I don’t know about you guys, but we are getting pretty sweaty in the barn this past month. The summer sun is lovely, but some days are just a bit too hot to get out riding. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with our horses though. Ever tried turning your horse into a work of art? Horsey artwork can be a great way to beat the heat and have a good day at the barn.
How do we do that?
Finger painting! Using non-toxic, water-based crafting paint, just tie your horse and paint to your heart’s content! This activity is very kid friendly. The more kids the more fun it gets! But you know what… it’s ok if you want to forget you are an adult for a couple hours too and just paint your own horse. You can paint hearts and stars and flowers, make your pony look tie dyed… whatever you want. Darker horses can be painted with white paint, but lighter colored horses usually show the colors better. If you are concerned about how well the paint will wash off, you can add a bit of Dawn dish soap to your paints before you begin.
Some colors may still leave a light stain for a few days, so maybe not the best plan the week before your horse shows. As long as you are ok with your horse having a few pink splotches left behind, it’s an inexpensive way to spend an afternoon… painting, take a few pictures of your beautiful artwork, then bath your horse clean. Take the opportunity to use some citronella shampoo to help your fly spray keep the bugs at bay.
Feeling too adult for finger paint?
So, your taste is a little too sophisticated for finger paint, that’s ok! Sharpen your clipper blades and let’s get creative adult style. Even if your horse doesn’t exactly need a clip job, it might be fun to just clip a few decorative designs on them. You will need to make sure your horse is completely bathed and clean beforehand, so your clippers don’t get gummed up halfway through. Also make sure you have a clear image of your design before you start. You can use stencils to help you keep on point with your design if needed. Designs can go from single images on your horse’s hips or shoulders to full body designs that cover your horse from ears to tail.
There are a couple of different ways to approach a special clipping job. The quicker, simpler way is to remove only the hair in the pattern you are creating. It can be difficult to sculpt the edges of the image for an accurate pattern but it remains that you are only clipping small portions of the horse. For larger designs you may need to do something closer to a full body clip and leave the longer hairs to create to image you want.
Some Things to Consider…
One additional consideration is how badly your horse is bothered by flies during the summer. If flies are really bad in your area, you may want to stick to small designs, so he still has the majority of his coat to lend some protection from being eaten alive. Also, pale skinned horses may sunburn if their coat is removed over pink areas of skin. So be considerate of your horse’s needs but typically removing a little hair during the summer is perfectly safe. In the fall, his summer coat will shed out and be replaced by a longer winter coat. This process can begin as early as August, as anyone who has a shaggy pony will tell you. So, you have a good month or two of beautiful artwork on your horse if you get started soon! For some horse clipping inspiration click here.
Training Trouble Shooting
Absolutely anything you do with a horse has the potential to show you things he doesn’t know how to do. If you go to bathe or clip your horse and he is just not having it, don’t get frustrated. Just start small and build up to your goal a little at a time. It might take minutes to explain things to your horse, or it might take weeks of regular conversations. It doesn’t matter, don’t give up, just be kind and firm and work at your horse’s pace. Remember, when you fight with your horse you teach him to fight. When you “talk” to your horse, you teach him how to listen.
There’s No Bad Color for a Good Horse.
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