Amateur Dressage

Now that it's mud and shedding season, I'm finding myself thinking more and more about getting one of those fancy vacuum cleaners for the horses. Really, though, aren't they an extravagance? I mean my own home vaccuum cleaner was purchased 10 years ago at a yard sale for $25.

Nonetheless, I can't help myself -- does anyone have one of those smaller cannister vacs? If so, do you like it?

I know my horse would worry at first because of the noise, but just think how convenient it would be....

I've used one in the past when I was riding a TB/Welsh pony mix who wasn't clipped during the winter. He looked like a wooly mammoth beast by January, and once shedding started I would be covered head to toe in the hair.

The vacuum worked wonders, and he didn't even flinch, even though he was a fidgety type. I think in fact he kind of enjoyed it. If you could find a way to rent, lease or borrow one, I would be happy to share the expense of it with you to see if our primadonna horses would allow such a device to be placed against their ever so delicate bod's.

I've used one of the bigger ones but it was soooo noisey. Sam was not impressed. I've got my eye on one of the smaller portable ones and saw one at Tryon last year. The woman using it sang its praises and said it was great even after her horse shed out entirely. No idea why I'm so fixated on this device. Maybe as soon as shedding season is passed, the fixation will pass too.

I think part of your fixation is the thought of the efficiency and neatness. You don't end up wearing the shed-out hair, and after shed season is over, the horse is cleaner in less time.

I think the newer versions have dealt with the noise issue.

OK, well now I'm really wanting one again. The urge had almost passed until I went out to ride last night and he was covered in mud and *still* shedding handfuls. I went home covered in hair and red dust.

You've also made a good point about the efficiency -- less time removing mud = more time on the horse gotta be good for my overall training then too!

Yeah Jess was a dirtball last night, well as dirtball as her primadonna self will allow The vac is great for getting that deep embedded dust that currying just doesn't.

NOW I WANT ONE TOO!!

Hey maybe Miss E has a shop-vac we can use.......LOL