# Trimming the "beard"



## OTTBMomma (May 15, 2014)

I would use clippers. For some reason, I tend to be a lot neater that way... Then again, you wouldn't want to see my last attempt at cutting my own bangs...


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## DressageHorse (Mar 23, 2013)

I've used scissors to trim my horse's wimpy beard multiple times. It works fine, just be very careful because there were a couple of times where my guy moved and I almost cut him.  Clippers are definitely safer for that reason but in your case I would just go with scissors.


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

A friend of mine's mare is the same. You can run the clippers over her turned off, have them running near her. But try and touch her with them running and she goes nuts

My friend does a lot of showing and says these work pretty good on her mare. they are tiny and the mare doesn't mind them

Pocket Pro™ Compact Trimmer

I've always wondered if these work

WAHL® Animal Clipper - Jeffers


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Do you have a disposable "BIC" razor?

I know of some who used this on their horses muzzle who wouldn't tolerate a vibrating anything near their muzzle...

In the case of this horse he was a OTTB, something in his racing days they treated him with that was on his muzzle and freaked him out if not hurt him...so she used disposable razors. They worked and she was able to clip anyplace else but his nose...

Might be something to give a try...
:wink:


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> True to his draft horse heritage, Aires has a lingering "beard" between his chin and throatlatch. It's longer hairs, about 2-2.5" long, that stick out and are fairly thick. He usually keeps them until it starts getting hot, then they just mysteriously disappear.
> 
> I'm hoping to enter us in the halter class at the show at my barn this Saturday, so this week he's going to get an intensive grooming. Well, intensive for him. :lol: His ears and bridle path won't get trimmed because he won't tolerate clippers (have tried for three years to get him used to them and all I've gotten is kicked for my trouble...plus he's already dislocated three of my fingers and sprained my wrist in the last two weeks, I don't need any more injuries), which is okay because his forelock/mane give him his rock star look, but I want to do something about the beard.
> 
> Would taking scissors and trimming it down by hand work okay?


It won't help you as much this time, but for next year... every time you see him, once it is warm enough that he starts to lose his coat; rub is chin vigorously and pull hairs here an there. My mare, who is not drafty at all, gets a better beard than our BLM mustang who is drafty and hairier than all get out. 
It drives me batty, since she is my petite feminine little girl, lol. So when I feed or handle, I pet her chin, check for ticks or sores, and grab a few hairs, and out they go! She could care less. Right now she still has 5 or 6 and they are the length Aires has. Mustang- nada, go figure. 
For now, you might be able to do the hand pulling method a little at a time, depending on how long you have, and how stuck in they are still, and how tolerant Aires is!
Good luck! And sorry to hear about the hand... wonder if the fingers precludes my method?!


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## IndiesaurusRex (Feb 23, 2011)

If you can't work the clippers on him, scissors should be fine. They should also be fine for the bridle path and ears (I presume you mean the pokey out fluff) - I always use scissors for those.

I normally use scissors like these, round end and curved blades, they make it much harder to stab your beloved pony, and the curve leaves a less blunt line. With scissors, cut with the direction of the hair, and you'll get a less liney effect. Clippers are easier, but I can do ears, bridlepaths, beards and light feathers with scissors if I need to.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I had a thought last night. Maybe I could use hand clippers? Like these:
Wahl Hand Clipper - Horse.com

I roached his mane last year with a pair of scissors and it was a huge pain in the butt because his hair is so thick and coarse. 

Here's how bad he is with the clippers. I haven't had clippers anywhere near him for almost a year, yet he's still incredibly ear shy and he's NEVER been ear twitched. The last time we did try to clip him, I got the clippers up to him, touched his face with them (they were off), moved up toward his bridle path, and he reared up and clipped me in the thigh with his dinner plate hoof. Luckily he wasn't tied because I ran him backward a good 60 feet so fast he nearly flipped over backward, all the while smacking him across the front legs with the crop I had dangling from my wrist for just such an occasion.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Jumper Princess (Apr 28, 2014)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I had a thought last night. Maybe I could use hand clippers? Like these:
> Wahl Hand Clipper - Horse.com
> 
> I roached his mane last year with a pair of scissors and it was a huge pain in the butt because his hair is so thick and coarse.
> ...


I have never had good luck with hand clippers. They are always too awkward and clog up. Like a very inefficient pair of scissors!


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## dlady (Apr 13, 2013)

Rain, if there's a Fred's Dollar Store near you, you can purchase the pocket pro compact trimmers there for around 7.00. I have been using them for about 3 years and they work great. I use them to remove the hair from the paw pads on my shih tzus. 

I use the Oster golden A5 for trimming the body. Using a toothbrush to brush the hair of the blades while trimming to keep them from clogging. The toothbrush is more efficient than the brush that comes with the clippers.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You can singe the hair off his lower jaw if it is just long fine hairs. Long gone are the singeing lamps but you can use a cigarette lighter. Oddly the horses do not mind it.

Just hold he lighter towards the lower end of the hair and moved up and down his jaw.


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