Wednesday April 24 2013
Ever since I've known Stormy, starting on the racetrack in 1997, he has always hated being brushed. Many of my Thoroughbred racehorses hated being brushed; I assumed most Thoroughbreds were 'thin-skinned' for lack of any better idea.
With Stormy, it doesn't matter what I try - a hard brush (forget it!!!!), a soft brush (no!), a soft rag (no!), rubber glove (no!), a steel curry comb - most excellent for removing thick itchy loose hair (heck no!), a rubber curry comb (no! no! nothing!). You'd think he'd like his itchy hide being brushed, especially with the still-long winter hairs that are still clinging, but any brushing of the sort irritates him. He'll pin his ears, and if I keep brushing, he'll turn his head and snap with his teeth, and if I dare ignore that, he'll threaten to kick, or even double barrel, with his hind feet.
Of course he LOVES it when I scratch him all over with my fingers; you'd think a curry comb with finger-like projections would be similar, but NO!
A wise horseman once told me that if you brush and brush and brush (and bathe and bathe) your horse, he won't have his natural protective dirt and oil layers that can help keep the bugs from biting. It makes sense to me, especially when Stormy rolls and coats himself with a thick layer of Owyhee dirt.
Or maybe he's still re-living his childhood, always playing in the dirt and avoiding baths and preferring to stay unkempt.
Let Stormy be! Ain't nothing wrong with a dirty boy. I prefer them to be honest. My dog Harry will be given a bath (he'd rather face a firing squad). Immediately after being bathed, he runs for the dirtiest part of the yard and rolls and wallows as if to get back his groove.
ReplyDeleteI bet you Harry would looooooove some horse poo to roll around in after his baths!!!
Deletewow! he really is a touchy one! my arabs don't really enjoy being brushed, but they DO like the shedding blade in springtime!
ReplyDeleteWell it looks like he's doing a good job of keeping himself coated in dirt! Nice job Stormy. Most of ours love to be brushed but we don't do many baths. I think it's better for them to keep their natural oils too.
ReplyDeleteMy TB's vary in sensitivity to brushing. I did find that Tucker accepted it much better after I treated him for ulcers. Being sensitive on his sides was apparently a symptom. But he still can get annoyed. Toby seems to love it. PJ used to hate the shedding blade but was fine for brushes. Russell R. liked just about any kind of grooming but would bite just for the fun of it.
ReplyDeleteI do not, as a rule, overbathe. Not only does it remove the natural oils, but all that water can also soften the hooves. I'll sponge off the sweat and that's about it, unless a special occasion demands a bath.
Stormy looks happy and healthy. Who cares about a little dirt?
Interesting that thoroughbreds in general don't like brushing. Our Arab/thoroughbred cross flinches whenever I use a currycomb on him, no matter how gently. But he sure does love to have his ears scratched.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I was saddling up my brother's horse "Baby" who was btw, a thoroughbred and as I was doing it he mentioned she was "a little cinchy". I had not even gotten the cinch around her belly yet, but was grabbing for it and she turned around and bit me in the arm so bad I thought it was ripped open and I would end up in the ER. She didn't break the skin, but it was so excruciating and I was nauseous and in pain for hours. The bruise was pretty intense too and I had lump in my arm for YEARS. I'm kinda touchy now myself about cinching so I think your dirty Stormy looks fabulous just the way he is.
ReplyDeleteOh, and did I mention Stormy was also very cinchy? I have to be careful of his teeth when I cinch up the girth... and I do it only a little at a time!
DeleteOmg, I'd never ride him.
ReplyDelete