Fluffy itchy TB, kept out 24/7...should I clip??

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redriverrock

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Ive got abit of a question and not sure which way to go...TB has got a pretty rubbish winter coat but he is getting really itchy (no creepy crawlies). We are going to be hacking him out throughout the winter but he isnt a sweaty horsey so never felt the need to clip him. He does always get very itchy with his winter coat though and now I am the proud owner of clippers I am toying with the idea of clipping him. My worry is he hates being stabled...in fact my vet has told me not to bother trying as he just gets stressy and then colics :rolleyes: so much for wimpy TB's. Would he cope with a hunter clip and 24/7 turnout...I had to ask the exact same question for our haffie and the answer seemed to be he would cope fine...he has but obviously TB's are a bit less 'robust'.
He would of course be well rugged with as much ad lib hay/haylage as required and his normal feeds twice a day...lucky that I keep them at home so can keep a close eye on him.
 
No, I wouldn't, not a Tb with hacking only, that also didnt sweat much, leave your clippers till you're doing more than hacking:). What do you think is causing the itchy?
 
Call me daft but I think he would benefit from it :rolleyes:

Just aslong he is very well rugged and wearing a nice warm exercise sheet whilst hacking. If he gets the slightest bit cold he'll start shivering to warm himself up, and that's how they lose weight.
Plus the benefit of his Winter coat growing back thinner (I presume it'll last to around February when their winter coats start to shed) will cause him much less distress with his itchy coat.


What about a high trace clip? Pretty much a hunter clip but not taking as much off.
 
I think its just his winter coat to be honest...can see what you mean about just hacking though. We hack out 4/5 days a week, some hacks are about 1 and a half hours of quite intense work with the other hacks long and slow about 3 to 4 hours. We are looking to see if we can get him fit enough to do endurance which is why we will be keeping him in work over the winter.
 
yes defo clip you don't know whats going on under all that fluff, as long as you have enough rugs to keep him warm and dry! he might be too warm and getting sweaty at the moment, which is making him itchy
 
My TB is hunter clipped. He lives out 24/7 but my field does have good natural shelter (and hopefully I will get the shelter I have been building finished this week too). He copes just fine though he is well rugged and well fed. Whenever I check he is nice and toasty. He's not in massive amounts of work over winter - mainly hacking but lessons and comps 2/3 times a month too. The main reason I clip is that he also gets a bit itchy and he also detests grooming so it does make the coat change at spring a LOT less stressful lol.

You could always try a chaser or blanket clip first to see if that helps your lad? :)
 
I was thinking of some sort of trace clip...though cant guarantee straight lines!! The first photo is him as he is at the moment..the second is in the summer just so you can all see how handsome he is :rolleyes:
I was really surprised how much comfier the haffie was after we clipped him and as my TB is also not to keen on a good brush its hard to keep him looking decent.
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They all look rough and fuzzy in the Winter so don't worry. But judging from it your lad doesn't look too bad. I get mine clipped just as his coat is coming through, otherwise he just gets caked in mud and looks like nobody owns him! Your lad is a hansom chap :)

http://www.masterclip.co.uk/images/clipping_advice/hightrace.jpg
High trace clip, had one on my pony last year as he wasn't working enough to go fully naked for a clip but did sweat up a fair bit.
 
Florrie said:
They all look rough and fuzzy in the Winter so don't worry. But judging from it your lad doesn't look too bad. I get mine clipped just as his coat is coming through, otherwise he just gets caked in mud and looks like nobody owns him! Your lad is a hansom chap :)

http://www.masterclip.co.uk/images/clipping_advice/hightrace.jpg
High trace clip, had one on my pony last year as he wasn't working enough to go fully naked for a clip but did sweat up a fair bit.
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Thankyou for that...looks to be a good clip for him...not sure I would do his face though as my clipping technique is still in the early stages! Your horsey had a pretty busy career...how many races did he run in? Mine was in training 4 years but only raced 22 times so had a pretty cushy life I think!
 
redriverrock said:
Thankyou for that...looks to be a good clip for him...not sure I would do his face though as my clipping technique is still in the early stages! Your horsey had a pretty busy career...how many races did he run in? Mine was in training 4 years but only raced 22 times so had a pretty cushy life I think!
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Just clip around where the top of his bridle sits and where the cheekpieces sit. Use barbering clippers that what I did with my pony, much lighter so you don't get arm ache.
Tags career spans of 89 starts running from 2003 -2010. £45'115 winning in total. 8 wins, 15 2nd's and 11 3rd's. Not too bad I think. Considering he was 11 this April.
 
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Thats a good idea...think I have some human clippers somewhere! Wow 89 starts and a good record too, I am suitably impressed! I was speaking to my horseys trainer the other day (T Fitzgerald) who said he was one of his biggest disappointments...amazing breeding, great at home but way to laid back on the track!
 
redriverrock said:
Thats a good idea...think I have some human clippers somewhere! Wow 89 starts and a good record too, I am suitably impressed! I was speaking to my horseys trainer the other day (T Fitzgerald) who said he was one of his biggest disappointments...amazing breeding, great at home but way to laid back on the track!
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My original choice is to use human clippers on Tags head as the big clippers make a horrible loud noise and he won't let me anywhere near his head with them :rolleyes:

Thing about Tag is, he is very chilled out and quiet, wouldn't think he was a Thoroughbred to be honest (apart from when he decides to canter 2 miles on a road on the way home from a hack..) but he's an absolute delight to own and very quirky, never fails to make me laugh.
He won his second and third races which impresses me about a lot, he was obviously good at doing what he did as he was kept in racing for so long. He was sired by one of the top Irish sprint horses (Tagula). I'll stop waffling now, just very proud of my lads achievements :o
 
Mine is totally laid back...do you think when they have had a full career (rather than a 2/3 year old who races once or twice and then retires) that they are more chilled out, like they have got it out of there system? I find it very difficult to equate the footage of mine racing (and winning) with the horse I know have, we call him the donkey! Saying that every now and then he will just remind us that he is better bred than we will ever be!!
 
redriverrock said:
Mine is totally laid back...do you think when they have had a full career (rather than a 2/3 year old who races once or twice and then retires) that they are more chilled out, like they have got it out of there system? I find it very difficult to equate the footage of mine racing (and winning) with the horse I know have, we call him the donkey! Saying that every now and then he will just remind us that he is better bred than we will ever be!!
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Yeah I think they're more chilled out but I think it depends totally on the temperament of the horse. One of my friends horses was in racing 2001 - 2007 and it's absolutely off it's head. I think they have the "been there, done that" attitude which makes them laid back. Saying that my old mare did point-to-point for a good 4 or so years and god knows what was going on in her head but she was mental.

I was watching videos of Tag racing a few days ago and I watched one race where we lost by pretty much 2" inches, I felt like ripping my hair out but he did make a final spurt from 5th so I guess it's acceptable :rolleyes:
He's that quirky horse that always wanted to lead the pack, bless.
 
They are strange characters! Mine also liked being in the front but when the actually business end of the race started and he was being ridden he baled it!! Must of been pretty frustrating...He actually dosent react well to being pushed even with us he needs asking rather than telling. The races he won were with de souza who was very quiet on him and actually never hit him...pity they didnt figure that out abit sooner :rolleyes:
 
redriverrock said:
They are strange characters! Mine also liked being in the front but when the actually business end of the race started and he was being ridden he baled it!! Must of been pretty frustrating...He actually dosent react well to being pushed even with us he needs asking rather than telling. The races he won were with de souza who was very quiet on him and actually never hit him...pity they didnt figure that out abit sooner :rolleyes:
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Indeed they are but that is why we love them :D
Tag won 3 of his races with Martin Dwyer (which may I add was 3 races he won in a month with this jockey!) but that was back in 2004. At the end of his career he came second 4 times in a row which is quite a lot for a 9 year old horse.
I'd love to speak to Tags trainer to know what he was like back in "the day" :D
 
Florrie said:
Indeed they are but that is why we love them :D
Tag won 3 of his races with Martin Dwyer (which may I add was 3 races he won in a month with this jockey!) but that was back in 2004. At the end of his career he came second 4 times in a row which is quite a lot for a 9 year old horse.
I'd love to speak to Tags trainer to know what he was like back in "the day" :D
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You should drop them an email...they will probably be glad he has found a good home. He was probably no different to how he is now, I was expecting them to tell me all sorts but actually he really hasnt changed at all. I think we have this image of wired, crazy fit racehorses and most of the time its probably not the case at all. What I found comforting was knowing that he was never a problem to keep fit, no lameness or illness...just cribbing which he still does know if given the chance:rolleyes: Also gave me an insight into why he hates not being in front when we hack out as he was always the string leader and even hacked out with a 12 year old girl and a 67 year old man...pretty trustworthy then!
 
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