Last year, I decided to forego the full-body clip that Phox usually has during the winter months. For those non-horsey types out there who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's like this: when the days start getting shorter and the temperature drops, horses grow thick winter coats. Shaggy, hairy, yak-like winter coats. If you want to continue riding during the winter and you don't feel like spending hours drying your horse off after riding, you shave off the winter coat and give them a cute blanket to wear instead. Like this one:
Anyway, since I didn't plan on showing Phox during the winter and since I ride in the morning and he has plenty of time to dry off before it gets cold and he risks catching a chill, I decided not to bother clipping him. I still blanketed him at night, but with a lighter blanket than he would otherwise have worn.
Everything was fine all winter long, aside from the occasional snarky comments from my trainer about him looking like a draft horse (due to the long hair on his lower legs).
Then came spring. And the shedding. Oh, the shedding!
Every time I brush Phox, I remove the equivalent of two small animals from his coat. I brush and brush and he looks just as hairy, but the ground looks like a Persian cat exploded.
Still, at least I learned to keep my mouth shut while grooming. Ever had hairy teeth? It'll shut you up REAL fast.
So, what's a girl to do about all this excess hair? Why, vacuum, of course.
You thought I meant the excess hair from the ground, didn't you. No, I figured I'd just cut out the middle step and suck the hair straight off him.
AND IT WORKED!
Not only does this handy barn vacuum have a nozzle that combs through the hair, but it's powerful enough to suck all the loose stuff right out. You have to keep it moving, though, or it'll suck the skin up, too. People think I'm weird enough as it is without my horse walking around with a big hickey.
Phox kind of likes the vacuum. He even lets me do his face. Of course, he'll let me do pretty much anything when carrots are involved. Hey, every man has his price.
