As of July 2021, clipping a horse’s sensitive facial whiskers is off limits according to the FEI and can result in disqualification from an FEI competition. (Need a rule refresher? Check out the 2022 FEI Veterinary Regulations here.) So what’s a clipper-happy horse owner or groom to do when they need to tidy up their equine friend’s face?
Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of hair left all over the face that’s still game for removal — including that beard under their jaw and mustache, if they have one. In this video, professional groom Niki Baxter shows us how to wield a pair of clippers to trim up our horses’ faces while avoiding the sensory hairs. Even if you don’t compete at an FEI level, this video is a great primer for neatening up your horses’ face in the midst of the winter woolies!
Niki is a self-taught equine groom from Scotland who travels around the UK clipping and grooming for clients and doing demonstrations. You can find more clipping and braiding tutorials from her on her YouTube channel here.
