Clipping - bath before or not?

[Cob Life]

Would you bath before clipping this time of year?

I have limited hot water and no solarium to dry him under

or do I just give him a good groom?

 

[spacefaer]

Absolutely bath. You get a much better finish and the grit in his coat will blunt your blades, no matter how well you groom.

 

[scats]

I know you should, but I never do. I do always make sure the horse has been lightly rugged for a couple of weeks though, so mud and dirt is at a minimum!

 

[MereChristmas]

I have purchased a pony recently who looks set fair to be a mud monster.
Tomorrow I am hoping to do some sort of half clip on him. The plan is to clean off as much mud as possible and them spray him with coat shine, rub it lightly with a cloth to cover the hair, leave to dry and clip.
After clipping I use a hot cloth.
If all goes well later in the week if he is extra dirty I will bath his hind legs and quarters and clip when dry. Hopefully he will dry more quickly as less will be wet. If he isn’t too bad I will use coat shine again.

 

[Cob Life]

I know you should, but I never do. I do always make sure the horse has been lightly rugged for a couple of weeks though, so mud and dirt is at a minimum!

He’s been rugged and is pretty clean (for him!) I might just give him a wash around the girth where he’s been getting sweaty

 

[Cob Life]

I guess I could try a hair drier too.
Hes pretty good With most typically scary stuff so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t like the hair drier

 

[milliepops]

Yeah at the minimum I'd wash off areas that have been sweaty, they can really catch in the blades otherwise.

I think if you can wash the horse it's better for the clippers and gives a better finish but if its cold and miserable then I'd possibly just accept the blades won't last as well.

 

[oldie48]

I bath the day before clipping, hot cloth after the clip and if looking at all scurfy, bath again. I don't have constant hot water but find if I use buckets of hot water and a scoop with the minimum of shampoo it's pretty easy to do. I then use a clean fleece to dry them off then rug up when they are dry. However, I keep mine at home so can pop in and out as required. Did Rose this week and she looks super clean and shiny now.

 

[MereChristmas]

I bath the day before clipping, hot cloth after the clip and if looking at all scurfy, bath again. I don't have constant hot water but find if I use buckets of hot water and a scoop with the minimum of shampoo it's pretty easy to do. I then use a clean fleece to dry them off then rug up when they are dry. However, I keep mine at home so can pop in and out as required. Did Rose this week and she looks super clean and shiny now.

This is the best way I think but my pony is out 24/7 at the moment and it would not be possible to bath and clip him on the same day. If I bathed the day before he would roll so it would be wasted effort.?

 

[w1bbler]

I've never bathed before clipping. Brush well, then brush again?
Might blunt blades quicker, but simpler than trying to wash & dry imo

 

[Fjord]

I was wondering this. I bathed my girl before I clipped her last month and it made such a difference. Trouble is she is already a hairy yak and is muddy, but I really need to clip again. Looks like I need to get grooming.

 

[Cob Life]

I bath the day before clipping, hot cloth after the clip and if looking at all scurfy, bath again. I don't have constant hot water but find if I use buckets of hot water and a scoop with the minimum of shampoo it's pretty easy to do. I then use a clean fleece to dry them off then rug up when they are dry. However, I keep mine at home so can pop in and out as required. Did Rose this week and she looks super clean and shiny now.

I’ll give it a go, if I have to come and clip the next day then so be it but if I bath the front end (only doing a chaser clip) and put a sweat rug on, then poo pick, muck out and exercise the other one before I clip hopefully he’ll have had time to dry

 

[Cob Life]

Should 2 hours be enough to dry with a sweat rug on?

I’m only planning on washing neck, lower shoulders, girth And legs

 

[Tiddlypom]

Not this time of year, I’d have thought.

Can highly recommend the Horseware Airmax liner to put on a wet horse under a turnout, will dry the horse off well.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I've just bought a Rhinegold celltex rug with full neck. Gave my cob a full bath two weeks ago and then popped that rug on- he was completely dry in about 2 hours. I mean bone dry.

If I want/need to bath when it's properly cold I've got a Le mieux all seasons rug to put on but in the current temperature the Rhinegold was fantastic. We have hot water but no solarium.

 

[Cob Life]

Not this time of year, I’d have thought.

Can highly recommend the Horseware Airmax liner to put on a wet horse under a turnout, will dry the horse off well.

I’ve been washing him off after work with a sponge and he’s completely dry in an hour, but I don’t know if the sweat and being hot from work will affect that time?

 

[Cob Life]

i guess if he’s not dry it’s not the end of the world,I’ll just ave to go early Tuesday before it rains

 

[Cob Life]

If I don’t clip the same day, would you apply show sheen to stop dirt sticking so well or will this defeat the point of clipping?