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A reader asks:
My horse won't let me clip his whiskers or under his jaw even when twitched or sedated. (He rears up and strikes out when I try.) Any suggestions?
Dr. Joyce Harman Replies:
My question for you and for most other competitive riders is: "Why would you clip your horse's whiskers?" Although they may appear superficial and nonessential, horse whiskers provide valuable information to horses. Equine eyes are positioned in such a way that objects immediately in front of or below horses' noses are beyond their range of vision. So their horse whiskers help them "see" these objects.
Dr. Joyce Harman graduated from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984 with an interest in acupuncture and alternative medicine. She writes extensively in both the lay and professional magazines and also speaks to both groups frequently. She has published over sixty articles in professional journals and more than that in lay magazines. She is a regular contributor to “ask the vet” on http://equisearch.com/resources/expert/.
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