Clipping All Year Round - Your Opinions Please

[Joyous70]

Last summer i had a really itchy pony - who eventually after being clipped out in November was diagnosed as having a bacterial skin infection, this appeared in various places over his body. After antibiotics, cream & shampoo, this has cleared up & he's no longer an itchy boy.

With spring around the corner im worried that it might come back again this year, so in an effort to be able to see & treat it easier i thought he might benefit from being clipped out all year round. He is hunter clipped & would stay that way, just wondered if anyone else clips all year round and how they find it and do they think it would help him??? he needs to be rugged in a fly sheet as he is allergic to fly bites, but he is also quite a woolly boy.

 

[Cuffey]

I clip my Cushings pony all year--he desperately needs it now but rather worried we have another rapid change in temperature.

One of the signs of Cushings being skin infections which can be slow to heal, actually being able to get close to the skin means nothing is missed.

I juggle rugs according to the weather all year.

 

[Kenzo]

Many competion folk often clip all year round, they have their reasons just like you have yours, just because it's not the 'norm' doesn't mean it's wrong or you should worry about what others think.

If you think your horse will benefit from it then get it clipped off I say.

 

[Boysy]

I am considering it for one of mine this yr as he has a problem thermostat and suffers heat badly, i do show during summer so would have to remove everything but if it makes him feel better then i'm up for it.

 

[Joyous70]

Kenzo - Good point its not the norm is it, so i suppose thats why im unsure

im thinking that it will help to keep him cooler, especially if it gets as hot as it did last summer, hes a hot pony anyway, so im thinking cooler pony if clipped out and if the nasty infection comes back i stand a better chance of seeing it and can act quicker.

 

[Bug2007]

Prince is clipped all year round he doesn't have a very good summer coat, not really that fine, he is also a super sweaty horse and sweats at the thought of work, he is just so much more comfortable clipped out, legs the lot. Coat then doesn't grow back fast so ends up with a good length summer coat.

When he is first done i do have to watch the weather still and put a light weight on if rain is due which i wouldn't do if he had is natural summer coat.