Assorted clipping questions, sorry :)

[Alphamare]

When do we clip? How early? How many times? Last clip?

What about the clip lines as the horse moults?

Can a horse with a full or hunter clip (with legs left on) live out if appropriately rugged?

Thanks.

 

[Alphamare]

Also how much do you take off and why?

How much do you take off then how much do you rug?

Also the horse mentioned above would have the face left on too.

 

[Llanali]

I clip when my horses get too sweaty when ridden. As early as it needs to be! Mid to late September this year I think. I will usually clip in february for the last one, but I don't actually believe it does ruin the coat, any more than rugging etc. does.

The clip lines grow out as the coat grows back obviously, and when they moult to their summer there is no difference to normal.

And to the last, yes. If fed and rugged appropriately, there is no reason why not provided the horse is healthy etc. I have hunted full fit horses, fully clipped living out all winter some years. Ad lib hayledge, three feeds a day, good pasture and several good quality full neck rugs.

I clip entirely, head, legs the lot for a variety of reasons. Firstly, these horses live in thus legs come off, secondly- all clips other than full leave on fur under saddle- this is predominantly where my horses sweat, so why would I leave that on? I will do chaser clips on the kids ponies that work gently, or on the young 3/4 yr olds to get them used to clippers and to avoid having them too warm on their gentle hacks. The only one I blanket clip has a bucking issue, and I have no desire to fly through the air because his rear end got a bit chilly!

I rug until my horse feels warm to touch at the base of ears and in arm pits. If the horse sweats, it's too much, if it's chilly, it's too little! I feel it is false economy and worse for their health to scrimp on rugging as I then need to feed more to maintain condition. Tonight it is 0/-1 expected here, and my grey mare is in a 100g full neck, a 180g half neck, and an underrug. She is just how I like her, very comfortable and looking good. My irish hunter is in a 200g full neck with a waffle rug underneath- his clip is growing out, and he's a hot horse.

 

[be positive]

I believe you should take off as little as you can to keep the horse comfortable and enable it to work without sweating too much. Many people hunter clip when it really is not required for the work the horse does which then means more rugs and food to keep it warm, it is not always in its best interests imo.
If they are not adequately rugged or fed they will grow back quickly or lose weight.

 

[wattamus]

When do we clip?
I clip when my horse starts to sweat up quickly and gets very fluffy- i don't have time to wait around for her to cool off with a full coat on. I clip her legs all year round and she was clipped during the summer last year (just had one clip) as she was really suffering in the heat.
How early?
I usually clip in October
How many times?
Usually once a month
Last clip?
February

If your horse is fed well and suitably rugged, with adequate shelter yes they can live out with a hunter clip quite happily just be sure to monitor condition

 

[Alphamare]

I have an older mare who is retired, it is her I was thinking of doing a sort of modified full clip on. Probably just the one but for two reasons. She suffers from rain scald and it would be a good opportunity to get it cleared up once and for all. I keep it at bay quite well but have never gotten rid of it before. Also she is a very itchy horse and actually made herself bleed (and bald patches) rubbing off her moult in the spring. I had the vet out and there was nothing else more sinister causing it. I am hoping that clipping her will mean that not only will I be able to directly treat her skin but also she won't be so itchy as she won't be moulting a massive coat!

I was wondering about the clip lines. I didn't know if the just grew out or what as some people seem to full clip and blame the lines. Our two native geldings are like yaks and I am so tempted to modify a full clip on them too to avoid the moulting thing. As far as the amount of work they do they wouldn't need it. They already had bib and belly but still sweat when ridden so it's not enough.

 

[Alphamare]

Bump

 

[whirlwind]

Blanket or chaser for first clip, when they start to get sweaty. Normally end of spet/ beginning of oct. Was end of august for some this year though!

Afterwards all off except half head and legs, clipped once a month through to febuary or march

 

[galacasinoking]

my welsh cob is fully clipped (still has half face and legs) and he lives out 24/7. He hates being in! If he is clipped any less he still sweats when I ride. He is always roasty under his rugs and always has access to plenty of hay/grass with 2 feeds a day.

 

[chestnut cob]

When do we clip? I usually wait until the end of Oct/early Nov but my horse got his winter coat quite early this year and I ended up doing a chaser-type clip in Sept, when we had that random 30C heatwave, as he was constantly sweating.

How early? As above


How many times? Usually only two or three times but I've already clipped four times this year. He's working pretty hard and I wanted minimum hair for hunting. As I've upped his work, I've taken more off each time according to how much he's sweated up (and how long the unclipped bit takes to dry when I get home!).

Last clip? Jan/Feb but unsure this winter. He will hopefully have a couple of months off when he's finished hunting so I might not bother clipping again after January. Otherwise I sometimes take everything off end of Feb otherwise he'll hang on to his winter coat til May or June!

What about the clip lines as the horse moults? As above - he hangs on to them so I sometimes take the whole lot off during final clip.

Can a horse with a full or hunter clip (with legs left on) live out if appropriately rugged? don't see any reason why not. I know people from hunting whose horses are hunter clipped and live out 24/7, well rugged and with adlib forage.

Also how much do you take off and why? Started with a trace/chaser type, moved to a blanket and I've now done a sort of blanket/trace... taken the blanket quite high on his bum and then clipped a diagonal line from flanks to wither. Keeps his HQs warm (better for arthritic horse IMO) when he isn't hunting, and keeps him warm if we do a lot of standing around. But... Saturday was a long, fast day and he did sweat a lot around flanks so I might end up taking the whole lot off. I just don't really want to take it all off for one day in a fortnight, and Sat was an uncharacteristically fast day!

How much do you take off then how much do you rug? How much... same Q as the last one, see above. He's turned out overnight and in during the day, adlib hay with a bit of haylage. Has a thin cotton sheet next to his skin (only because he has a weird bacterial skin thing ATM so needs a fresh rug every day), a 100g full neck stable rug (like a mini skirt so not hanging down below his TO) and a 70g full neck TO on. When he comes in the TO rug usually comes off. He's a v warm horse and gets hot/uncomfy if I rug too much, plus it's not actually that cold yet for December. Next rug is a 220g full neck TO but he doesn't need that yet.

Also the horse mentioned above would have the face left on too. Don't see any reason why it can't live out clipped as long as appropriately rugged with adlib forage.

 

[Kaylum]

Full clip all year round. In medium work so is a hairy and gets hot even though he is very fit.

Clip every 6 weeks in winter, he can go a few weeks more in summer.

Each horse is different so depends how well they do anyway as to whether they can live out or not. Some are never clipped and cant do well rugged and living out.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

what is a modified full clip?