would you be annoyed?

As someone who takes in horses to school/ sell I never trim anything, other than the end of a long tail, without speaking to the owners first, unless they come in trimmed up when I will just keep it tidy, I have a rather hairy pony in at the moment that needs a mane pull at the very least and I forgot to ask the owner about doing it, I will send him a text to get the ok before it gets touched.

Yes it does grow back but that is not the point, if the owner wants the natural look that is their choice, if I was the OP I would not say anything other than something such as Auslander suggested, whiskers will grow back and are not that obvious unlike a pulled mane or feathers clipped would be, if that had happened to a native or arab the owner is right to be furious.
 
When your horse leaves home you must must give clear intructions about your wishes about trimming and pulling .
I never pull my horses tails I am very explicit about this if they are out of my care for any reason I also never brush or comb tails unless it has been washed picked
through with conditioner them plaited the day before .
I like my tails long no one is allowed to cut them except me .
 
I would be annoyed too, at the end of the day the whiskers perform an important function. Someone tried to cut my boy's whiskers off at a show and I refused. Beard yes, trim it off, but whiskers should always be left in my opinion. Hopefully no harm done though and they regrow soon!
 
I have a traditional cob. When he's been out on loan it's specified he must NOT be trimmed in anyway. My other cob is out on permanent forever loan. I prefer the way he looks hogged but if she wants to die him pink with blue spots I don't care :lol:

I wouldn't want any horses whiskers trimming though. But in the circumstances of the OP I too would let it go
 
They should have asked really but I would be pleased as it would save me clipping out my cob. As she's clearly kept clipped out and has no whiskers (and shock horror doesn't care!) it would be obviously I didn't mind. If she was kept natural for showing that would be different. That's why they should have asked.
 
I'd be miffed about the whiskers but not the beard. Just mention to them to leave his whiskers on next time they tidy him up, if they have him long enough to need redoing.

I'm another who would never cut a bridle path - personal preferance but wouldn't ask a loaner not to do any tidying/trimming unless it was a native pony.
 
Ponycarrots said:
I'd be annoyed. A similar thing happened to me, when I had a traditional cob years ago, I adored his traditionalness! He had gorgeous hair; long mane, tail and feather.
One day after the farrier had been (bear in mind he wasn't even shod) I was furious to find his feather had been completely trimmed off!!
The yard owner told me the farrier had just trimmed it right off to make it easier to trim his hooves. As a 14 year old hair pony lover I burst into tears!! Of course hair grows back but the point is it's not what you'd have done, it's your horse and you pay for him and their services so why should they be trimming things willy nilly!
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Someone did similar to me once I asked YO for a hunter clip but to leave mane tail and feather. I returned to find the first 8" of mane by the withers hogged. It looked hideous. The clippers had been taken up the back of the fetlocks too and it took two years to grow back properly. I was so angry with her!

Faracat said:
It's quite an inflexible point of view though when you don't actually own the horse. I would take on a loan where the owner wanted me to trim/pull/clip the horse in a certain way (that i wouldn't do on my own horse) as it's still their horse, so they have the right to request such things. I wouldn't pass on a fab loan horse over something like that anyway, you would. C'est la vie.
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I agree with Equi and I would not loan a horse where I cannot cut a bridle path either. I really dislike tails which are down to the floor and trail in the mud and having to fiddle about separating tangled mane and forelock every time I bridle or halter a horse because there is no clear separation point. Anything else I can live with but not those things they drive me insane.


OP thank you for posting this thread. It would never have occurred to me that if I was sending a horse for schooling they might decide to give it a new look. A loan home yes I could understand it but not a schooling yard. I would be cross at the whiskers thing too.
 
I wojld casually mention that you would like to know next time they want to tidy him up!

If they think they can do what they like they may well hog/take feathers of next....
 
Faracat said:
It's quite an inflexible point of view though when you don't actually own the horse. I would take on a loan where the owner wanted me to trim/pull/clip the horse in a certain way (that i wouldn't do on my own horse) as it's still their horse, so they have the right to request such things. I wouldn't pass on a fab loan horse over something like that anyway, you would. C'est la vie.
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As I say my club rules state full clips so if someone wanted to loan their pony to me but not have it trimmed then there would be no point in me loaning it. If it was a big standard horse or native that wouldn't need trimming it would be ok.
 
yes I'd be annoyed! sam had his mane pulled last year but I did give them permission! the girl riding him now wants to pull it again but I prefer it long! keep being told that he's not a cob :(
 
Well there you go, I've learnt something new as I'd never have guessed that not being able to cut a bridle path would be such a deal breaker for some people. I've never had trouble putting a bridle on a horse without one though.

It should be noted that my gelding is very, very head/ear shy to the point where you have to put the bridle together on his head (and even that requires patience). So even though I personally dislike bridlepaths, in this horse's case trying to cut one wouldn't be a sensible thing to try to do (plus sedating him isn't easy at all). Firefly would hate having to deal with my horses as they all have long tails and both of the arabs have tails that touch the ground, if they ever hold their docks flat against their rumps, which isn't often. Their full manes and tails are their crowning glory IMO, which is why I wouldn't want them trimmed/pulled/cut.

It should be noted that I loathe the extended bridlepaths that are cut on many arabs, so I was thrilled to see the stallion Marcus Aurelius competing at HOYS with a full mane (it was plaited behind his ear). I also abhor the way that many show arabs in other countries have the fur around their eyes shaved.
 
equi said:
As I say my club rules state full clips so if someone wanted to loan their pony to me but not have it trimmed then there would be no point in me loaning it. If it was a big standard horse or native that wouldn't need trimming it would be ok.
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OK, so minis should be fully clipped to show. I've learnt two things today now. :)

For arabs in the UK the rules state

15. TRIMMING AND CLIPPING
Pure Bred Arabians - Tactile hair must not be
removed. Eyelashes must be left uncut. Removal
of hair from inside the ear is forbidden. Forelocks
must be left free. No coloured products are
permitted on hooves.
All exhibits - No alteration to the natural colour
of the coat or skin is permitted.
It is recommended that the use of oils and clear
make-up on horses exhibiting in the show ring is
kept to a minimum. A judge may disqualify a
horse, who in their opinion is wearing excessive
make-up and /or oils.



ETA - clipping the fur in the winter (eg a full or trace clip) wouldn't bother me as long as the tactile hair, mane and tail were left.
 
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Thank you all for your replies, we're going to see him shortly so I can have a proper inspection lol and my daughter is going to have a lesson on him. He's a proper hairy Welsh x with some feather and lovely mane and tail. I quite like his general hairiness bless him 😃
 
SpringArising said:
That seems like a really bizarre rule. What's the reasoning behind it?
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It shows their refinement and proportions better. They are allowed to have a summer coat but most rules say they should have everything trimmed and tidy.

I personally hate extra long bridle paths, I have mine about 6" long at most. Some have them like right down the neck and look silly.
 
I would be annoyed yes! I don't trim my horses whiskers so wouldn't want anyone else to. If i'd have sent him with them trimmed, and the'd grown back I wouldn't mind.. but if he went there natural he should come back natural :)
 
Equi, a 6" bridle path on a mini or any horse is huge Lol, no one I know has a head piece wider than 1.5 inches.
I've seen the American trend for great long bridle paths, and think it looks really naff, but when in Rome and all that!
 
OP, as long as my horse was being trained as I had hoped, was happy and going to make the horse of my dreams, I would not worry for one moment about whiskers, present or not.

In fact I would be pleased that they had been trying their best for me, that they had taken photos and texted me.

I hope your ride is all you hope for and you have a wonderful time.
 
jakkibag said:
Equi, a 6" bridle path on a mini or any horse is huge Lol, no one I know has a head piece wider than 1.5 inches.
I've seen the American trend for great long bridle paths, and think it looks really naff, but when in Rome and all that!
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Lol I just measured out 6" and it's bigger than I thought. I'm crap at inches. 10cm is the longest the paths should be as per rules. Most do it longer tho tbh.
 
As I do trim my horses whiskers it wouldn't bother me. However, nearly everyone has a slightly different like for how their horse is turned out so I would respect that and never assume. My YO has horses regularly in for training and does nothing without the owners say so. I pull mane and tail, clip ears, beard, bridle path and ears and full clip in the winter. My personal choice...

I do think, however, a proper cob with feathers is a whole different ball game. I would be heartbroken if I had a proper traditional and someone trimmed their feathers off!
 
Red-1 said:
OP, as long as my horse was being trained as I had hoped, was happy and going to make the horse of my dreams, I would not worry for one moment about whiskers, present or not.

In fact I would be pleased that they had been trying their best for me, that they had taken photos and texted me.

I hope your ride is all you hope for and you have a wonderful time.
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100% agree with this ! whiskers can grow back, sometimes its better to bite your tongue. I would be annoyed if they cocked up the horse with its training that would be another ball game ! good luck !
 
equi said:
Not being rude, but i would not loan from you in this instance. I love a good bridle path. Makes fitting so much easier/more accurate. lol
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a bridle path makes fitting a bridle more accurate? im pondering over how this is possible.
 
I also don't like it when horses gave thee beards and whiskers shaved off.

But more professional equestrian tend to think its a necessity.

I'm sure if you had specifically said not to did they wouldn't have but to them it's part of the "tidying" up process.

I wouldn't say anything either, they will grow back.
 
omg!!! I am absolutely fanatical about whiskers and agree with the poster who said it is a welfare issue (ok rectifiable but still…)

Would be incandescent and would struggle not to show it.

Was horrified to see this thread but also very grateful as if mine ever leave my keeping I shall make sure it states in a contract that their whiskers are not to be touched.
 
equi said:
It shows their refinement and proportions better. They are allowed to have a summer coat but most rules say they should have everything trimmed and tidy.

I personally hate extra long bridle paths, I have mine about 6" long at most. Some have them like right down the neck and look silly.
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Any decent judge can see a good horse 'in the rough'. Very little serious showing is done in the months when ponies are hairy anyway, so that rule is just a nonsense, clubs should be helping members to practise for bigger shows not making up ridiculous rules of their own.

OP, I would have been more than annoyed. I am another who NEVER trims whiskers, they are part of the horse's sensory system. My Westphalian has an incredibly thick mane with no bridlepath and her bridle fits very well.
In your position, I would explain to the person who is schooling your horse that you would have preferred them to mention trimming to you before they did it, so that you could ask them not to do so. If you don't tell them that you are not happy, they won't know and will continue to take it for granted that every-one wants their horse to be trimmed to within an inch of its life..
 
My mistake, they hadn't taken off his whiskers, only his beard which wasn't done very well I thought and a small bridle path cut too. On the pic I thought his whiskers had gone too but they hadn't. He's there till the weekend, being schooled though not every day, I just hope that when he comes back we'll see an improvement. He goes well for someone who doesn't take any nonsense but for my daughter he takes advantage of her nervousness and hesitation. I didn't say anything about the trimming, only remarked that he looked different
 
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