Clipping and living out

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Babypony

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The Welsh c that I’m working has grown a lovely thick winter coat. And fair play to her. She lives out happily with no rugs and is no trouble. But she is sweating up a storm just on a walking hack, so needs the dreaded clip. I’m thinking an Irish clip, and see how she goes. But having always had native ponies in light work I’m not used to knowing what weight rugs they need and when. If I clip her now, with days being about 15c and nights being about 7c, what weight rug will she need? I don’t like rugs with necks as they invariably eat their manes, but presumably she will need them as it gets colder. She is also fat, and I’m not quite sure what she’s eating. Possibly it’s photosynthesis but that’s a discussion for another time. All advice appreciated.
 
I like this clipping and don't usually need to put a blanket on. Though that does depend on how thick their fur gets, Icelandics get quite a lot. This takes away where they usually get sweaty, and where the fur gets tangled, but leaves a 'blanket' still on. I trim their belly too as they have such long fur that it gets tangled in the girth.

I also like to put mane and tail spray on the mane if they need a neck blanket and it's wearing on their mane.
 

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I’ve never used necks even with a full clip (unless it’s a tb)
I would just start with a lightweight and see how she reacts by checking her temp
She may never need more than a lightweight
 
Korg said:
I like this clipping and don't usually need to put a blanket on. Though that does depend on how thick their fur gets, Icelandics get quite a lot. This takes away where they usually get sweaty, and where the fur gets tangled, but leaves a 'blanket' still on. I trim their belly too as they have such long fur that it gets tangled in the girth.

I also like to put mane and tail spray on the mane if they need a neck blanket and it's wearing on their mane.
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That’s such a smart clip. Did you do that yourself?? I don’t think I’m that talented 😄 Really suits your pony.
Great tip with the mane and tail spray, never thought about that. My other section c lost half her mane to a fly rug with neck and I’m trying to grow it out, so I’ll definitely try this.
 
JBM said:
I’ve never used necks even with a full clip (unless it’s a tb)
I would just start with a lightweight and see how she reacts by checking her temp
She may never need more than a lightweight
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That’s good to know, thank you. She has a lightweight and a stable rug I can pop underneath, but happy to buy her a medium or heavy weight if she needs it.
 
Babypony said:
That’s such a smart clip. Did you do that yourself?? I don’t think I’m that talented 😄 Really suits your pony.
Great tip with the mane and tail spray, never thought about that. My other section c lost half her mane to a fly rug with neck and I’m trying to grow it out, so I’ll definitely try this.
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Thanks, it was my second time clipping a horse and the horse's first time being clipped so I'm surprised by how well it went. Sold the pony a few years ago but I'm still proud about it so it's my example. I think it fits most horses too, full clips are overrated in my opinion. They need their fur.

Hope it works on your ponies too!
 
Korg said:
Thanks, it was my second time clipping a horse and the horse's first time being clipped so I'm surprised by how well it went. Sold the pony a few years ago but I'm still proud about it so it's my example. I think it fits most horses too, full clips are overrated in my opinion. They need their fur.

Hope it works on your ponies too!
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It’s looks fantastic! And thank you!
 
My standard Shetland is fully clipped, though a good month ago so quite hairy again. At the moment, if it's not raining or windy she's out naked and absolutely fine. We hogged one of our natives one year, she got very chilly and needed a rug with a full neck, we didn't do it again.
 
millikins said:
My standard Shetland is fully clipped, though a good month ago so quite hairy again. At the moment, if it's not raining or windy she's out naked and absolutely fine. We hogged one of our natives one year, she got very chilly and needed a rug with a full neck, we didn't do it again.
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I guess it’s a case by case basis. It’s so difficult. She already has a sort of clip on her neck and chest due to walking through the electric fence, but it’s only half depth as I used guards on the clippers. I won’t touch her mane, as wild as it looks right now (I’d love to pull it and tidy it up). I guess I’ll clip her and see how she goes, and have an under rug ready if she needs it. Thanks.
 
My girl currently has a trace clip and is still a smidge on the warm side (she’s retired so is too warm just doing nothing). I’ve put a no fill turnout on a few times when persistent rain is forecast but that’s for waterproofing rather than warmth.
I’m still dithering on whether I clip more off. I don’t want to take any more off her neck, but she’s too warm on her flanks.
 
I've blanket clipped a couple that could be left out naked, with a lightweight (no neck) on in the worst of weather. That said, if they're in work I tend to bung a lightweight on whenever it's wet anyway, as it speeds up grooming if they're dry and minimally muddy.
It depends a lot on the pony, some will feel the cold more than others. The old boy was always rugged when clipped and now is in a medium weight (unclipped). Everyone else is still naked!
If you start with a bib/trace you can always turn it into a blanket or Irish if you feel she's still too warm.
 
its down to the horse i think, mine (warmbloodx welsh) gets a full clip around nov/ dec time, and usually wears a medium, and put a neck on when its wet, but the other (conny) full clip but has to have a heavy with a neck as shes a wimp!
 
JBM said:
I’ve never used necks even with a full clip (unless it’s a tb)
I would just start with a lightweight and see how she reacts by checking her temp
She may never need more than a lightweight
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Nope, full clip here for my cob (legs and head left on) and he never needs more than a 50g. I do have a lovely MudRug with neck, but that's mostly used to keep him clean before outings - he spent the whole of last winter in a 0g Gallop Plus with a SnuggyHoods body underneath in really nasty weather. He was always warm. Some of them just expect the Ice Age every year and prepare accordingly!
 
My fat eventer has an Irish clip (all neck and then a line to stifle) and he has been naked a lot of this week. He wears a 50g if it’s rainy or colder. He probably won’t need more than 100g all winter, unless we get a real chilly wind, but his field is very sheltered
 
Bib and belly might be enough and then you don't need to worry about rugging.

My Dales is hunter clipped. She's worn a 50g for I think 3 days since I did her this year - out naked (free choice to come in though) and not cold at all. It's been abnormally mild for a long time.

Rug wise it's too individual to say what your would need. But I get by on 50g and 100g with full necks. The only time she ever needed more than that was when she was ill with a mystery virus.

Btw I never have issues with full necks and manes - this is a long, thick maned Dales as well. I'm a big fan of half necks if you can find them as they avoid the wither issues without the rugged up to the ears effect.
 
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My pony was full clipped a month ago and it’s been so warm the last week I’ve taken her lightweight off and she’s been naked (living out). I put a rain sheet on today as it’s 11 degrees and dull and forecast 8 and rain overnight.
 
This is the clip my retired guy had every year because he was a hot boy and usually a bit plump by summer's end. I put a rug on him only if we were forecast 24 hours+ of heavy rain. He grew a coat like a bear and was never noticeably uncomfortable with this much hair off, even with snow on the ground.

ETA feel I must apologise for the clip! He needed sedating and I could never get the line straight when he'd lean over like a drunkard!
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Burnttoast said:
This is the clip my retired guy had every year because he was a hot boy and usually a bit plump by summer's end. I put a rug on him only if we were forecast 24 hours+ of heavy rain. He grew a coat like a bear and was never noticeably uncomfortable with this much hair off, even with snow on the ground.

ETA feel I must apologise for the clip! He needed sedating and I could never get the line straight when he'd lean over like a drunkard!
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Oh my goodness! He’s a bit of a cutie isn’t he! 😍

I have a TB with a little clip, she is out and wears beatween 50g on a decent day to 150 at night when it’s rainy. I chop and change depending on the forecast and how she feels.
 
Honestly, an overweight welshy probably won’t need a rug at all if they still have their back on in these temps. At most a rainsheet.

Another option would be to full clip, will be easier to manage all round! You can always blanket clip next time round when winter really hits and they have a bit of regrowth
 
Burnttoast said:
He was a sweet boy (rather odd though!). Looking rather like a tapir here for some reason :o
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I take it you no longer have him? I have a mini version of him and have been wanting to give him a clip but it’s been so mild and he’s so hairy that he’s always too clammy to clip. Hopefully now it’s cooling down a bit I can.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I take it you no longer have him? I have a mini version of him and have been wanting to give him a clip but it’s been so mild and he’s so hairy that he’s always too clammy to clip. Hopefully now it’s cooling down a bit I can.
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No, he was pts this summer. Clipping backwards (with the hair) then forwards can work with sweaty ones - he always sweated up because of the sedation.
 
Ah I’m sorry. That’s a good tip actually. Even if I did it the wrong way one day he’d probably be cool and dry enough the next to do again properly. Thank you!
 
poiuytrewq said:
Ah I’m sorry. That’s a good tip actually. Even if I did it the wrong way one day he’d probably be cool and dry enough the next to do again properly. Thank you!
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He had a good long retirement :) And my health isn't up to horse keeping anymore.

No worries, it works well and usually I can get everything off in one session that way - the exposed hair dries quickly usually.
 
It’s been ridiculously mild so far this year. I’m pretty sure my boys were in 200gs about the same time last year. I now have one with a full clip who is in just a sheet some days as a 100g is far too much.

He’s a TB x Arab.
 
Coblet with hyper coat growth (not Cushing's) is clipped right out - ears to poor CPL heels - every 6 weeks all year round. Forth Bridge scenario, but he is much happier. Mane left long to keep neck dry, and minimal rugging - 0g or 50g if really wet.
 
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