The other poll had to do with Gogo's eternally awful mess of a mane. The majority of votes were in favor of letting Gogo's mane grow out, with pulling it making a close second. Votes for roaching it trailed far in the distance.
So as predicted, I made the decision to let it grow out.... and then had a complete fit, whipped out my clippers this afternoon, and roached it. I don't regret it for a second.... it looks awesome. Gogo's mane has always been IMPOSSIBLE to keep tamed, and now that she's out all the time in the wind and the weather, there's just no controlling it, no matter what length it is. I gave up. It will grow back eventually if I let it.... but it's so much easier to work with, it looks so clean, and she doesn't look like some animal I roped in off the range anymore! I love it!
And she also got a pedicure.... her feet are doing incredibly interesting things now that they are out in a dry environment 24 hours a day moving around. Her entire sole has exfoliated on all four feet... TWICE. There are possible event lines from the move to Texas and the change in her pasture but they're subtle. Other than that, they keep getting shorter and shorter, and more and more concave. They look like polished marble, and feel like it too. Even her frogs are slick, hard, and shining like they've been polished. Most interestingly, her clubby foot exfoliated the most sole, a GIANT piece of bar included. It has not completed the entire exfoliating process, but when it does, given what it looks like right now it might just nearly match the other foot. It looks like it wants to possibly do that!
Gogo says, this is what I think of you shaving all my hair off:
It'll probably help keep her cooler as it gets hotter this summer too :D Cooler than having a long thick mane hanging over her neck all the time at least. I had a friend who roached her geldings mane off last summer... gave him a nice mohawk as it grew back in :P
ReplyDeleteI like her roached mane! And her feet look awesome. All of the poor horses in the NW have soggy feet. We are looking forward to them drying out a bit...
ReplyDeleteLove her mane! I'm about ready to roach my mare's mane I'm so fed up with it. Gogo has such pretty toes!
ReplyDeleteShe's lovely! I'm a big fan of the roach; each spring the flat-top new-do makes my 26-year old Celby look 10 years younger! Gogo wears it in style!
ReplyDeleteAnd what lovely feet-- nice work!
Still has the ever-fabulous Gogo tail. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI voted for the roach look ^-^ My congartulations. I am watching with envy Gogo's photos. How did you do it?
ReplyDeleteDid you use normal BIG clippers or smaller clippers for bridle path?
And did you do one clip in teh middle first,then 45 degrees on each sides?
I am seriously thinking doing the same to my mare for summer. She will be cooler, and anyway she wears a fly-mask...
Go ing for the roach look.
Love the feet too ^-^
I forgot to vote, but I would have voted for the Roach. When I bought my horse he was roached and I kept it up for a while but let it grow out so I could have my trainer braid it for shows. The mohawk in-between stage was a hoot, but it was easy to train to lay down. I liked it roached and might go back there someday, especially if he keeps rubbing out the middle and I remain sans braider.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you forgot to leave a wither-lock! Or is that too much of a western touch for you?
Dry-climate hooves are a thing of beauty. :D
ReplyDeleteReading your post I was wondering what you meant by roaching the mane...in NZ we say we hogged it...Gogo certainly looks good with it and is looking great allround..
ReplyDeleteI think she rocks the roached mane look!
ReplyDeleteHer feet look lovely!
ReplyDeleteRoached manes are common with the Akhal-Teke breed... and though we don't roach our horses, I have come to appreciate the look because it helps show off a lovely neck... much the same way braids do. And it looks VERY sporty. Gogo wears "the do" very well!!
ReplyDeleteShe looks great! She can definitely work a roached mane!!
ReplyDeleteKlein's feet have done the same since getting to New Mexico. She has cycled off frog almost every trim since October! Her feet are hard as iron and have that same polished marble effect going on.