Clipped legs or not (hunting)

Michen

Michen

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Having pulled several small (less than one cm) thorns out of Boggle this evening I’m pondering what’s best. I’m not sure I’d have found them if his legs hadn’t been clipped. Equally maybe he wouldn’t have gotten them if they weren’t..?i

I also boot all around (won’t be swayed- personal preference) and assume that’s best on clipped legs..? Never had an issue with mud getting in etc.
 
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Michen said:
Having pulled several small (less than one cm) thorns out of Boggle this evening I’m pondering what’s best. I’m not sure I’d have found them if his legs hadn’t been clipped. Equally maybe he wouldn’t have gotten them if they weren’t..?
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Hmm I've never heard of hunters having their legs clipped. I thought the reason the hair was left on was specifically for protection.
 
mule said:
Hmm I've never heard of hunters having their legs clipped. I thought the reason the hair was left on was specifically for protection.
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mule said:
Hmm I've never heard of hunters having their legs clipped. I thought the reason the hair was left on was specifically for protection.
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I'd say the field is split 50/50 in terms of clipped or not across the hunts I go with.
 
Michen said:
I'd say the field is split 50/50 in terms of clipped or not across the hunts I go with.
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I didn't realise that. I suppose people wouldn't do it if it didn't work for them. It probably also depends on the ground conditions where you hunt. See how you get on for the rest of the season and you can decide whether to clip his legs again next season.
 
Ive never clipped legs personally, mainly because I think the protection is important. Check legs over carefully after getting back, but I'm guessing you would anyway whether the legs are clipped or not.

I also never clip legs because it's a faff and life is short!....same goes for clipping ears- not a thing in my world!!
 
Melody Grey said:
Ive never clipped legs personally, mainly because I think the protection is important. Check legs over carefully after getting back, but I'm guessing you would anyway whether the legs are clipped or not.

I also never clip legs because it's a faff and life is short!....same goes for clipping ears- not a thing in my world!!
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I normally clip the beast myself and don't bother with ears or the face but one year I paid someone else to do it. So she did his ears and face and he came out looking like an equine supermodel :D
 
I clip hunters legs because you can check them better.
they don’t need them doing every time two sometimes three time over the season .
 
We don't clip our IDs legs - never had any thorns and we've jumped plenty of hedges over the last 40 years hunting.
A friend of mine always clips her connie's legs because "he looks smarter" - she nearly lost him with a thorn in his hind fetlock where the entrance hole sealed over. One expensive joint flush later.....

I always feel sorry for horses with clipped legs on cold wet days, whether they're hunting or turned out in the field - I can't help but feel that they must get really chilly legs!

I would have thought clipped legs would be more likely to get mud rubs than unclipped ones, but I don't have any experience with booting and clipping!
 
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Do a search for blended legs, you clip down to the knee/hock and then blend with the unclipped lower leg I also took the feathers off. Looks smart but leaves a bit of protection. l tried this for the first time this year. It doesn’t look bad and wasn’t too hard. I think if you had a bay it would be easy!
 
I use dog clippers and they come with combs for different length clips- I use the largest one to tidy up under my horses chin- wonder if they'd work on legs? Would tidy up but leave some hair on.
 
mini-eventer said:
Do a search for blended legs, you clip down to the knee/hock and then blend with the unclipped lower leg I also took the feathers off. Looks smart but leaves a bit of protection. l tried this for the first time this year. It doesn’t look bad and wasn’t too hard. I think if you had a bay it would be easy!
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I clip down to just above the knees and hocks for the first time and thin at the back of the lower leg. The following clips I do ‘normally’.
My horses look like they are wearing long furry boots but I don’t care. It is easier to clean the top of the legs and the lower parts still have protection.
 
I dont like clipping legs for any job. I feel they need the protection. Only time i liked it was a heavy cob at work with lots of feathers who had her lower legs clipped all year round. Was always left to me to do and i hated the job. I also dont like cluppibg a full head, like half head tho. Just feel tho must really feel it on thwir face when raining
 
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