Rugging early to prevent a yak?

[Lintel]

I have a hairy Hipo.

Who has began moulting like nobodies business.

Last week we had 7 degrees... Today we have 27 degrees. Its Scotland, don't know if we are coming or going!

I "intend" to begin fittening up properly the next few months and he has never been the sweaty type so previously I have rugged early to prevent the yak/mammoth look! Clipped last year just for a bucket list exercise, which was a disaster looks wise but behavior wise he was fine so it is an option should he need it however as we have managed to take the growth before I think we should try that option again.

But when is the right time... does anyone go by temperatures.. Time of year etc?

I feel like I have totally forgetton what, when and how I did it.. he has been naked in winter for 3 years due to light work and a rotund figure!

 

[eggs]

My. understanding that is is the length of daylight (or lack of) that determines winter coat growth rather than just the temperature. Ragging will flatten the coat rather than prevent it growing

 

[milliepops]

My. understanding that is is the length of daylight (or lack of) that determines winter coat growth rather than just the temperature. Ragging will flatten the coat rather than prevent it growing

yeah, besides which I don't think I could bring myself to over rug my horses just to try and stop them growing a coat, if he's good to clip I'm not sure that I understand the reason for it anyway.

 

[ycbm]

My. understanding that is is the length of daylight (or lack of) that determines winter coat growth rather than just the temperature. Ragging will flatten the coat rather than prevent it growing

It's both. There is research to prove it, it's on another thread from last year. My recollection is that daylight mostly affects timing and heat of the horse mostly affects coat density.
.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would just clip my Irish draughts are chaser clipped already .

 

[AdorableAlice]

Far easier to clip and far kinder than rugging in warm weather. I clipped last weekend to help a horse get through the heatwave. His skin is gleaming with health, he is comfortable and any cooling I need to do works quickly.

if they are well in themselves they will always look good clipped And are so much easier to look after.

 

[ycbm]

I don't think rugging to suppress coat growth is necessarily cruel. It's using a rug instead of the horse growing a coat. If the horse wasn't rugged it would grow a thicker coat, so the heating of the horse is the same.

I don't do it myself, but I've seen it done and the horses didn't appear to be uncomfortable.
.

 

[Lintel]

In no way would I ever rug and make him uncomfortable-- ever. So nobody send the SSPCA!
He isn't a sweaty boy particularly, and I'm not about to go throwing a 300g full neck on in 20 degrees.. that aside he doesn't own a thing above a 200g.
I'm talking about suppressing his inner mammoth slightly with a lightweight/50g/100g - in order to have slightly lighter coat. The dude looks like a BEAR in his full winter woollies.

Interesting about the sunlight opposed to the heat.. I didn't think of that.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The length of the day is a major influence in coat production and the cycling of mares. The bloodstock industry will keep flat bred mares under lights through winter to get them cycling early to cover early and get early foals on the ground.

Unfortunately those with (whisper) a touch of common in them do have yak genes and coat production is a given. My common ones keep RT Anthony in business all year and my clippers are in permanent overdrive.

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes we never have the clippers having a long rest to get away to be serviced .

 

[Fleece Navidad]

It's both. There is research to prove it, it's on another thread from last year. My recollection is that daylight mostly affects timing and heat of the horse mostly affects coat density.
.

Can someone tell my yak this please (the heat/density)? I clipped yesterday as his coat was dense enough to be causing him issues. He is an incredibly warm creature, I think it was into November last year before I considered a medium weight for him, living out, fully clipped.

The sunlight bit he's got, he's been shedding his summer coat since midsummer!

OP, I wouldn't worry about how the clip looks, just go for it!

 

[Lintel]

Can someone tell my yak this please (the heat/density)? I clipped yesterday as his coat was dense enough to be causing him issues. He is an incredibly warm creature, I think it was into November last year before I considered a medium weight for him, living out, fully clipped.

The sunlight bit he's got, he's been shedding his summer coat since midsummer!

OP, I wouldn't worry about how the clip looks, just go for it!

God if you'd seen it... I wouldn't hack him for weeks till it grew out abit and it took forever for him to look like a horse not a tiger with the stripes ?
I'll see how winter and yak coat progresses and probably get the pros out if we are clipping!

 

[Dave's Mam]

No late shows for me, so I am going to start clipping soon.

 

[windand rain]

Get the need to keep the coat under control She wears a heavy weight rug as she feels the cold this is the bit I groomed out before her bath at the begining of the year

 

[P.forpony]

I clipped my connie this week, she’s starting to shed like mad and when too warm she starts to rub and ends up with raw patches on face and neck ?
She’s much more comfortable now, and we’ll clip once a month until about March.
Won’t start to rug until it gets much more autumny though.

 

[HashRouge]

I don't think you need to do anything special - just rug appropriately for the weather. You say you haven't rugged at all for the last 3 years, so I'm sure you'll notice a difference.

 

[oldie48]

We clipped the connie x all year round as his coat was a bit woolly even in winter. I think the more you clip the easier it is and you don't get the stripes. He was in quite hard work all year round so the time taken to clip was far less than having to deal with a wet sweaty horse after every ride and he looked super smart too.

 

[jumbyjack]

My Shetland needs clipping asap, she's so hot and is mega yak already. Much easier to clip and then rug if necessary. If I put a rug on her now she would spontaneously combust!

 

[SEL]

I have 2 yaks. The retired Ardennes is roan and I can see him growing his pale under coat already. I think he'd complain to ponyline if I even thought about a rug! Once full yakness is through I give up with grooming until he starts shedding in spring.

Little pony yak gets clipped. She's more hair than pony otherwise and rugs never seen to slow down her coat.

 

[Michen]

Far easier to clip and far kinder than rugging in warm weather. I clipped last weekend to help a horse get through the heatwave. His skin is gleaming with health, he is comfortable and any cooling I need to do works quickly.

if they are well in themselves they will always look good clipped And are so much easier to look after.

Yep I clipped both mine out fully before the heatwave despite them being in very little work in reality.

I would also never over rug a horse for my own convenience.

 

[AUB]

My mare has a very fine coat, so I can do with rugging, but prefer clipping.
I might even clip now because of the heatwave.

 

[Fleece Navidad]

God if you'd seen it... I wouldn't hack him for weeks till it grew out abit and it took forever for him to look like a horse not a tiger with the stripes ?
I'll see how winter and yak coat progresses and probably get the pros out if we are clipping!

If you're worried about lines, start with a less fine blade and then use a fine, and run over the hair in all directions to even it out. Or just don't look too closely. My guy is grey so I just don't look too closely at him for the first few days? he's a bit liney at the moment but he's a lot more comfortable so I'm not bothered.

 

[MissTyc]

I too clipped yesterday as my cob decided it was time to grow some winter fluff just in time for the heatwave. I clip out his lower neck, chest, and belly all year round now and he's never uncomfortable.

 

[windand rain]

The above yak has so little coat in summer she looks clipped and has to have a rug on in cold windy summer weather more often than in winter

 

[Tiddlypom]

Don’t clip a mostly white coloured horse with 1mm fine blades that you don’t even remember buying .

That was maybe 10 weeks ago. The pink lines have almost all grown out now. It caused a lot of hilarity for a while for visiting vets and farriers.

My usual blades are a 2.4mm cut, which is about right. Still no idea where the 1mm blades came from.

 

[sport horse]

If anyone around me rugged a horse in the present temperatures (currently 38c) I think I would consider it animal cruelty. I do excclude a very lightweight fly rug from that!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

My. understanding that is is the length of daylight (or lack of) that determines winter coat growth rather than just the temperature. Ragging will flatten the coat rather than prevent it growing

I have a hairy Hipo.

Who has began moulting like nobodies business.

Last week we had 7 degrees... Today we have 27 degrees. Its Scotland, don't know if we are coming or going!

I "intend" to begin fittening up properly the next few months and he has never been the sweaty type so previously I have rugged early to prevent the yak/mammoth look! Clipped last year just for a bucket list exercise, which was a disaster looks wise but behavior wise he was fine so it is an option should he need it however as we have managed to take the growth before I think we should try that option again.

But when is the right time... does anyone go by temperatures.. Time of year etc?

I feel like I have totally forgetton what, when and how I did it.. he has been naked in winter for 3 years due to light work and a rotund figure!

Some of mine are casting their summer coat

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Fully clipped the heffalump today, he was getting itchy and scabby.
Bathed last night to get the greese out and off it came today.

Need to do some touch ups this week as he gets very sensitive with the Clippers on his neck and under arms and gets angry. So am looking for ones that have less of a vibration on them for him.

Just clip.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Just clip.

I was contemplating clipping my PRE before the heat wave, but he's doing alright. He runs hot and I usually have to clip him 3 or 4 times during the winter. If I rugged him early he'd just be hot and would probably rub himself as he does when he's hot. Even his summer coat is dense. Here I thought he'd be a horse better suited for hot weather given where he's from but he seems to have channeled his inner Icelandic yak.

 

[meleeka]

I’d rather clip and rug accordingly. I don’t find rugging reduces coat enough to really make a difference. It does flatten the coat, which makes it look less.

I clipped the mini yesterday and will probably do it again at the beginning of September. Somebody visited me while I was doing it, so I’m afraid it’s a bit ‘jazzy’ but at least he’s more comfortable. By clipping when the winter coat starts to come through, I find he still grows enough coat to not need a rug, but not so much that he’s uncomfortable here in the mild South.