MizScarlet Meets the Clippers

As I worked through clipping ears on the Arabian horses Monday afternoon, it was only a matter of time before Scandalous MizScarlet experienced the clippers for the very first time. I've been telling myself since this filly was born that I needed to get her accustomed to the clippers. With her big attitude the smaller the filly was, the easier she would be to handle.

However, just like last year, the time just slipped away. The open house is fast approaching and Scarlet hasn't been anywhere near a set of clippers. I really was dreading her introduction to the noisy things.

We whizzed through 16 horses in record time. Then it was time for Scarlet. I think both Colleen and I took a deep breath before we even walked into the stall, expecting the worst. But just like Scarlet surprised me with her first hoof trimming last week, she did it again with the clippers.

Poor Scarlet looks really mangy right now. She has gobs of baby hair still covering her body. If that's not bad enough it's plumbed up like that of a plush toy. Scarlet definitely looks like a heavily used teddy bear.........poor thing.

Her face was shed out pretty well except for patches on her jowls and over her eyes........well, and under her chin. Then, of course, she still has those long baby whiskers. Her neck was shed except for patches at the maneline. But moving on into her shoulders, she's pretty scruffy looking. The very backs of her checks are slick but everything between the shoulder and the checks just sucks..........not a pretty picture.

I resisted the urge to just clip all that ugly hair off but decided to "clean-up" her neck and her face before even attempting her ears. That would give the Arabian foal a chance to get used to the sound and feel of the clippers before we got to more sensitive parts.

I turned the clippers on while still a distance from the horse. I wanted her to get a chance to hear them and see them at the same time. Scarlet didn't even flinch at the noise. The horse just stood there looking at me.

When I first pressed them against her skin, she tensed for a brief moment. Then the horse seemed to relax. Scarlet even acted like she was enjoying the feel of the things.

That's pretty much how the clipping went on her neck and face. Scarlet only tensed up when I got right up near her poll. Other than that she just stood there letting me clip on her.

When it was time to clip her ears, we put her into the corner and I have to admit, I added a bit of a restraint. She did pretty well with the whole process.............except for one brief instant where she decided she'd had enough and that didn't have anything to do with her ears................it was those baby whiskers. She just didn't want to give them up. The horse leapt forward and then threw herself to the ground. The the horse jumped back up and let us finish like nothing had happened.

I have to admit, even with the outburst, this was great for Scarlet. The horse is mad at me today, which I expected. But I'm really proud of how well she did. Sorry still no camera, so no pics of Scarlet. Hopefully, my son-in-law will bring his to the open house and we'll have pics then.

In the meantime, things are moving along here. I still have 21 horses faces and legs to clip...........and I'm still resisting the urge to body clip Scarlet. She's such a beautiful filly but really hidden under all that fuzz............