Do we over clip our horses

[atropa]

I think in general yes, as others have said full clips seem to be very fashionable irrelevant of what work the horse is doing.
My warmblood used to get an Irish however now suffers quite badly from various skin afflictions so has been fully clipped for the past 3 years to allow me to keep on top of them.
My ISH has only ever had an Irish with me, she doesn't sweat up enough to warrant more off and isn't great to clip.
My Highland - started with bib first year I had her but lived out and was unrideable with tack as her stomach hair was completely caked in mud. Progressed to blanket clips in years 2 and 3 - my preffered option for her as keeps the sweaty bits clean but allows me to underrug. This year has just had a full clip, partly due to me not having time to faff with blanket lines and partly due to needing to lose more weight this winter than she did last winter. Will probably go back to a blanket next year.

 

[Cob Life]

I don’t clip the tb x as she never sweats that much but the cob turns in to a woolly mammoth in the end of september so he gets a blanket clip (i’m so unfashionable ?), I started off with an irish last year but he was still really sweaty so went to a blanket.

Hes just comin back into work after being off for 3/4 weeks because I was ill so first few weeks we’re taking it slow, once we start doing a bit more in a few weeks I’ll blanket clip again. Still tonight in mostly walk with 10 short trots tonight he was sweaty after

 

[scats]

I clipped last night and opted for a high blanket so I can keep her naked at night for the foreseeable as it’s just so warm here. I feel better knowing she has a bit of covering on her back.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I find the way to do lines is drape string over the back so it's even both sides one at the front end and one just behind the saddle is a good guide line.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I do think some people clip because it's fashionable.
Before this year I did an Irish clip unrugged as horse was like a yak and too hot.
This year I clipped as she was super sweaty but she is rugged. I'm looking at not clipping again, keeping her rugged and giving her winter off and seeing how she goes. (She now has COPD, is in a 100g with neck regardless of weather as she's not overly warm and it's a see how it goes type of thing).

 

[LegOn]

I know clipping is for welfare when in work but also for convenience for us when managing them, less time drying off etc so for me I prefer a full clip or hunter clip because I hate dealing with the shedding so again its for my convenience.

I normally do a hunter clip first because I always end up clipping twice so for the 2nd once, I do a full clip, so then I dont have to deal with lines in the coat for showing or deal with the shedding! Personally I think it more for convenience than fashion!

 

[hollyandivy123]

i have clipped a retired horse, who was doing an impression of a 15hh Shetland, he was sweating up in the field, would have been better living in the north of Scotland .........popped on the low slung Irish and was much better, I did end up with the conversation with some other liveries why I had not put a rug on him..........which was going to defeat the object,


another time when he was out 24/7, no rug, not clipped and it snowed i also got the why he wasn't in a rug i was mean etc, he had a thatch of snow on his back, which showed he was well insulated!

 

[alexomahony]

My connie who is busy and hunts gets a Hunter clip (he’s on his second already!) - hes currently living out most the time and is rugged appropriately. We had a busy start to the season but unforeseen circumstances (small pet vet bills) has swiftly put a halt to it for now so he is having a bit of down time before starting up again ready for mid-Nov/Dec. So I guess he could be classed as over clipped at the moment, but that’s just circumstances for you!

He’ll be clipped again in a couple of weeks in prep for work stepping up again.

I do a Hunter clip because I’m terrible at lines. They always start as an Irish… then more comes off and then I just think ‘sod it’

 

[Auslander]

then more comes off and then I just think ‘sod it’

I call this the "f**kit" clip! Alf gets it most years, as he is a devil for twitching while I clip lines! Paying customers get the clip they want, but my own horse gets what he deserves!

 

[Loubidy]

We definitely over clip - there have been other liveries on the same yard as me who get clipped and are maybe sat on three times a year we could call it unnecessary and a little vain but at least its not a welfare issue as they are appropriately rugged.

I usually start with an irish/trace so that I can start rugging to make it easier to brush before riding in winter. By the end of winter I'm usually doing full clips.

 

[Auslander]

I've always thought it would be quite fun to clip a horse only where it sweats, just to see how bizarre a genuine welfare/convenience clip would look. Always seemed a bit weird to clip the bits that don't get sweaty, and are the most exposed bits when rugged, and leave hair on the bits that are first to get wet

 

[milliepops]

I've seen photos shared by someone on here, from down under perhaps, where the horse had a hairy belly but the sides clipped out, think that would meet your criteria, Aus

 

[hollyandivy123]

 

[Auslander]

I've seen photos shared by someone on here, from down under perhaps, where the horse had a hairy belly but the sides clipped out, think that would meet your criteria, Aus

My minds eye picture is FAR more complicated than that!

 

[DabDab]

I've always thought it would be quite fun to clip a horse only where it sweats, just to see how bizarre a genuine welfare/convenience clip would look. Always seemed a bit weird to clip the bits that don't get sweaty, and are the most exposed bits when rugged, and leave hair on the bits that are first to get wet

Where are your horses sweating?! My fluffballs sweat on girth and underneath of neck, which is basically a bib/apron clip. I suppose if you were really sticking by those rules then you would clip a small rectangle behind each ear too....

 

[Cob Life]

Where are your horses sweating?! My fluffballs sweat on girth and underneath of neck, which is basically a bib/apron clip. I suppose if you were really sticking by those rules then you would clip a small rectangle behind each ear too....

Mine is girth, neck, chest, if I work him really hard it spreads across his shoulders too

 

[Dave's Mam]

I do this to Dave every year. He's not in massive work, but that coat is so hot. He's not rugged & has never appeared cold.

 

[Auslander]

Where are your horses sweating?! My fluffballs sweat on girth and underneath of neck, which is basically a bib/apron clip. I suppose if you were really sticking by those rules then you would clip a small rectangle behind each ear too....

Alf, who grows a very dense winter coat, is a sweaty thing. If I clipped his sweaty bits, it would be girth, between front and hind legs, a couple of swipes up each shoulder blade, a saddle pad shaped bit on his back, an upside down icecream cone over each stifle, a rectangle up each bum cheek, the top half of his neck and the front of his face/ears. I'm really tempted to do it, before I clip him properly, just for the sniggers!

 

[hollyandivy123]

Alf, who grows a very dense winter coat, is a sweaty thing. If I clipped his sweaty bits, it would be girth, between front and hind legs, a couple of swipes up each shoulder blade, a saddle pad shaped bit on his back, an upside down icecream cone over each stifle, a rectangle up each bum cheek, the top half of his neck and the front of his face/ears. I'm really tempted to do it, before I clip him properly, just for the sniggers!

well my i speak for the rest of us...................photo please, the before, the stripy and the after clip

 

[Auslander]

well my i speak for the rest of us...................photo please, the before, the stripy and the after clip

I am slightly nervous about him having weird patches if I clip patches first, but I suppose I could do it, photograph it, then whip the rest off!
He has a bargain Bucas arriving soon, so I will attack him as soon as it arrives!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I am slightly nervous about him having weird patches if I clip patches first, but I suppose I could do it, photograph it, then whip the rest off!
He has a bargain Bucas arriving soon, so I will attack him as soon as it arrives!

Yeah clip the sweaty bits on one side, take a quick pic then take the rest off! No harm no foul and it would give us all a laugh!

I have just been into work to clip 1 that runs tomorrow. I looked at him at the start of the week and he looked great, no need to clip. Glanced him out of the corner of my eye at 3.30pm yesterday afternoon and he was a fluffy Teddy bear! I wasn't clipping him then as I won't clip after hours incase I get hurt. So I went in on my day off today to do him. He is normally a see you next Tuesday to clip hence why I wasn't letting anyone else do him and do you know what the little w did? Not a thing! Not a god daned bloomin thing! Stood like a lamb! Last year it was climbing the rafters to get away from the tickly clippers before getting twitched to do the head and underneath. This year - didn't even flinch. Honestly I could have killed him!

 

[Birker2020]

I saw a lot of over rugging thread and kind of wondered do we over clipping our horses . I have nothing against clipping the thought just crossed my mind.

In the 90's it was one clip lasted all winter but these days it seems horses are clipped every month! Its mental. I don't know why this is though.
I think I clipped my last horse once in the 17 years I had her, she had such a fine coat but I never over rugged her.
Lari my new boy is hairy already, he has at least an inch on his belly!

 

[milliepops]

In the 90's it was one clip lasted all winter but these days it seems horses are clipped every month! Its mental. I don't know why this is though.

if you have anything other than a thin coated sports horse it regrows fast! plus probably more people have their own clippers so it's easy to go ahead and do it. My horses have needed clipping every 3 weeks from September to Christmas because of regrowth and then I usually do them a couple more times to tidy up guard hairs.

 

[Fleece Navidad]

Alf, who grows a very dense winter coat, is a sweaty thing. If I clipped his sweaty bits, it would be girth, between front and hind legs, a couple of swipes up each shoulder blade, a saddle pad shaped bit on his back, an upside down icecream cone over each stifle, a rectangle up each bum cheek, the top half of his neck and the front of his face/ears. I'm really tempted to do it, before I clip him properly, just for the sniggers!

Is Alf related to Bob, that all sounds familiar ? though probably more of his neck than just the top half

 

[Annagain]

I hate clipping with a passion (the process not the concept) so always hang on as long as possible so I only have to clip once a winter. I could get Archie to mid-late Nov before clipping but Charlie is very fluffy already so I'll be doing an apron on him at the weekend. I'll then do an Irish on him once he's in as he gets a very sweaty neck and girth area but his back end doesn't get very sweaty at all. Although Arch got fluffy a lot later, he got a lot fluffier so he had to have a full clip. Even then he never wore more than 200g. It was much better in spring when he was moulting but I suspect Charlie would be a bit lively with a full clip so the Irish suits us better for now.

 

[Antw23uk]

The thought of clipping depresses me. Horse is nervous of clipping (steel toe caps are a must!) and I'm rubbish at lines. I set out with good intentions of 'less is more' but then usually it all just comes off as I've messed up so badly, lol!

I have forgotten a couple of times and gone straight up from belly to withers and then remembered i was only going to do a bib or an Irish so, again, its all just come off, lol!

A full clip is so much easier. Head stays on with this one ... I refuse to die trying to clip his head and if i dont clip in winter i sure as hell fully clip come spring, I DO NOT do shedding hairy mammoths!

 

[criso]

If you can leave it a bit later, it's easier to get away with one clip. My tbs coat hasn't really come through yet so if i clipped now, I'd get regrowth really quickly. If i can leave it till the end of November, it'll last till the summer coat comes through.

As he's a pita to clip and needs drugs, i only want to do it once. I want a blanket clip but it can be difficult to get him to stand up straight when under the influence. I use a professional who is quick, efficient, does a brilliant job and very used to difficult horses.

 

[Mary3050]

Yes I think so I had a comment the other that my horse looks better clipped and I should do it more often so he doesn’t look scruffy ?. Sadly my two that are In full work need to be clipped . As the first one has a double coat and looked like a mammoth the first week in September ? . With him being worked 5 days a week hard and one light hack it’s needed he gets to hot itchy and that’s how skin infections start. So he has a full body off and legs on . The other one I hadn’t clipped until my vet advised it was best . The horse has Cushings, EMS, asthma and about a million other health issues but the Cushing makes him have a massive curly coat . I have to keep fitness up so I work him everyday he gets so sweaty . My vet was concerned he would sweat then get a chill which may affect his chest. So she said best to clip and control his temperature with rugs . So I give him a nice Hunter clip . I would rather not have to clip if it wasn’t necessary.

 

[NinjaPony]

Lol my retired native gets one full clip every winter (heads and legs left on) so I’m a prime candidate for criticism! He has Cushings and gets very itchy scurfy skin under his thick coat so it all comes off so I can actually see what’s going on and give him hot washes/targeted treatment where needed. Makes it much easier to decide what rug to put on too. I try and only clip once as he’s not in work (and I hate it) but can’t deny that it takes years off him when I clip, he suddenly looks really smart. My Connie was always fully clipped when in work and it made my life so much easier when riding after work in winter. I really think it is easier to warm up a clipped horse via rugs and exercise than cool down a hot sweaty hairy one, particularly as we don’t get really harsh winters.

 

[little_critter]

Where are your horses sweating?! My fluffballs sweat on girth and underneath of neck, which is basically a bib/apron clip. I suppose if you were really sticking by those rules then you would clip a small rectangle behind each ear too....

Lol, I’ve done that too. The non-clipped, in work one tends to get a scabby bit where his headpiece sits in the winter months. So last year his clip consisted of taking a stripe of fluff off just where the headpiece sits so I can keep it clean and sweat free.
As I’ve said above, my retired mare who sweats in the stable on mild autumn days gets a bib clip, ensuring the armpits and inside hind legs are well clipped because that’s where she sweats. I clip for comfort, not style.