Can you clip in the summer?

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

I know this sounds like I'm sort of lacking in knowledge, but I've just never clipped in summer, and with my cob, I don't ride him that much in the winter, so he doesn't get clipped all year-round. And I've heard people saying that you can't clip in the summer? Am I right?

 

[ecb89]

Yes you can. If the horse is hot, clip. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is

 

[NinjaPony]

Of course you can, some horses are much happier being clipped in the summer instead of getting all hot and sweaty in the heat. I know several cobs who are clipped all year round, and I clip my Cushings pony in the summer too. Just make sure you use medium or coarse blades so he has some protection from sun/flies.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Our little cob was clipped all year round.

 

[Snow Falcon]

A friend used to clip her pony all year round due to cushings. Clip for comfort not show.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I clipped my DalesxWelsh D all year round as she was much happier without all the fluff, even her summer coat was thick

 

[Wizpop]

I used to clip my cob all year round.

 

[L&M]

My cob is clipped all year round - in the summer it is every 4/5 weeks as he gets very irritable if too hot, and can get a heat type rash if his coat gets too long.

The only thing to be careful of if clipping in the summer is sunburn - my lad is blue and white so has a lot of pink skin. I clip with coarse blades to leave some protection, and in very strong sunshine make sure he has a lightweight reflective fly rug on.

 

[FitzyFitz]

Of course you can! A lot of cobs and native types are much better off clipped in the summer. I usually partial clip my native crosses in autumn so they don't get too hot over winter (turned out naked) fully clip in Feb/March when I start fitness training, then fully clip again in about July so they don't die of heatstroke.

The only reason you might avoid clipping past march or so is to avoid having visible clip lines in their summer coat, it's purely aesthetic and only really an issue if you show. Of course the way round that is to clip EVERYTHING off so there's no lines, but I just accept mine will have fluffy trousers on.

 

[honetpot]

Yep. Spring I do a low trace or bib clip and leave all the back end on, early summer a full clip and leave the legs and the saddle patch. They are not rugged unless we have heavy rain and wind.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Clipped my cob at any time to him comfortable. It never ruined the next growth.