Horse Whiskers

Cats have whiskers, dogs have whiskers. Cows have whiskers. Horses have whiskers. I'd venture to say most every animal on earth has whiskers. Whiskers seem to be the norm, a necessity. Why then do we clip our horse's whiskers? And are we doing them a disservice?

From all my research, extensive to say the least, I believe we are doing them a disservice. A horse having whiskers is a natural thing. They are feelers, necessary when grazing, when drinking water, when eating grain or hay, when nuzzling one another. Horses can't see what's down there at the end of their noses, they need feelers, hence the whiskers.

When you look at the evolution of the horse, how they have come to be the magnificent animals that they are, we see that their conformation and size has changed drastically. I think it's safe to say they had whiskers way back when, and they still have them now, so that should tell us something. The whiskers are there for a reason or they would have vanished by now.

I think the reason we clip, and I say "we" including me in the past tense, is because we think the horse looks prettier without them, grander. It's all about looks. I doubt anyone has set out to clip or shave their horse's whiskers to make him a healthier horse, to give them a simpler life, a better self image, to lighten the load, all of the above. It's all about looks! And unfortunately, the horse has no say in the matter. One way or another, be it clippers, scissors, or the ever so handy sensitive skin disposable razors, those whiskers are falling by the wayside in the blink of an eye. Perhaps we should re-examine our need for the clean-shaven equine muzzle. Maybe, just maybe, we should listen to Mother Nature in this regard.