Shedding has begun! HOORAY!

[Heinz 57]

I noticed this weekend that the hairy beasts have begun to shed! FINALLY!

I can't tell you just how happy I am. My wooly mammoth will soon return to the sleek, smooth and shiny beast she once was. And I can hardly wait! Last spring, she was completely shed out by March/April.

Break out the shedding blades, the curry combs, those weird grooming blocks! And hell...while I'm at it, who borrowed my pulling comb?

Feel free to add any of your favorite tips, tricks and strategies for speeding the process, removing the hair, and keeping it from getting EVERYWHERE. :)

[HunterGirl87]

have you ever heard of the furminator? it's this comb/rake that's great for removing pet hair. last year i found out that they also make one for horses! it's the greatest thing! i have allergies so when i just try to use a regular curry to get rid of of my horse's winter coat hair flys everywhere and my allergies go completely crazy. the equine furminator REALLY helps with that. you should check it out. here's the link to a company that sells it. FarmVet's great and they have TONS of stuff every barn girl needs. Just like this. :)

http://www.farmvet.com/pc-1622-209-furminator-equine.aspx

[seabreeze]

I noticed this late last week, too! YAY! The first sign...

Also, the past few days I have noticed the ittiest-bittiest, teensiest-weensiest sprigs of green grass amongst the sea of winter brown pasture. I almost thought I was imagining this (after all, it's not even February). :confused:

BUT THEN...THIS MORNING...My-Very-Own-Lives-To-Eat-And-Will-Sacrifice-All-Well-Being-For-A-Crumb-Of-Food gelding turned his nose up at the beautiful hay that he's been happily munching all winter and wondered off into the pasture to graze. :eek: He-Who-Must-Control-The-Hay-Piles left his buddies at the hay piles to graze!!! Obviously there's something coming up that's more appetizing. :D:D:D

Yes, there is hope...:yes:

[CamdenLab]

Our mare started shedding pretty much the day after we got her trace clipped. :rolleyes: Now she is shedding in full force, even the little hairs in the clipped path. It's gross, but I'm so excited! I've never had a horse shed out so early though . . . weird.

[FrenchFrytheEqHorse]

Be careful with the furminators- they can really damage the ends of hair. They are super for shedding if you don't care about the condition of the coat afterward, but they slice off the ends of hair, and can leave a coat dull. Nothing like a good old fashioned curry and some elbow grease.

[Chief2]

Thanks, FrenchFry! You just saved me several dollars. I was going to get one for my yak of a PercheronX. I think I'll just try to wait it out with elbow grease, currying and a shedding blade.

[dawglover]

And that means it's time to stop wearing lip balm when you're grooming, unless you want hairy lips. :lol:

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Oh man. Our lows this week are all negative temps!! It's like 5 degrees outside in the sun. I can't even fathom shedding right now, but am looking forward to a sleek beastie. I will have to check my horses tonight (I've been somewhat absentee lately--reason?--see above re: temps ;) ).

[Zu Zu]

YES !!! HERE TOO !!!! Spring is coming :D ~ really it is !!!:cool:

[Vesper Sparrow]

Shedding started here last week but is now underway in earnest, along with other spring-like behaviours :eek:... Not sure what will happen when the normal winter temps resume.

I figure it will take another 3 1/2 to 4 months for my mare (who at 26 is an ice-age relic), until mid-May at the earliest, until she is back to her sleek TB self. Much less for the gelding. I have two Epona shed flowers--so maybe one for each hand--and a variety of curry combs.

[Blkarab]

Love those Epona shed flowers! They work great! I'm on the look-out for another one.

My horses started shedding here too! Yippee. My husband came out to help me with my new guy, and helped me groom. It was very sweet, he was talking about how he couldn't believe all the hair and that Sundance needed a bath :) What a guy!

[WaningMoon]

NO sign of shedding here yet. Usually not until around Town Meeting day, first sap runs, right around there. They aren't all shed out until the mid/end of May, and then they start to get their winter coats late in August. Damn.

[BestHorses]

Do forehead hairs count? That's all I seem to find coming out so far. :)

Good to know about the furminator. I was wondering if they were the real deal. Guess I won't have to buy one now.

[Gry2Yng]

I can report shedding here in Chicago. Single digits lows this weekend, but the 4 yo is shedding. This is the first year in a LONG TIME I have not body clipped. It is also the first year in quite a few that I don't have full service. My DH should be THRILLED with the amount of hair in the mud room this spring.

[TBMaggie]

Boo...nary a hair is falling out in my barn!! What gives with that? (I'm happy though...temps are supposed to be zero or so by the weekend, and horsies need all the help they can get. Sissy TBs)

[Twigster]

This year the mare decided to grow the thickest, most yak-like coat I've ever seen on her :rolleyes: I held my breath last week when the first hairs fell thinking it was a false alarm, but last night I broke out the shed flower, happy happy happy!

[MANGO75]

Im a furminator die hard.......my horses end up w/ beautiful coats, no damage what so ever.

[Easy Choice]

I luuuv my furminator - Tony was done shedding last year in 3 weeks! But he hasn't started yet here in SC Wis

[spaceagevalkyrie]

have you ever heard of the furminator? it's this comb/rake that's great for removing pet hair. last year i found out that they also make one for horses! it's the greatest thing! i have allergies so when i just try to use a regular curry to get rid of of my horse's winter coat hair flys everywhere and my allergies go completely crazy. the equine furminator REALLY helps with that. you should check it out. here's the link to a company that sells it. FarmVet's great and they have TONS of stuff every barn girl needs. Just like this. :)

http://www.farmvet.com/pc-1622-209-furminator-equine.aspx

Those things rock! My mom has one for her dog. When I saw how well it worked, I promptly snuck it out to the barn and let me just say, the dog size ones (which are far cheaper) work just fine, plus are cheaper. IIRC, the horse one was like $60 and the dog one was $30 something?.

[tallygirl]

my horse started shedding last week too. after grooming him for an hour on sunday he barely has any of his winter coat left. he looks beautiful! its nice here in california right now. especially after the last 2 weeks of storms! :)

[ddashaq]

My TB has started to shed ever so slightly, but I will take what I can get! The arabian is still holding on firmly to his coat, but he tends to do that and then not finish shedding until sometime in June.

[SmartAlex]

Sorry, can't get excited with you... I hate shedding season. Two months of wearing coveralls and aching shoulders. If it came off in a big sheet, then I'd be excited. Mine won't start shedding for at least another month anyway.

[PinkPonies]

Lucky! I curried my horse like crazy yesterday hoping to see just a tiny bit of hair coming off, but nothing yet. I can't WAIT for spring to be here :)!