Clipping and leaving unrugged?

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

Looking for opinions on partially clipping a pony and leaving it unrugged?

I own a 5 year old 14hh Sec D x whose winter coat has come through with a vengeance the last fortnight - she sweated up after a gentle amble down the road yesterday. I bib clipped her last week but it clearly isn't enough and I'll have to take more off. She's also too fat and quite cresty (working on it, she came like that!) so I'd like her to do the natural thing and drop weight through winter. Am I mad to think that I could trace clip her and leave her naked? She's out in the day with plenty of big hedges and trees for shelter then in overnight. It's currently high teens during the day and the next week is going to be round 10C overnight. She is unrugged currently with the bib clip and has been toasty every morning, even when it has been down to 6-7C.

My brain says clip her and leave her whilst it is mild, she will be fine - but the softy in me sees the TB in his rug overnight and thinks I'm being mean. Thoughts?

 

[Nicnac]

Probably best you read this http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/rugging-man-made-welfare-problem-says-vets-632863

 

[be positive]

I would trace clip and leave without a rug, I usually take a high trace on the front, more of a low chaser, but nothing off their back legs, in part because I don't like the appearance of a true trace clip, in part because the lines take ages to get right for very little hair removed, in part so they have the protection if they turn their bums towards the rain, I have often left them without a rug in the autumn although will use one if the rain is very heavy for a prolonged period but would probably use a rug then even if they were not clipped.

 

[acw295]

Yes I'd definitely clip and leave unrugged. We have a few at our yard that we do that with. I'd do it with mine if she wasn't so blinking hard to clip!

We don't rug any of the natives until they are clipped (unless they need to be kept clean for something), and if they are just having a trace they will be fine unrugged until it gets really, really cold and wet (as long as not old or poorly). My fatty is just recovering from surgery so won't be clipped until she is ridden properly and so will be naked even if it is peeing it down once she goes back out. As long as bum and back isn't clipped off I can't see any issue with it.

At the risk of stating the obvious - if she is cresty and hairy she might have something metabolic. I know 5 is probably too early for cushings! Or is it just a case of too much grass?

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

I read that article the other day, interesting stuff. Academically I know she will likely be fine, I guess I just feel mean... but it's certainly better than laminitis come spring time.

Yes I was thinking of a modified trace leaving her hindquarters on so she can turn her bum to the weather if needs be. I think I just need to toughen up and do it. I wonder how long it will be until someone calls me cruel haha.

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

At the risk of stating the obvious - if she is cresty and hairy she might have something metabolic. I know 5 is probably too early for cushings! Or is it just a case of too much grass?

It's a case of previous owner believed in 'show condition' and had three native ponies on knee high dairy cattle grass - how none of them are dead I have no idea. She's not abnormally hairy really, just works hard and it is still really warm here

 

[Breagha]

I fully clipped my horse on Wednesday night and she is out with a full neck rain sheet. I have a full neck 100g that I will put on if it gets colder but at the moment she is fine. she is an extremely hot horse that sweats easily. I would rather keep her warm than try to dry her off after sweating.

 

[3Beasties]

She should be fine unrugged. I know of a pony that lived on the side of a bleak hill with only a barn for shelter who spent a whole (cold!) Winter trace clipped without a rug. She came out of Winter looking a far healthier weight then in the summer!

 

[MyBoyChe]

Ive just done my second full clip of the season on a highland. in light work but such a hot pony. He is currently out naked in the day with a lw sheet at night. If its really wet or cold he wears a sheet in the day but went through the whole of last winter with no more than a mw in the worst of the weather. He never feels cold behind the elbow and certainly never drops much condition!!

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

You guys are putting my mind at rest. I've got the clippers back out and she's getting a haircut this afternoon! It's difficult to maintain common sense and objectivity as I'm surrounded by chronic overruggers whose ponies are bundled up day and night already.

 

[katymay]

I have given my little Dartmoor a trace clip and he goes out totally un rugged overnight, I might pop on a rainsheet if we get hours of relentless rain then frost but other than that he could do with the weight loss! he isn't bothered at all and seemed relieved when I took all the fluff off!

 

[joosie]

My partbred Arab is unrugged in winter with a neck, chest and belly clip, and lives out 24/7. I once put a rug on her because snow was coming and the next day when I trudged through the snow to check on her she was too hot underneath!

 

[Antw23uk]

Good post OP *off to find clippers*

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

Good post OP *off to find clippers*

It's happened! Slightly more off than I intended as she shook at a really inopportune moment, but that's her own fault

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

It's happened! Slightly more off than I intended as she shook at a really inopportune moment, but that's her own fault

This post ^ is no good without photos!

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

Haha, will do when I get home! On mobile and it's finicky

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

Here we go. The neck went higher than I meant to be I'm sure she will cope. She was sweating when I brought her in to do it so that made me feel I was doing the right thing:

 

[Chianti]

Is this a trace clip? I've only ever had to have bib clips done before but now have a very hairy piebald pony that is starting to look like a polar bear!

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

No, a proper trace takes some off the hindquarters too but as she will be naked I wanted to leave her the protection there. This is more like a low chaser clip. Tbh I intended to leave more on her neck and only clip up a bit above her gullet, but she tossed her head at just the wrong moment!

 

[Leo Walker]

Mine is fully clipped, legs, face, the lot. He has a rug if its raining and windy otherwise he is naked. Even then he only gets a no fill turnout or his waterproof fly sheet

 

[amandaco2]

got on fully clipped last sunday and out naked. (legs and half head)

 

[AdorableAlice]

I use the point of stifle to gullet style of clip extensively. It is really useful for horses that are in light work and mainly living out, as it allows the muscle mass to remain covered but air to get to the front end and girth area. Washing them off is easy and they dry quickly. It is also useful on my old retired cushings horse who get hot.

I use a rain sheet no neck, to stop them getting soaked but otherwise no rug and would stay on that routine until the weather really turns. Adorable Alice and Ted The Twit have shed a few pounds but still remain too chunky going into winter.

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

I'm loving all these replies. Despite being in the south of england where it is still really mild everyone here over rugs and it is hard to resist getting swept up in it, particularly when people (semi!) jokingly say how mistreated and cold she must be. Yet mine was perfectly warm and happy this morning and the TB next door was roasting under his rug... :eyeroll:

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Am late to the party and agree that it's fine but just wanted to say how times have changed on this forum! About 8 years ago I was criticised on here for giving a very fat exmoor a low chaser and not rugging lol.

 

[Nicnac]

Your pony is rather lovely!

 

[Llanveynoe'sLast]

Aww thanks. I think so too, but I'm biased

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have an overweight Arab at the moment his been lame for 5 months but is now sound but very u fit, I wondered the other day about clipping him to help shed the pounds, his quite hairy already and doesn't ever seem to feel the cold so I think I may go for it and just put a lightweight rug on when it's very wet or if the temperature takes a dive.

 

[DaisyMoo]

Mine is still a little overweight and starting to get her winter woolies, so is very sweaty when ridden. On vet advice she has a low chase clip and is unrugged. She seems so much happier the last week since clipping. Vet also said when winter fully sets in whip the whole coat off and just turn her out in a thin rain sheet. If the vet recommends it im happy to go along with it. I have noticed im still in t shirts quite a lot so the poor rugged ponies must be very warm with their rugs on at this time of year

 

[MagicMelon]

Im just waiting for my new clipper blades and I'll be giving my sons Dartmoor a trace clip. She'll be unrugged unless its particularily wet as unfortunately despite being hell to get weight off, she is a total pansy in the rain and shivers very quickly. But the rug is just a no fill type waterproof rug so no warmth as such, I desperately want her to lose some weight. I do feel a bit bad (especially as she is in a very small paddock on her own watching the other horses munch hay at the moment) but having had 2 ponies with laminitis years ago, I do not want to put her through that.

 

[amandaco2]

my fully clipped (all off) mare is in a full neck fly rug, not the water proof type. shes fine, as long as its not raining heavily/ for long periods