Donkey-washing, Martha Stewart style

Date sort Score sort
Black carriage horses with lots of looooong hair, very 'my pretty pony'
wink.png



Pat
 
Hah, I was scribing at a dressage show once (this was probably 20 years ago, before Friesians got all trendy) and when a Friesian came into the ring, the judge turns to me and says, all snooty, "Oh. A Friesian. <pause> I don't know why she bothers. <pause> You know, they're bred for MEAT." LOL (It's sort of true, they survived where other carriage and light draft breeds died out in *part* because they became a meat animal, but still, lol). (edited to add: of course that was a long time ago, they aren't anymore)

They're very 'my pretty pony' if you like that sort of thing, flowing hair all over and long arched neck and jet black. One of The Hair Breeds so popular in today's magazine-cover-brainwashed society
wink.png
More useful as carriage horses than as riding horses, but good brains IME.

I suppose it says something about me, don't want to know what, that I still do not see what is strange or amusing about having an efficiently-equipped wash stall in a private barn, be it for donkeys or Friesians or whatever. Actually I am suspecting that nobody who thinks it's weird has ever tried to get a mud-encrusted hairy horse clean in January, because believe me, hot water or at least a good functioning vacuum are IMPORTANT
tongue.png


Pat, who does not bathe horses except for medical reasons anymore, partly cuz I have nowhere to ride in the winter so it doesn't matter whether the saddle area gets muddy, but who has given many a wintertime vac-groom or bath and REALLY prefers technology to the old "let's all get soaking wet from a bucket, then try to stay warm" approach
 
Last edited:
Quote:
I'm glad I'm not the only one that prefers them hitched to something! I rode a gelding once that was the old-style and ouch! No fun at all. I have seen some very nice horses that were bred specifically for riding that were nice and doing well at the upper levels, but the vast majority I see make me think someone back in Europe is laughing all the way to the bank.
 
Quote:
Since a Dachsund-style back and straight hindleg are not really a problem for driving, they *do* make spectacular and I gather fairly successful horses for show and for combined driving. I think the Europeans who were laughing all the way to the bank on Friesians were some while ago, as I think most in N America are now being bred here (by breeders who are laughing all the way to the bank, or at least were some while ago). But other Hair Breeds seem to be supplanting them for trendiness, such as Gypsy Vanners <rolling of eyes> and Spanish mustangs and so forth.


Pat, who does not like long tangly manes and tails (too lazy) and rides the actual structure of the horse, not just its hair
wink.png
 
Last edited:
Quote:
I'm glad I'm not the only one that prefers them hitched to something! I rode a gelding once that was the old-style and ouch! No fun at all.

My dad rode one once and he said the same thing. Give me a Quarter Horse anyday.
cool.png
 
My donkeys need to go visit Martha then...they are SO dirty right now! I can't wait to be able to wash them up. A lot of good it will do though because they roll around in the sand all the day long!
hmm.png
 

Similar threads

chick inn
Lice cure??? Mrs. Stewarts Liquid Bluing
Replies
6
Views
4K
Michael Apple
Michael Apple

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom