fold the ears together one at a time I mean and trim the fluff sticking out. She will look like a different horse.

 

[honetpot]

It’s a child pony

I like cobs all trimmed up they look so smart and a lot easier to groom mud brushes off in seconds instead of caking onto everything in clumps. Feather clipped off, mane hogged, beard off, a few inches off the end of the tail, fold the ears together one at a time I mean and trim the fluff sticking out. She will look like a different horse.

I am sure if you are going to ride a lot, have it rugged and perhaps stabled that a valid choice but it’s a child’s pony not a horse in full work who’s mum will want as little work when the dark nights come and you will be lucky if they can ride at the weekend after October.
I have hunted a hairy pony from the field, with hairy legs, he did have a modified trace clip because he was out 24/7 and was rugged. I do trim their under jaw but fluffy ears keep out the cold.

 

[SpringArising]

Perfect guide for making the pony in question look hideous.

In your opinion

 

[Leo Walker]

Shes not a traditional or native as she is, so I'd have the lot off. Tail pulled and banged short, legs off and mane pulled, possibly hogged, its not a great photo to see which would work best. I've had lots of hairy horses and I dont care what anyone says they really arent comfortable with all that hair. I've also never had an issue with mites with a horse with clean legs. The ones with feather its a never ending battle!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Feathers shaved off, cut mane in half and trim tail a few inches.

Was going to type the same.. Feathers off, if you don't want to shave you can do a good job with scissors and a comb but it takes hours. Just means it isn't as short as the clippers trim.
Main pulled or solo combed half the length and tail cut length wise and pulled/cut at the top so it shapes nicer. Beard trim too!

She'll be much more comfortable in the heat with that hair off. People like long manes, tails, feathers.. ahh. My cob has always been MUCH happier and more comfortable with it off and tided up. Everyone has their own opinion but do what you like

 

[ihatework]

Do you know what it really doesn’t matter provided the pony is well cared for. She is super cute but not a show pony so you don’t need to stick with any convention.

If she were mine she would have her tail trimmed a bit, feathers removed and mane pulled short and neat. But that’s how I like my horses and don't do ‘hairy’. If you do that then you kind of need to keep on top of it.

 

[Antw23uk]

Im another one for feathers and beard off, mane pulled and tail shortened. She will be more comfortable and look smart. I always feel sorry for these little cobs .. I know that's a poor thing to say but they always look so messy and sad looking!

 

[Starzaan]

It's entirely up to you, as long as she is happy and comfortable then do what you think.

If she were mine I would pull and bang the tail, clip off feathers and beard, trim her ears and hog her. But that is just because I really don't like hairy horses - just personal preference.

 

[Annagain]

Do you know what it really doesn’t matter provided the pony is well cared for. She is super cute but not a show pony so you don’t need to stick with any convention.

If she were mine she would have her tail trimmed a bit, feathers removed and mane pulled short and neat. But that’s how I like my horses and don't do ‘hairy’. If you do that then you kind of need to keep on top of it.

This entirely but be warned, keeping on top of feathers does take some effort. I have a TB x Shire x Sec D and and ID x something and their feathers are bad enough - they have nowhere near as much as her. Little and often is the best way to go, trim them at least once every 3 weeks. I put a guard on the clippers so they're not really short as the TB one has really puny legs that look daft completely trimmed and the other hates the clippers too close but is ok with the guard.

 

[Fransurrey]

I have an identical type to you, OP and I've just trimmed the tail to about 4 inches below the hock and trimmed up his feathers. I used a mix a clippers, thinning scissors and a thinning blade. Started with clippers, cutting WITH direction of growth, then used scissors to cut around bottom and make a more natural look down the back of the leg. I've been told he 'doesn't have much feather for a cob', so it must look pretty natural. I am tempted to trim his mane, but at the same time I love his flowing locks - I just put in a running plait for hot weather. I trim his beard, too. This pic shows his feathers reasonably well, I think. It does take about an hour and a half, once every 5-6 weeks, so not too bad on time. Naturally it starts above the knee at the back!

 

[shirl62]

I personally love the natural look

 

[shirl62]

 

[Gloi]

The trouble with clipping feathers on a heavily feathered horse is that you need to keep it up very regularly or the legs soon have a bog brush look and if you do ever decide to grow them back they take ages to look natural again.

 

[rabatsa]

Having just spent half a day with clippers and scissors on a bunch of RDA ponies I can say that they all look far better with the feathers off. Tails have been shortened and beards come off. Only one hogged and she has sweet itch so it is done for management of that.

There are still more ponies to be done but the worst will need sedation as years of leg mite problems have left him with over sensitive legs. Going by the way he is kicking and stamping I will be finding scabs in there again. He has had treatments galore from the vet and witch doctors but is one of those who never seem totally clear of them.

 

[splashgirl45]

i dont really like feathers but with this pony i would just shorten the tail and take a bit off the mane, trim the beard and under the chin and thats all.i would leave the feathers and only clip them off if she has a problem, i would not hog her as a mane is very useful to grab if there is a problem...she is a childs pony and not a show pony and it seems we are over the hottest weather....

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm with SpringArising in this as I'm also not into hairy types. Also a shorter mane is less likely to get up in the reins, a shorter tail won't get dirty and muddy as easily and trimmed legs just look so much neater and she'd look so smart!

Why does a child's happy hacker need to look smart?

OP, I would (and do) trim the tail to keep it out of the mud in winter. Should the mane get caught up in the reins, a loose running plait would help. There was a post not long since from someone who felt precarious in the saddle on a hogged horse - children need something to grab! I actually find that my cob mare's extremely full mane helps to keep her neck cool in hot weather and she hates a full neck rug.
Leave the poor beggar alone and save yourself a lot of work. If you do decide in Spring that you need for some reason to trim more than the tail, that will be the time to do it. Realistically, how much time will the pony be ridden over winter?

ETA, if you don't like feather, don't buy a pony with feather.

 

[oldie48]

Why does a child's happy hacker need to look smart?

Well why shouldn't they and OP did ask for our opinion? My daughter rode from a 6 year old and made a lot of effort to make sure her ponies looked clean and smart, to the extent that bquite quickly she wouldn't let me help her plait up as I didn't do it well enough and I used to get her to plait mine up too. Looking after her pony was as important to her as the actual riding. BTW I didn't suggest hogging the mane.

 

[ImmyS]

I would thin and trim both mane and tail and clip legs personally, if you just want a slightly smarter look. Mine is a Welsh D x cob and can look quite scruffy so that’s what I did with him.

 

[tda]

Why does a child's happy hacker need to look smart?

OP, I would (and do) trim the tail to keep it out of the mud in winter. Should the mane get caught up in the reins, a loose running plait would help. There was a post not long since from someone who felt precarious in the saddle on a hogged horse - children need something to grab! I actually find that my cob mare's extremely full mane helps to keep her neck cool in hot weather and she hates a full neck rug.
Leave the poor beggar alone and save yourself a lot of work. If you do decide in Spring that you need for some reason to trim more than the tail, that will be the time to do it. Realistically, how much time will the pony be ridden over winter?

ETA, if you don't like feather, don't buy a pony with feather.

This, with nobs on.
Will keep the child busy 😁