Clipping questions...

nemo_

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First of all, sorry for about my third post in the last week! I have some time on my hands this week, being halfterm, so thought it would be a good oppurtunity for tidying up the neddy! Am planning to clip, but not sure which clip to do... he lives in overnight/ out during the day(with shelter), and now being ridden everyday to get fit for an early ODE. He has started moulting (badly!) would it be really bad to give him a full clip? (He's not skinny!) any suggestions? and any tips on getting good lines on legs and if chose a blanket clip etc?
Sorry for a long post! Well done if you got this far!
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I wouldnt clip now, you will ruin the horses summer coat, especially now your horse is moulting. If you do decide to, follow the muscle lines on the tops of the legs to get smart lines.
 
If you have extra rugs that you can put on him if the weather takes a turn for the worse then I see no problem in giving him a full clip
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Some people do clip all year round these days, but if you're just looking for solution to the moulting I'm afraid clipping isn't the answer. As mentioned above it will disrupt the new growth and ruin the summer coat
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I see your point, however he still has a very thick coat and am worried about him getting sweaty after being ridden now his work is being increased, i know this situation is not ideal, but i've only just been able to get hold of the clippers
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depends on what you are doing if you want to show rug up and use shedding blade to get rid of loose coat for anything else clip now full clip before summer coat begins to come through
 
OK thank you everyone
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not meaning to sound totally ignorant but how exactly does clipping with the summer coat coming through affect it? I know a few people that clip all year round and don't seem to have this problem? As you have probably guessed clipping isn't one of my strong points... hence i'm asking these questions
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IMO it only affects people who want to do showing/ridden classes as judges tend to knock horses who are not quite in full coat if you are clipping to event/sj then there is no problem
 
My horse kept in at night and out during the day too. His coat is very thick and grows really quickly. He has a blanket clip which is redone every month through the winter from October. I'm planning on clipping him fully at the beginning of March. the only bit of hair that is unclipped is the little triangle at the top of his tail. Everything else comes off - including head hair and leg hair. That way I don't have to worry about clipping lines fading and his 'summer coat' looks fine. If you do go ahead and clip him out you would have to keep a close eye on the weather forecast and have decent rugs to keep him snug on cold nights. He should be easier for you to deal with if he's clipped when he gets sweaty after working. Good luck with the ODE.
 
if you clip when the horse is moulting you can clip of the ends of the new summer coat hairs that are coming through. As the horse doesnt moult all of its hair in one go some summer coat hairs will get clipped and other wont so you will end up with an uneven summer coat that will look like a patchy winter clip. If you clip all year round then obviously your horse will look clipped all year round and not have a full summer coat.
 
They do say you shouldn't clip once they have started mouting, but with the work he is doing and what you are planning to do. I would clip him, but I would do a full clip and quickly. I normally leave half head & legs on.

He might struggle with his event in the warmer weather with a fluffy coat.
 
I don't think its right to full clip out a horses legs, they need some protection from brambles etc...

As for clipping your horse right now, go for it, there is no harm in doing so, when I was competing in Driving Trails I have been known to fully clip due to the amount of work my horse was in was in and the amount he was sweating up.

It never did his coat any harm.
 
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