How to convince someone clipping is not cruel!

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animal

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Obviously if a horse needs one!

My 13.2 loan pony is going to be in work 5x a week, as someone else is riding him aswell as me now. It won't be lots of galloping, but enough to work up a sweat for him, eg jumping.
I was thinking something like a apron clip or something atleast?

He currently looks like this (v. hairy!)
300405_266156336752813_100000753459216_697713_685346262_n.jpg


I respect the owners opinion, she thinks he will get cold (only because he doesn't like the rain much), but he will be worse freezing in his own sweat won't he?
When i asked her about it she said that she doesn't like horses having clips?

He has 3 rugs, medium weight half neck (in picture), lightish weight, and medium weight full neck. Surely he will be warm with these, (we'd layer them).

He will be out 24/7, but has a thick hedge shelter, and a proper field shelter too.
Lots of horses i know live out hunter clipped like this!
Even then, if he reacts badly to it, we can just grow it out again.

Assuming i am thinking right, are there any websites i can show her, or anyone have wise words of wisdom to explain to her the logic?
 
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He will get sweaty which means this:
1) If he cools down too quickly he will get a chill.
2) It will take forever for him to dry, and you don't want to rug and turnout a wet horse as he may get a chill..
3) He could loose condition if he sweats accessively.
4) He will feel more confortable without the fuzz when being worked.
5) You can always ensure he is warm enough with rugs.

A little bib clip or low neck and belly clip will be fine for a horse that lives out.
 
If the owner just won't agree try not to worry too much. I regularly turn out wet sweaty horses with breathable rugs on and in 25 years I've never had a problem. He'll probably cope fine.
 
He will be much healthier and happier if he has some of his coat clipped off, it is not nice imo for a pony to be put out with sweat round their saddle and girth areas, it can lead to girth galls or sweat rash and these will be more difficult to treat. He is more likely to get chilled, lose weight and be uncomfortable under his rugs.
He will be warm enough with all those rugs to choose from and a well sheltered field.
Will that do for a start:D
 
On welfare grounds alone a working horse who needs it is better with a small clip. It will enable him to cool down properly rather than catching a chill by being sweaty - remember that their coats are designed to be waterproof for moisture coming inwards (ie rain) if that makes sense. Also helps prevent skin problems if he is prone to them.
By having something like an apron clip he will still have his full coat to protect him and keep him warm over the important bits like back and loins.
As an aside - ridden M&M ponies that are working through the winter are permitted to be shown with their bodies clipped.
 
Hi, thanks for that, i'll see if i can explain that to her.

Of course, it is her horse, and i'd never *force* her to clip him, or do it behind her back or whatever! I just think if i can inform her about it, she might come round.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
if he gets hot and takes ages to cool it's an ideal environment for skin infections , fungal and bacterial to start breeding especially if he is wearing a rug to keep everything nice and warm for that reason alone I would trace clip him.
 
With great difficulty as apparently for many folk these days not only is clipping cruel but so is

Wearing shoes
Stabling
Feeding anything but grass
Competing a horse
Wearing a bridle ESP with bit
Feeding hard feed instead of only grass and hay
Rugging a horse

However inclined to agree with poster who said invest in a decent cooler rug or wool rug to remove moisture when turned out. Good luck!! I'd be inclined to find a different horse to loan/share as this sounds like the start of many hair brained obstacles you will need to overcome...

Did I mention that it's also cruel to put shoes on a horse too....? I'm still waiting for the RSPCA to drop by my place but no sign yet??!!! ;)
 
cptrayes said:
If the owner just won't agree try not to worry too much. I regularly turn out wet sweaty horses with breathable rugs on and in 25 years I've never had a problem. He'll probably cope fine.
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As above ^^^^^

Turning out slightly sweaty will not hurt him, if the owner is that unhappy about him being clipped then you will have to accept what she says.
 
Hels-Bels raises an interesting point there seem to be loads of people now who don't seem to be able to think for instance I want my horse barefoot bit lots of other people prefer shoes they think barefoot good everything else cruel I don't get it at all I may think barefoot is not for my horses but I don't think it's necessary cruel or bit less good all bits bad it's just plain strange.
 
I would not ride if I couldn't clip. I have everything in work fully clipped out, as it's better for the horses and easier for me with limited time after work
 
I don't clip my current horse as he doesn't grow much of a winter coat. My previous horse was really woolly, and when he was living out I didn't clip him, even though he was in work. Not that I'm against clipping in any way - I just didn't have any clippers, and he just never got that sweaty. So I wouldn't panic if you can't clip your loan horse, I expect he'll manage just fine.
 
as this sounds like the start of many hair brained obstacles you will need to overcome
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hare brained :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

whatever happened to being sensible as not working a horse so hard and fast its soaked in sweat or even walking the last mile so it is cooled down by the time you get back. Then you can rub dry with a towel if need be or shove a cooler rug on or summat.... taking the time to see to ones horse !

my hairies have never had a chill in their lives and moderate their own temperatures by fluffing up or down according to the temperature and to keep where they are, not at the mercy of what some human decides the weather might do then maybe getting it wrong.

I am not anti clipping ( mine will if need be have a bib clip in spring) and not anti rug ( if its wet and very cold at the same time and they feel cold I do have a rug.


what I find rather "rude" of you OP is to be appearing to think you not only know better than the horses owner but that she is wrong in her choices for her horse. Clipping might not be "cruel" but its not necessary.
 
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