Green Bean
Well-Known Member
As the title suggests, has anyone done this or know if it is a good idea or not?
Clipping - leaving the girth line unclipped
- Thread starter Green Bean
- Start date
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Not? It’s the sweatiest place ever!
Tracking_up
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I'd leave a girth line - it's where they get sweaty and need a wash off. Why leave hair when you want them to dry off? Isn't that the whole point of clipping?
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
I'd rather clip with a longer blade than leave unclipped ,.would be very sweaty !
Green Bean
Well-Known Member
Thank you everyone, I will push the question to leaving the saddle pad area unclipped, does the same principal apply?
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
Personally, I've found the girth area gets much sweatier than the saddle area - but I do use a synthetic girth and Thermatex saddle pads (or wicking saddle pads from other brands at a push) which wicks the sweat away as the horse works.
I know people that do leave the girth line unclipped where rubbing is an issue and seems to work well for them but it's not something I've done personally.
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
I would normally agree with clipping as it is an area that gets so sweaty but I left a "girth sleeve" on my mare when I clipped her as she had bald skin on there from bad girth galls from previous owner. It worked well so I would try it. If it doesn't work it can be clipped off.
MereChristmas
riding reluctantly into the sunset
I take all the hair off except his face and legs below knees and hocks from my pony on the first clip. On subsequent clips I leave the saddle patch and the face and do ‘proper’ lines at the top of the legs.
Lady Jane
Well-Known Member
Actually it could be a good idea. With the rest clippped they will be less sweaty and if your horse is sensitive after clipping around the girth it could work. It would be a very small area to wash off and they wouldn't get cold while it dried. My friends horse came up in lumps round the girth after clipping regardless of the type of oil and washing. We never thought of trying this, he just had a few days off
Boulty
Well-Known Member
Normally no as that's where all the sweat tends to be worst and also you want to be able to have it as clean and dry as possible before tacking up which is more difficult if it's really hairy buuuut if you've got a horse who's getting rubbed there when clipped you could try it
Steerpike
Well-Known Member
Yes I've just done this for one of mine, I did clip up into his elbows but left his girth line on, I've just completed a 66km endurance ride yesterday with no problems
BSL2
Well-Known Member
We do with our Welsh D mare.. She is so sensitive she hates having it clipped out. We have adapted a "saddle pad and girth area left clip". Yep she sweats, but it's easy to sponge and with modern day rugs, we have no problems with her staying warm and drying quickly.
Julia0803
Well-Known Member
I did it this year. From about April/May, so he had his summer coat (not sure it would work with his Yak outfit in winter, which can be several inches long if left to it’s own devices!).
I did it as, like Steerpike, we were doing longer rides/endurance (tho only up to 28/30km), and we had had very minor issues with rubbing in early spring as his work stepped up. No broken or irritated skin, but you could see marks/rubs in the coat.
For his early events in April/May I did an unconventional clip that I’ve never seen on anything official before, but have seen on endurance pages. I took off the front and back ends and left the equivalent of a curvy V shape in the middle. The middle bit was not too hairy as he’d previously had everything whipped off, and he’s a hairy wotsit that needs clipping every 4 weeks. But it just gave a bit more protection across saddle/girth area.
At the moment he’s fully clipped with 4.5mm blades as we’re in that awkward weather season. When I turn him out in the late afternoon it can be 20c… but drops to single figures overnight - a rugging nightmare. Giving him a coarser clip means I can get away with no rugs for now.
When we get to winter proper, I’ll try have fine/medium blades everywhere and course blades around the girth line/behind the elbow and see how we go. I’m just trying to balance enough cover for protection, but not too much hair to be super sweaty.
I did it as, like Steerpike, we were doing longer rides/endurance (tho only up to 28/30km), and we had had very minor issues with rubbing in early spring as his work stepped up. No broken or irritated skin, but you could see marks/rubs in the coat.
For his early events in April/May I did an unconventional clip that I’ve never seen on anything official before, but have seen on endurance pages. I took off the front and back ends and left the equivalent of a curvy V shape in the middle. The middle bit was not too hairy as he’d previously had everything whipped off, and he’s a hairy wotsit that needs clipping every 4 weeks. But it just gave a bit more protection across saddle/girth area.
At the moment he’s fully clipped with 4.5mm blades as we’re in that awkward weather season. When I turn him out in the late afternoon it can be 20c… but drops to single figures overnight - a rugging nightmare. Giving him a coarser clip means I can get away with no rugs for now.
When we get to winter proper, I’ll try have fine/medium blades everywhere and course blades around the girth line/behind the elbow and see how we go. I’m just trying to balance enough cover for protection, but not too much hair to be super sweaty.
Cowpony
Well-Known Member
I haven't left the whole girth area unclipped, but I have left squares unclipped just behind the elbows. My mare was getting rubs from the girth in those areas after a fine clip. It worked fine.