As women can be shamed into removing every bit of hair from their bodies, waxing, shaving and epilating it into hairless mounds and valleys, similarly, we clip, trim and pull our horses into what is deemed to be a more attractive state.
Thanks to having had the privilege of spending time, separately, with two thought provoking women - Ivana Ruddock of Equine Touch, and Natural Horse Management expert, Lucinda McAlpine, I came to question these practices.
One I feel most strongly about is trimming the whiskers from a horse's muzzle. I mean, let's face it, you wouldn't chop the whiskers off your cat would you? Would you?? And making him look 'funny' so he becomes an internet sensation is not a valid excuse!
Nature provided horses with whiskers for a reason. Because their eyes are set on the side of their heads they have a blind spot in front of and right under their noses. So, their whiskers act as a 'third eye' helping them to negotiate objects close to their noses, avoiding injury and making sure they don't eat the wrong thing. And of course if your horse has poor eyesight for any reason then he will need his whiskers even more.
Shame they don't also contain a sugar monitor or calorie counter but then maybe nature didn't factor in the rich grass that modern horses would be grazing on! Anyway, I digress..
What do you think? Do you like to nuzzle a whiskery muzzle or do you prefer to prettify your pony and would be embarrassed to be seen out with a hairy chinned mount?
And what if you're into Showing. Is this a discipline in particular that needs to change it's attitude to whiskers? Do you show in a class where you're afraid you'll be penalised if you don't cut them off?
Did you know that in Switzerland their government has, along with Rolkur and rapping, banned the clipping of horses whiskers. Should that happen here?
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