Is it too late to clip?

[Fruitcake]

I’ve always worked on the “last clip at Christmas” rule but seem to have got a bit out of synch this year. Horses have full clip with legs and face left on. They’ve got quite a bit of regrowth with quite a few pig hairs. I can’t decide whether to just leave it or go for it with another clip.

 

[quiteniceforacob]

I clipped yesterday - there was lots of clipping at yard this weekend x

 

[Kaylum]

no its an old wives tail you can clip all year round and many people do.

 

[Fruitcake]

no its an old wives tail you can clip all year round and many people do.

Yes, I do clip my hairy cob all year-round but, because I clip him, I don’t need to worry about interfering with his summer coat. I was just concerned about the others’ summer coats and ending up with a line at the top of their legs and a balaclava face all year. ?

 

[WispyBegs]

Definitely not too late! I clipped on Thursday. But many at my yard are planning their last clip for the first week in February.

 

[Rowreach]

I clip all year round, but the hunters always had their last clip at the end of February (really only taking off cat hairs at that point) and it never affected their summer coats coming through in spring.

 

[Fruitcake]

Brilliant, thanks! Clipping next weekend it is then.

 

[meleeka]

I’d clip until they started moulting (which isn’t happening yet).

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I’ve always worked on the “last clip at Christmas” rule but seem to have got a bit out of synch this year. Horses have full clip with legs and face left on. They’ve got quite a bit of regrowth with quite a few pig hairs. I can’t decide whether to just leave it or go for it with another clip.

I will always stick to the training rules I had which is ;ast clip end of Jan. I won't clip after that unless medical condition like cushings.


I leave my horses to Cast their coats in due course.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I always thought Valentine's Day was the last clip to avoid cutting the summer coat. But have no idea where I got that from!

 

[Widgeon]

I always thought Valentine's Day was the last clip to avoid cutting the summer coat. But have no idea where I got that from!

You get the same kind of advice in gardening (plant X bulbs after the first frost, etc....) but over the last few years I've started to wonder how much value these kind of "rules of thumb" have any more. Our weather has changed quite a bit in the last ten years (IMO) and consequently plants and animals (including horses and their coats) seem to be less predictable. Do you think that's fair, or do you (or ayone else) find that these kind of guides are still at all helpful? It's a genuine question.
I will happily admit to being entirely ignorant of clipping norms, we only hack so I just have mine clipped when I think he's sweating too much! Will probably clip him again in the next couple of weeks. But he likes to hold on to his coat for as long as possible....I swear by the time he's shed the last winter coat, he's growing the new one in. We have a couple (okay, a few) of months of summer loveliness and then the hair is back.

 

[Lady Jane]

I’d clip until they started moulting (which isn’t happening yet).

Do you think they start growing their summer coat when they start moulting? Mine is moulting already and some take months and months to lose all their coat

 

[SOS]

Keep clipping. We always did with the hunters right until mid Feb. Summer coats always came through fine. It’s colder than it’s been all winter at the moment so more reason to clip.

 

[MissTyc]

I clip all year round - hot horses.
Clipped out my cob this morning. Glorious sunny day for it in the South East, so he gets a naked day.

 

[huskydamage]

I'm re clipping mine today. Always do my last clip in Jan. I dont do after that or they end up with a 'ghost clip' ? when the rugs come off, but it's not that bad tbh might have some lines left on the belly/flanks in April.

 

[Leandy]

Certainly not too late. I'd say end of Jan is about my limit. Certainly not as early as Christmas though.

 

[Fruitcake]

I’m now starting to wonder if I’ve just made that rule up myself! ? Maybe I’ve got it confused with the one I’ve always followed about when to start feeding this year’s hay (I know that’s considered outdated too, but I’m an old-fashioned girl!) I’ve probably been following this random rule of my own all these years for no reason. I feel liberated! Clipping next weekend it is!