is it cruel to clip in summer?

A

angieandstar

Active Member
Joined
12 February 2008
Messages
40
Location
derbys
Visit site
hi everyone just wondered what peoples thoughts were about clipping in summer? i have a sec d that i do endurance with and her summer coat is quite long and she is sweating even just standing still so putting her heart rate up too, i dont really want to clip her as she has a lovely shine at the moment im just worried the flies will infest her underneath bits - she wears a fly rug but they can still get in underneath <font color="brown"> </font>
 
Personally I would clip. Would much rather her be comfortable. I have a Suffolk Punch and he gets really hot. Clipped him about 3 weeks ago and he will now be fine until winter coat comes through, but if he needed clipping again, I wouldn't hesitate.
 
it is not cruel at all,it is more important that the horse is comfortable and if it is sweating too much, clip it, and as you do endurance it is better again, it will allow you to cool him off easier and he will not sweat as much.
 
I hjad a mare with a tendency to native hairiness, but since she wasn't registered there was not reason to let her stay hairy and she was clipped the whole year round - and much more comfortable for it too. They dry off quicker when washed off after work, no nasties in the feathers, and look much smarter for competitions
 
I agree with other posters - it's fine to clip all year round if you need to (and it sounds as if you do).
You could always buy a fly rug with a rain shower insert to stop her getting rained on/burnt or eaten in the field.
S
grin.gif
 
I have clipped Cairo through the summer, and even though he now does only a tiny walk hack, will still do so if it gets very hot as he sweats just standing.

After his clipping I do make sure he has a fly sheet on and if it rains, he has a rainsheet. Within a few weeks, his coat is back to what other horses have as a normal summer coat and rugs are not so important then.

Kinder to clip than not.
 
My coloured is clipped at the mo as was unfair on him to ask the work I do of him with the coat he had as unfortunately he was holding onto his thick coat a bit too much!! His summer coat is coming through beautifully now, and he is much happier without all the hair! He has a fly rug on all the time though as otherwise his pink bits would get burnt
frown.gif
 
as long as you have shelter or a protective rug(sun and uv rays) then i thnk its better to clip anything that appears uncomfortable,,,, sweating in work excessivly(sp) could mean poss diet (electrolite) problem and the fluids need to be replaced!!
 
I clip my boy year round, he is perfectly happy
smile.gif


If you are worried about flies the best thing is coopers fly plus, it's expensive but so strong you only put it on every few days.
 
I've just clipped mine in readiness for an 80k endurance ride tomorrow - he wears a fly sheet 24/7 in summer anyway and the loss of the coat on his belly doesn't seem to bother him. I don't do his head as he won't wear a fly mask, but everything else comes off.
 
Ditto everything everyone's already said. Far better to be comfortable. Wearing a fly-rug should help with the sun problem.
 
some people at my yard just bought a new piebald cob for their daughter. he is much more white than black.

he was fairly hairy when they got him so they clipped the poor thing within an inch of its life - it was pink and white once they'd finished (no joke)! then they put him out in the blazing sun all day and he got sun stroke.

i felt so sorry for him...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top