I’m a big fan of just about all of the wonderful creatures in the animal kingdom, from teeny tiny frogs to enormous elephants!
That said, although baby elephants splashing in puddles are beyond cute, there are few animals more beautiful and majestic than the noble horse.
There’s a reason these elegant animals appear again and again in folklore, fairy tales, and mythology. They’re so beautiful and graceful that they seem like a perfect fit for the fantastical worlds of those stories.
Of course, it’s important to remember that horses, though they certainly have something magical about them, have real world needs too.
They have hooves that need to be cleaned and stalls that need to be mucked, and, as anyone who has ever cared for a horse can tell you, those gleaming silken coats get dusty and stinky fast.
That’s why grooming is such a key part of keeping horses — you have to make sure they’re clean and happy!
And while it may sound like a monotonous chore, most people who love horses have found their own way around the problem. And they're doing it in a very beautiful way!
What do you think of these gorgeous horse haircuts? Let us know in the comments below.
Melody Hames is the clever creative force behind a very special business in the town of Bury, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom.
It’s called JMC Equestrian Custom Clipping, and, as you may have guessed, she specializes in giving horses haircuts.
It may not be something most of us have thought of before, but those sleek and shiny coats take a lot of work!
Just like humans, horses get shaggy after a while.
This is especially true in the winter when coats tend to get thicker and heavier.
Certain kinds of horses, like Shetlands, are also naturally shaggier and need more frequent trims.
That’s where Hames comes in.
She offers her services to equestrians of all stripes, helping horses in her care to shed those heavy and unkempt coats in favor of a more pulled together look.
This kind of grooming is especially important for show horses and other competitors, who may need their coats to look a certain way for shows and competitions.
These days, however, the more prosaic side of Hames’ business is taking a backseat to her impressive creative talents.
While she still gives horses more run of the mill grooming, her specialty is more elaborate.
She creates complex custom designs that use the contrast between short hair and longer hair to create shapes and patterns, much the same way people shave designs into their hair.
Her designs are all over the map, from elaborate scenery to fantastical symbolism. Horses come away from her trims covered in hearts, flowers, and even their own names!
Quite often she creates stars on the haunches of her hoofed clientele, which is a popular motif for show horses.
She’ll also add braids to the manes and tails of her equine frends for a little extra something!
Of course, hearts, stars, and even names are some of the more basic designs that she can create. Hames is truly an artist when it comes to picking up those clippers.
In the past, she once created an entire fairy tale castle scene on the side of a beautiful black horse, complete with JMC logo enclosed on a family crest on the side.
What a way to sign your work!
Meanwhile, one of her most impressive accomplishments to date is a complicated and beautiful design inspired by medieval times.
This beautiful design creates a faux saddle and tack out of the longer hair, with a “sword” slung alongside. Beautiful!
If you love these designs as much as we do, make sure you SHARE this with all the equestrians and horse lovers in your life!
