clipping legs - but not a full clip?

[SEL]

I owe another thread pictures of the microcob's hooves, but after giving them a scrub last weekend and having a rummage around her mud encrusted feathers I'm a bit worried. Not convinced she's sound and also think she's growing a funky shape hoof behind - but those thick feathers don't help. So they need to come off and then there will be photos (& possibly a vet visit)

I have a feeling my battery will die half way so the chances are she's going to need to stay away from polite company this weekend or someone will be reporting me for clipping cruelty!

She's got a practically grown out Irish clip and is very, very heavily feathered. Are there any clips where I can take the legs off completely but leave some hair on her back without it looking totally ridiculous - or am I looking at a top to toe body wax this weekend?

I've got 2 newly sharpened blades at the ready for her legs but might need blade #3 if its a full body clip.

 

[[153312]]

Hunter or blanket clip but with the legs off?? Or extend the belly on the irish clip into a blanket and take the back legs off too

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'd do a blanket clip and take the legs off.

 

[Surbie]

Heavy feathers are really hard to see under - our RDA ponies have a lot and it's not easy to see what's going on underneath. As others have said, I'd do a blanket with the legs off. They will grow back in no time so polite company can snigger for a bit if they must, then find something more constructive to do. Good luck and I hope she is good to clip there!

 

[Fransurrey]

For now I would go full clip with saddle patch or extend the Irish to include legs. Long term, you could thin the feathers. That's what I do. I initially shorten them with a pudding cut, then use thinning scissors to re-feather them and thin at the back. Takes a bit of time, but he gets to keep his fluffy legs (mine is also problematically feathered and he struggles off and on with his frogs at the rear - the feather grows right to the central sulcus!). This way I can see what's going on and treat accordingly, without worrying about the bog brush effect as clipped legs grow out. Have you checked she's ok with clippers on the legs though? Mine is grand on the body, but very ticklish below the knee!

 

[AmyMay]

Just do a nice trace clip (if you don’t want to take too much off and then do the legs.

 

[SEL]

Hunter or blanket clip but with the legs off?? Or extend the belly on the irish clip into a blanket and take the back legs off too

Back legs definitely need to come off because her right hind isn't tracking up properly.

Is she going to look really silly with a tonne of hair on her back and completely naked everywhere else??!!

For now I would go full clip with saddle patch or extend the Irish to include legs. Long term, you could thin the feathers. That's what I do. I initially shorten them with a pudding cut, then use thinning scissors to re-feather them and thin at the back. Takes a bit of time, but he gets to keep his fluffy legs (mine is also problematically feathered and he struggles off and on with his frogs at the rear - the feather grows right to the central sulcus!). This way I can see what's going on and treat accordingly, without worrying about the bog brush effect as clipped legs grow out. Have you checked she's ok with clippers on the legs though? Mine is grand on the body, but very ticklish below the knee!

Ahh interesting about feather growing right to the sulcus that's part of the problem I have and I think why her feet are struggling. Nothing is drying out.

I hadn't thought about thinning them out. They grow so long she has trod on them playing in the field and taken a chunk of hair out before. I'm praying she'll be ok to clip but if not then it's going to be an even more embarrassing haircut if normal until I can get some happy juice!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is she ok if you scissor cut the feathers off first? Then you can deep clean the legs, get rid of the scurf and grease, and then clip them more easily another day. It's what I do with hairy winter legs.

You can also feather in the leg clip using downwards strokes with the clippers if you don't want all the leg hair off.

 

[jnb]

I clip my show cob with an Irish clip then clip the legs up to knee / hock, blending up to the joint. I use Covercote blades so its easier to blend and they don't look too bald - he's got white legs. Looks fine!

 

[whirlwind]

I do quite a few blanket/ trace clips with legs off for people and whilst it’s not super traditional I think it looks fairly smart.
Not my horse so had to crop the pic a bit but you get the idea

 

[SOS]

Just blend the bottom half of the legs out then clip whatever on top?

Cob I did many years ago with full feathers, blended lower legs and full clip on top! They wanted the top half left on for warmth/protection.

(Cringing at my bad line on the top of the leg)

 

[SEL]

@SOS that's very smart - my clipping skills are nowhere near that good!!!
@whirlwind - I think that's what I'm going to aim for. I say aim for because I'm not sure how she'll be with leg clipping. She's underwhelmed by me trying to scissor some off today. But if I aim for that as a body clip then I can always take all weekend with the leg hair if needs be.
@Tiddlypom she let me cut a bit with scissors and then said no. I'm not sure whether its the sound or the cutting pulling her hair. She's got really hairy knees so I think we're going to have to go for the fully waxed look for now and then once we've dealt with any lurking problems she can regrow and I'll try and keep them there but thinner next year.

FB has reminded me I hacked her mane off on box rest last winter because she was getting so hot and that is now down past her shoulder so if her feathers grow at the same speed she'll be back treading on her leg hair in no time.

Might tackle her moustache & beard next

 

[SEL]

I clip my show cob with an Irish clip then clip the legs up to knee / hock, blending up to the joint. I use Covercote blades so its easier to blend and they don't look too bald - he's got white legs. Looks fine!

Do you not find you have a hairy patch at the top of the leg? I'll check out your blades to see whether that's something I need!

 

[jnb]

Do you not find you have a hairy patch at the top of the leg? I'll check out your blades to see whether that's something I need!

The whole of the top of the leg is hairy, he lives out & I think that's fairer on him tbh. I'll try to attach a photo

 

[Melody Grey]

I did this for the same reason....Irish clip but continuing across back legs, following the diagonal line.

 

[SEL]

Going to need sedative. Fell asleep for her body then had a meltdown at knee level even with the little trimmers. No amount of bribery would persuade her to even let me hold the big trimmers there.

But I've slightly changed the belly line from her old clip to carry on and assume hind legs off. It looks quite good if you ignore the patchwork on the front legs! Next year we'll do before mud season I think to get on top of whatever is festering in there. She's usually ok with leg handling but has been snatchy recently so there's something lurking.

 

[Fransurrey]

Ahh interesting about feather growing right to the sulcus that's part of the problem I have and I think why her feet are struggling. Nothing is drying out.

I hadn't thought about thinning them out. They grow so long she has trod on them playing in the field and taken a chunk of hair out before. I'm praying she'll be ok to clip but if not then it's going to be an even more embarrassing haircut if normal until I can get some happy juice!

My boy stands on his, too. When trimmed I leave them about an inch below the coronet - helps me see when he needs a hoof trim, too. I also started to trim them back there as the sulcus never dries out otherwise and I couldn't get treatments in there (he came with deep seated thrush and resulting soft tissue damage). I wouldn't worry about if she doesn't let you do it all. There's a few horses round here with embarrassed owners as they have random strips down their legs. The rest of us look and nod sympathetically.

 

[SEL]

[QUOTE="Fransurrey, post: 14824415, member: 38363"I also started to trim them back there as the sulcus never dries out otherwise and I couldn't get treatments in there (he came with deep seated thrush and resulting soft tissue damage). I wouldn't worry about if she doesn't let you do it all. There's a few horses round here with embarrassed owners as they have random strips down their legs. The rest of us look and nod sympathetically.[/QUOTE]

The thrush and soggy hoof is what started me looking at her feathers. The other two in the same field have no issue and one of those has some feather - but the back of her hooves and her frogs were just disintegrating in the wet weather and she has been wearing her hooves really badly. I'm pretty sure that heavy feather than wraps around the hoof isn't letting anything dry out. For now she's allowed me to cut a bit off the back but otherwise isn't talking to me after this morning!!