Long forelock + windy weather....

[PapaverFollis]

Equals eye irritation?

MrT has a slightly weepy eye in the side his forelock tends to fall. It's been so windy and the big divot like to stand facing into the wind, letting his mane blow around and glorifying in his own magnificence.... I'm wondering if the forelock is just at the wrong length and is bashing him in the eye at the moment.

Obviously keeping a very close eye on the eye but it's not at vet visit level yet even though the bar for vet visits for eyes is low. Just clear weepy at the moment. Still open, clear eyeball and light pink mucus membranes.

The other thing is that his upper eye feelers seems to be curling round almost into his eye rather than growing straight so wondering if he's poking himself in the eye with those.

I don't really want to cut his forelock but it can be so consistently windy up here I'm actually wondering if I might need to. He spent some time on Shetland and he was hogged up there ? but thinking there might be a connection. I've put his forelock and top section of mane into plaits for now to see of that helps.

Sorry. One of my stupid questions.

Bonus MrT picture for getting through this post.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I find that forelocks can irritate eyes, so I try and keep them just short enough so that they can’t.

 

[planete]

I noticed my little cob had a weepy eye when I got him and his long forelock would collect the sticky stuff at the corner of his eye. As I love his hairiness I keep his forelock lovely plaited which keeps the hair out of his eyes. I did shorten my oldie's forelock though in the same circumstances as he was part Arab and did not rock the hairy look.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Uh oh... Poor MrT. I'm not good at mane trimming. ? I could just keep it plaited...

I do find I have to keep the Welsh A's mane trimmed short else she gets gunky eyes too.

 

[PapaverFollis]

His eye looks much better this morning after the forelock being plaited all night. Poops. I really don't want to cut it short. I'm so rubbish at it he'll just look awful... photo from last year last time I trimmed his mane. Gave up trying after this...


I'll just keep it plaited for now. Maybe if it grows even more it will be heavier and the end of the hairs will be further from his eyes. Perhaps it's just his shorter layer from the badly cut bridle path is just at the wrong length...

 

[Nasicus]

Plat it, and once it's long enough it won't be as easy for it to whip him in the eyes
Also, if his upper eye whiskers are poking him in the eye, it's okay to trim them back enough to stop that. Better that than eye problems!

 

[PapaverFollis]

He's rocking it anyway. And I can see his handsome face now.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

He's very handsome. Thank god you didnt go at him with the scissors ... no offence but you cant be trusted, hahaa x

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I don't care if I'm alone in my opinion, but I think he looks cute, even in the photo where you'd had a go at trimming his mane.
But he looks really handsome untrimmed, with or without some plaits. Glad his eye was better this morning.

 

[J&S]

I am in a slightlydifferent camp: my mare always has a short forlock, never seems to grow it much despite having a fairly full, thick mane after the winter. However, she always gets a weepy eye when it is really windy, so my feeling is that it is the wind, not the mane. If he was "wild" his mane would be long and maybe it would act as protection to his eyes.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Equals eye irritation?

MrT has a slightly weepy eye in the side his forelock tends to fall. It's been so windy and the big divot like to stand facing into the wind, letting his mane blow around and glorifying in his own magnificence.... I'm wondering if the forelock is just at the wrong length and is bashing him in the eye at the moment.

Obviously keeping a very close eye on the eye but it's not at vet visit level yet even though the bar for vet visits for eyes is low. Just clear weepy at the moment. Still open, clear eyeball and light pink mucus membranes.

The other thing is that his upper eye feelers seems to be curling round almost into his eye rather than growing straight so wondering if he's poking himself in the eye with those.

I don't really want to cut his forelock but it can be so consistently windy up here I'm actually wondering if I might need to. He spent some time on Shetland and he was hogged up there ? but thinking there might be a connection. I've put his forelock and top section of mane into plaits for now to see of that helps.

Sorry. One of my stupid questions.

Bonus MrT picture for getting through this post.
View attachment 66468

My mare also has long forelock, I part it when riding and tuck under the bridle

eyelash too long and curl into her eye I trim back enough

 

[fluffycobs4life]

Equals eye irritation?

MrT has a slightly weepy eye in the side his forelock tends to fall. It's been so windy and the big divot like to stand facing into the wind, letting his mane blow around and glorifying in his own magnificence.... I'm wondering if the forelock is just at the wrong length and is bashing him in the eye at the moment.

Obviously keeping a very close eye on the eye but it's not at vet visit level yet even though the bar for vet visits for eyes is low. Just clear weepy at the moment. Still open, clear eyeball and light pink mucus membranes.

The other thing is that his upper eye feelers seems to be curling round almost into his eye rather than growing straight so wondering if he's poking himself in the eye with those.

I don't really want to cut his forelock but it can be so consistently windy up here I'm actually wondering if I might need to. He spent some time on Shetland and he was hogged up there ? but thinking there might be a connection. I've put his forelock and top section of mane into plaits for now to see of that helps.

Sorry. One of my stupid questions.

Bonus MrT picture for getting through this post.
View attachment 66468

I usually plait if I think it's causing an irritation,I don't love the hugged look!

 

[holydaysandholidays]

A long plait really works - you can tuck it under the browband

 

[BlueSocksGirl1]

Oh my gosh he's gorgeous!! ? I would french plait his forelock and cross your fingers and see if this helps. You could also use a fly mask and pull his forlock throughm

 

[Gloi]

It was probably the wind rather than the forelock giving the weepy eye.

 

[FireCracker238]

Nothing to add except that he is gorgeous!! I'm a little bit in love ??

Last years trimmed pic reminds me of when my mum used to cut my fringe the day before returning to school after the summer holidays ?‍?‍

 

[TulipTilly]

Gorgeous boy, loving the fringe