Last year, during the second body clip of the season in January, at the last barn, I attempted to clip Ink. The first clip (in 08' before the move to the last barn) went well if you recall. He was good, quiet and enjoyed the time actually. But the second clip, I used nice Stewart Oster clippers, the kind the pro's use. Those big ones that take muscle - just to hold & strength and precision to use! I was able to glide through the hair so quickly, which much more finesse, that I thought this time, for sure, things would be going much faster than the last clip. WRONG! Never count your chickens before they hatch my friends.. :)
The clip job went all well, until I got to the front end of the big bay horse. He hated it. I got my little voice and tried to baby him through the process, knowing it probably tickled. It was also probably a little uncomfortable when the big clippers were going over the shoulders and more sensitive parts. I did my best to stay slow and easy, but I couldn't continue. Ink had had enough for the night. I tried the next day to re-approach. Ink had a couple large patches of hair. He looked like someone took clippers to him for fun, going in a multitude of directions, clipping here and there to see what kind of artistic masterpiece there was to be made. I was only able to almost finish the clip with lots of patience. Even my instructor couldn't finish. There was no way I could finish a certain patch. Right at his shoulder, just below his withers, on each side, two medium sized patches glared back at me. The job was certainly not done, and these two ridiculous patches of hair were looking pretty offensive.
I got giggles and laughs from people over my clipped-challenged horse. But there was nothing I could do. Ink had just had enough and there was no which way around that. So I said, "Ok," and left it at that. Inside I'm furious with this clip, because it looks HORRIBLE. And Ink, he's so handsome, he deserves the best looking clip to enhance his beauty :)! He went the rest of the season with those rediculous, blasted patches always staring back at me..
Clipping is a necessary evil - for me that is. It's an art with Ink. As with most things regarding the big bay horse. - The perfect balance of many ingredients such as patience, understanding, finding center and knowing when and where to begin to clip and how to approach the job. It's constantly under assessment of his ever critiquing self. He's very sensitive and he demands almost near perfection. Oh brother..why even clip then!?
I tell you, a clipped horse is a smart looking horse. It's definitely much prettier than their wooly coats. That is on most horses. And this is my opinion of course. I do like wooly bear coats on some horses :). But Ink, well he looks like a finely groomed gentlemen all clipped. But it doesn't just serve for appearance sake.. There is also a practical means behind it. They don't sweat as much because they are not wearing a down jacket anymore. They dry much, much faster when they do sweat. The coat is much more manageable because a quick sweep with a soft dandy brush does the trick, verses you curry, hard brush etc, routine. For horses being worked it's a very practical practice. And, did I say it's pretty? :)
But it's not always easy. I'm on day 3 of clipping Ink. This is not a joke. I did most with the big clippers and once I got to the sensitive parts, Ink said, "HECK NO, KEEP THOSE AWAY." I bought some smaller clippers to finish the job yesterday. I was able to get all but a small area. - To finish tomorrow! But, it's a long, slow, process with Ink. If I do say so, the clip looks mighty good for what it did yesterday. It's not as perfect and flawless as I would like, but it's close considering the patient.
Pictures to follow :).
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On the matter of moving forward. I had to take down the blog for a little bit. It got to a point where numerous things just forced some sort of break. I can't go about writing other than my style, which is pretty honest. I guess honesty is hard for some to accept. Either way, I'm back and nothing is going to stop me now! Thank you to a friend who reached out with a morale boosting email which helped me remember why I do blog :).
