Legs on or off?

FlyingCircus

FlyingCircus

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Clipping next weekend. Last year I took everything off, the year before that he just had a bib clip...
He's in moderate work, exercised 5/6 times a week and is getting too hot and sweaty, so everything is coming off..but do I take the legs off or not?

Here is my current thinking re legs

Pros -
Won't get mud stuck everywhere
Won't need to be washed off with cold water (limited access to warm!)
Less likely to develop mud fever? As won't be stood with wet legs for longer, as will dry off faster


What are the cons to clipping his legs?
 
How hairy are his legs normally? If he's not a feathered type I'd definitely just leave them, they'll be easy enough to towell dry.
I have a very hairy cob who is clipped and hogged through the summer - I let his feathers grow a little through he winter and just keep on top of them with my trimmers (14mm to be exact!) a little hair is useful when it's wet and cold, a lot just stays sodden for 6 months and never dries out completely!
 
Depends on the type really. It's a boring job so I wouldn't do it on anything that doesn't need it! I clip face, legs and everything off my cob at this time of year as it's still mild and by the time it gets colder they will have grown back a reasonable amount. However with my others who just have normal levels of hair you wouldn't get me clipping their legs if I was paid to do it!

My cob gets sore bits if they are left too long.
 
I'm worried about him stood out in field with wet legs though :/ If he has clipped out legs, he'll dry off faster.

He's a Connie, so not super hairy but fluffier than a TB or similar. I'm not bothered either way, just trying to do what's best for him!
 
Usually off but we only do dressage so it's not like he's charging through brambles. He also gets very hot.

If we were doing hunting or jumping I'd leave them on!
 
The hair should protect him from being really wet to the skin so by removing it you will be potentially causing him to have wet cold legs while turned out, the mud will dry faster once he comes in but unless you remove it the mud will be stuck directly against the skin not against a decent layer of hair.
I clip the legs of heavy cobs as I find it much easier to keep on top of but other than taking off the back of the leg and heels I wouldn't clip out a non hairy type, you may find just taking the back off is enough to help with drying but still leaves enough to keep his legs warm and better protected.
 
I wouldn't probably bother then. Clipped legs dry faster but they also don't shed the rain like natural legs. I never hose or dry a leg of my natives in the winter except if going to a clinic and they never have mud fever despite living out 24/7
 
FlyingCircus said:
Poor 0pony...? Sorry, didn't realise an owner trying to do best by their horse warranted a "poor pony"!
Click to expand...

Me neither.... and the OP asked for negatives to taking them off sp just 'leave them on' is not really that productive.

I have done both with mine but would rather leave on whilst he is out for a significant amount of time. If he was only out 4 hours a day, I'd have them off!
 
FlyingCircus said:
You'd think I was talking about actually chopping his legs off :')
Click to expand...

Oh! You mean you aren't amputating the legs!?!?!?!?! And there was me wondering how you were going to ride a horse with no legs?!?! Put him on skids?!?!

Personally I don't take legs off as I like the protection against minor cuts and scrapes.
 
Always leave legs on unless have a really really hairy cob or a show cob.

Connies don't grow that much hair/feather so is easily managed in mud!
 
I am an off but my horses hunt and it's much easier to keep a check of legs with them clipped .
I can get their legs dry quickly and easily after hunting so it's much better all round .
The horses also look much nicer .
 
As he's a native check the showing rules for the breed - in some breeds clipping legs is frowned upon (you may not ever show but just in case you fancy a go then check out the rules).
 
Nah i wouldn't bother. It's protection against the cold which you can't cover with a rug. I don't think it will make a difference on mud fever to be honest that seems to be pot luck and no reasoning behind it. People say washing legs makes it appear, others say not washing does, clipped legs cause it, unclipped legs cause it etc.
 
If turning out over winter try not to clip the bits not covered by a rug, I tidy legs taking off any fluffy feather on my ish but wouldn't clip them as he lives out (with access to field shelter/yard/arena).
 
Always leave on - remember there is no muscle on the cannon bones to protect the horse from the cold and wet. His legs may dry quicker once he is out of water but while he is standing in cold wet muddy paddocks he will feel really miserable.

The hair also protects the horse from injuries from hedges and the like - I cannot understand why anyone hunting would clip out legs when their horse may brush through the top of Hawthorn or Blackthorn hedges.
 
I've always left legs on. My horse has been on some horribly muddy yards in the past, and where others were dropping like flies with mud fever etc. he always escaped.

I swear the hair/feathers are great protectors, so I personally wouldn't dream of removing them.
 
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