Look! The water's stiff

Whoa! The water's stiff!

I have to admit I don't know who took this picture or where it came from. It was in an email of cute animal photos that was forwarded to me. I also haven't a clue where it was taken. However, it was just too cute not to share and it also gave me a thought... Well, besides reminding me of the cartoon Bambii when Thumper the rabbit pounds the ice and states, "Look! The water's stiff!"

Looking closely at these horses (which I assume are wild), their coats are in pretty poor condition. In the wild, of course, this is to be expected. They don't exactly have grooms out there following them around with a curry comb and Andis clippers. But, this brings me to a point about our own domestic horses. I hear the care of horses being analogized with wild horses on a regular basis. "You groom that horse too much, his hair is going to fall out." "You shouldn't give him a bath too often, it will effect his coat oils." And so on and so forth.

Having a grey and white horse, I tend to like him looking good, and so he is regularly coiffeured. Remember, our domestic horses have very different lives and needs from those of wild horses.

This quote is from the Oregon State University web site: "In the wild, the horse is subject to many natural stresses, including extreme weather conditions and the frequent lack of water and food."

Horses in the wild have lifespans much shorter than those of our beloved pet horses. This is not only due to the lack of veterinary care, but the lack of caring by a loving, diligent owner who, yes, bathes his/her horse! Bathing a horse is not a bad thing. Contrary to popular belief, if you use a gentle enough shampoo, you essentially can bathe your horse daily without damage.

Fact: Brushing your equine friend daily will NOT cause him to become a hairless horse! Quite the opposite, a good grooming will aid in your horse's good health. Grooming stimulates the skin, removes dirt and can even aid in sore muscles. The attention you give your horse during grooming also helps the bonding process. Just remember to be gentle, be kind and make it positive.

For Horse Grooming Products, www.p-a-w-shoppes.com