Clipping a horse that lives out?

[Stella]

Flora lives out since she was turned away due to lameness last September. She is now back in work and I'm wondering what I should do about her coat when winter comes. Previously, I've clipped her in winter when she was in work, but she was living in.

The thing is, she grew a coat like a Yeti last year when left unclipped (and she was rugged)! I don't think she would be too comfortable being ridden like that and to be honest (I know it shouldn't matter ), I'd be embarrased taking her out looking like that. She is to me the most beautiful creature in the world, but in a full winter coat, she looks like an old fashioned cart horse!

I'm guessing that clipping when they live out, combined with good rugging isn't worse that doing so when they are standing still in a freezing stable every night, but I'm wondering what others do?
_

 

[meandmyself]

Most horses can manage fine clipped and living out if they have good rugs and pleanty of good grub!

Start small- with a low trace for example, then you can take off more if you need to.

 

[lilym]

good rugs and plenty of forage and your horse will be fine!! i know of lots of tb types that live out and are clipped, just get the full neck rugs!

 

[Ashf]

If she were mine and she's not being worked, I'd leave her coat well alone.
If she is being ridden regularly through the winter, and she does sweat up easily and gets a very heavy coat, then I'd rug well, and clip for the convenience it brings.

 

[mandy4727]

Can you not clip her early on ish. So that she does get a winter coat but no as thick as normal. One of mine has really hairy legs and all the mud sticks. So I clip his legs completely around September time. So he has some growth back in the winter for protection but not enough to hold all the cold and wet cos he has arthritis. But enough hair to protect frm cold. If you know what I mean. What about a high trace or something like that and then rugged up?

 

[Louby]

Im sure she will be fine and more comfortable clipped if in regular work but I would only do a trace clip or if using a full neck rug then a blanket clip. Mind you Im a bit of a softy!

 

[Stella]

Thanks guys, thats really helpful. Clipping early seems a good idea. I'm not sure about a trace clip though given what she grew last year as she would look half horse, half yeti

Also when the weather is very cold, she will come into a barn and I'll buy a rufty tufty heavy weight Fal rug.

 

[ihatework]

What about doing a full clip early on (say end october/beginning november) while it is milder, and then a second clip december/january as a trace clip

 

[Stella]

[ QUOTE ]
What about doing a full clip early on (say end october/beginning november) while it is milder, and then a second clip december/january as a trace clip

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a good idea

 

[charlie76]

All of our school horses are clipped and live out even in the winter- some have full clips an ddo really well providing they have hay and good rugs- most are cob types however.

 

[star]

i have full clipped (except half head and legs) my welsh cob for the last 3 yrs and he lives out 24/7. He is worked pretty hard, competing at least once a fortnight and although i tried starting with a trace, i pretty quickly ended up with a blanket, then taking the lot off because of the amount of sweat. i would rather rug up well than have them doing all that sweating. he managed most of the winter in just a heavyweight, with an udner rug and neck cover on the coldest nights.

 

[cariadssogreat]

All of mine are always full clipped through the winter with very good rugs and feed - and are absolutely fine