People who don't clip their horses

Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo

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Just wondered what you to cool them off.
My boy is a git to clip and as he's not working really hard I've decided its not worth the fuss and expense of getting the vet out to sedate him. Tonight I got a bit carried away working on our canter and got him a lot hotter than I'd realised, then spent ages at the yard until he was cool and dry enough to get ready for bed.

Anyone got any tips (apart from the obvious, don't get him so hot!).
 
A weatherbeeta fleece cools mine off very quickly
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Great, I've got one of those but used my cool masta which seemed to take ages. Thinking about it the fleece is probably more absorbant. Thanks, will give it a go next time.
 
Well i never clip but im plan this quite carefully in advance and hes rugged early to avoid a thick coat.

Hes usually in quite heavy work as we go into autumn to ensure hes fit enough for whatever we plan (so hes competition fit). Hes rugged quite heavily to avoid a thick coat and the stable lights are on til midnight usually.

After riding, i generally always sponge him off with warm water and a rinse wash and then hes either walked out in a cooler, left for a short time in his stable or put under the solarium.

Usually takes no more than 15 mins to dry him that way. But if your horsey has a heavy coat already, i dont seem much way to reduce that drying time.
 
Completely agree!!Unless they dripping of course!!At this time of year the amount my lad would sweat(not alot,and unclipped)he benefits from chucking his breathable turnout on and been able to walk round the field,body warmth dries him off!!Rugs these days are fab!!
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I then give him a good brush down when he comes in!!Have been known to sponge girth and chuck out with rug on!!Saves the scum from being unclipped becoming to hard to brush off(makes them sore)
 
I make sure mine always come back from a ride cool..I just untack and chuck em out..a good roll in the mud and they're off again
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I try and make a point of not getting him too hot in the evenings. Save that for the weekend when I can ride him in the morning.
Mind you, his coat works so well as a wicking rug I really wouldn't overly worry anyway.
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I jumped my mare today, and she was a bit sweaty, so I walked her round on a short hack to cool off. I would just put TO on and put her out unless she is dripping, as when they sweat around the girth, they are not getting it covered anyway.
 
Erm I just turn my unclipped one out in the field sweaty and he rolls
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I feel bad now. We have a long walk to the field so he's completely cooled off just damp from sweat but the mud soon solves the problem.
 
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I make sure mine always come back from a ride cool..I just untack and chuck em out..a good roll in the mud and they're off again
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ditto! After they have cooled off, they do get brushed and rugged if needed
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neither are clipped as they only hack on weekends [will be doing slightly more work for 2 week but not alot]
we normally walk for the last bit of the hack to hope they cool off.
but if/when they are sweaty under their girth/saddle i put a cooler on, fleece cooler or waffle cooler. boil some warm water wash them off. then put the coolers on again untill they finnish eating, then chuck on their turn outs on =]

x
 
The girl that has my horse on loan just now has been plaiting her mane into a running plait to stop her getting a sweaty neck. That's dedication for you! I'd normally just leave her mane down and take the worst of the sweat off with a towel then leave her too it.
 
I agree with the other posters. I usually just sponge his girth area and neck with warm water (so its damp not soaked) then put on his breathable turnout rug if he's going back outside. if he's staying in I will generally potter about the yard for a while so I put on his thermatex until his coat is dry then I put on his stable rug. Usually he's dry within 10 mins. I think his stable rug is breathable so I could just put it stright on too, though the lining is cotton so I prefer to wait until he is dry. I am very lucky though as my horse doesn't really seem to grow a winter coat and rarely sweats. I did 40 mins of canter work the other day and he didn't sweat a drop or get out of breath - bah - I wanted to tired him out. Maybe he should try eventing instead of dressage.
 
My old pony Flyer was a naughty Welsh D
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He used to try and kill anyone who went near him with clippers, I even tried a lady shave (for the noise.....) and he went loopy
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So, I used to rug him as soon as I saw his coat turning and when I worked him I used a thermatex rug as it allows the horse to cool off and you can put them to bed in it, great investment. God bless him
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Some useful ideas, thanks.
I was thinking about getting a thermatex as I've heard they are good. I think I'll probably invest in one for next year, if not before. At any rate, it'd be a better investment than a lady shave - I don't think he's like it any more than your welshie!
 
Give damp areas a good rub with a towel and put fleece on while fibishing up in yard (the lidl fleeces are the best wicking I have seen although the fleece only comes in one size about 6ft 6) then if horsey is still a bit damp I thatch him with hay or straw under his stable rug. Seems to work fine.
 
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