As winter approaches - feathers on or off?

[FlorrieBrown]

My horse is a cob cross type which grows a bit of feather on the heels. The horse is in regular hacking or light schooling type work, ridden in the school and off road year round, with occasional road work. In the summer months, I tend to keep trimming the feathers just for neatness, but as winter - and clipping season - approaches, I am wondering whether to leave them on for added protection against the inevitable mud, or clip them off to try to avoid too much muddy accumulation. I would welcome all opinions. Thank you.

 

[Honey08]

If at all possible I like to trim feathers with scissors and comb - that way the hair drains the water down the leg still. The hair is still short and easy to dry/manage. When clipped off it just runs onto the skin.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I clip feathers with a narrow coarse 5F blade, which leaves a 6.4mm cut. Neat and tidy, but plenty of protection left.

I used to use scissors and a comb, but clipping is quicker and saves my back!

 

[Surbie]

I leave mine on and oil once or twice a week.

 

[Sanversera]

Trim with scissors and leave some length to shed rain and dew.

 

[sollimum]

I tend to clip my two cobs but they grow back really quickly. So even if you clipped right off now you would have plenty of regrowth before winter.

 

[rabatsa]

Off. I made the mistake of letting my mares get too long last winter and they were too wet and minging to take the clippers to for months.

 

[Nari]

Off for me, I don't like not really knowing what's going on underneath, plus he won't walk through muddy gateways if they aren't trimmed short

 

[Highmileagecob]

Leave them on. Easy to rinse mud off, knowing that the skin is still dry.

 

[meleeka]

If it's a full feather I'd leave on, but if they are typical cob cross, so not as thick, I'd do as above and trim short with scissors. Full cob feathers are a thing to behold and fully waterproof, but if they aren't, they aren't serving any purpose.