Who on earth is giving the FEI backlash about the whisker rule? Tantrums and navel gazing on an American bulletin board are hardly backlash.
News flash - in continental Europe, whiskers have been left au natural for ages. This is probably not a big deal to anyone but us North Americans. Over 30 years ago, I had a German client who was horrified I would even think about whisker trimming.
considering there are several eventers using this set up below Training level, it is relevant. It is out there and more normal than you think. What is sad is how everyone sits around seeing this and still gives the riders āpropsā.
Then your horses are the exception to the rule. I imagine there are many many other such horses. That is one problem with rules that are made to apply to every single person/animal affected. They leave no room for exceptions. And, being living creatures, some of us are going to be adversely affected by some rules that are applied to everyone without consideration for individual idiosyncrasies. There is no black and white here, nor should there be. āReasonable accommodation,ā anyone?
After you trim it with scissors, use the scissors in an upward cut on a slight angle. Hold the scissors perpendicular to the mane and snip upward toward the crest. If done correctly, it looks like he mane has been pulled and not blunt cut. It takes a little practice but itās a lot easier on the horse than pulling.
I know, I was counting how many horse control devices are present - draw reins, looks like a double twisted bit, running martingale, and lever nose band with a chain āchin strap.ā Plus, the strap for the noseband was almost in his eye.
Seems to me that horses have whiskers for a reason, whether or not we have scientific studies to inform us humans what that particular purpose may be. Trimming off whiskers is done only to meet human ideas of aesthetics and tradition. If the FEI decides it shouldnāt be done, fine by me. It is only fashion.
Thanks! Iām still working on getting good at it. Her mane is just SO thickā¦ like pony-mane thick. Iāve tried to trim it at the angle like you said and then use one of those solo combs that are supposed to be humane to thin it. No luck. Mare says the solo comes are absolutely NOT humane by her standards.
Lots of things we do are only for fashion, yet are in the rules as required. Lots of horses strongly dislike braiding, yet we say ātough cookiesā and braid them (and then proceed to bubble wrap them so they canāt rub them out).
If there are no studies, I am not in support of a rule. If a study came out that showed domesticated horses (not cats, not dogs, and not surgically removed) are adversely impacted, Iāll stop shaving them tomorrow. The fact that they canāt come up with the research is telling to me, as is the sheer number of horses surviving just fine without them.
Itās a feel good move.
Braiding is not required by the rules.
Was whisker trimming ever required by the rules? I donāt think it was.
Which better proves the point that we do things to our animals that provide them with discomfort for the sake of tradition and looks.
Iāve never met a horse who wasnāt relieved when their braids were taken outā¦
Just because something is the status quo doesnāt make it right or ethical. Thereās tons of common practices people used to do 30 years ago that are now, not ok. Itās called growth.
According to the article, USEF was against implementing and is questioning the rule.
[quote=āEqukelly, post:107, topic:752840, full:trueā]
Thanks! Iām still working on getting good at it. Her mane is just SO thickā¦ like pony-mane thick. Iāve tried to trim it at the angle like you said and then use one of those solo combs that are supposed to be humane to thin it. No luck. Mare says the solo comes are absolutely NOT humane by her standards.
[/quote
If she has an attractive neck you can always roach her mane. I had one that looked great with his mane roached.
Sorry I butchered the above quote. 
Iāve thought about that too but Iām too chicken! Oh well. I shall deal with it in the spring. She can look homeless for the winter! 
I like this mane thinning comb, as I hate the scissored look no matter how carefully itās done.
https://www.rideawaystore.com/en-CA/Supreme-Products-Medium-Thinning-Mane-Comb/r50190040.htm?colour=Black&sku=1101004&productid=290623&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5bz-BRD-ARIsABjT4ngq8LvKG8d1in7dTcM4bT5gyiTcTGNFNk7dKcXlvZUMplTt5USYAVcaAtNrEALw_wcB
If you think your horse wants to be ridden, I want some of what youāre smoking.
Iām going to start a new topic based on this quote in Off Course.
I donāt have that one but I have the solo comb and she still hates it and wonāt let me do it.
I found a study! Sort of. Itās more a study trying to figure out how to study the issue. For the American journals I read, usually I can spot them on PubMed and find if thereās anything linked to them (which is to say someone referenced them and might be following up on the research), but I canāt find anything for this study.
Essentially the conclusion to the question of āis this an effective way to assess the effects of trimming whiskersā seems to be a shrug, so not particularly useful either way. Regardless, in 2013, someone wrote their Masterās thesis on the topic, so maybe thereās more to come from someone else.
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