Summer clipping- who does it?

[millitiger]

Just wondered how many people clip through summer.
I have a (fit) tb x warmblood, not a particularly thick summer coat, however he really feels like heat- sweaty in stable now, can be lethargic to ride etc.

Are there any considerations I need to make?
I wondered about him needing a fly rug for UV and being more bothered by flies? Currently we're very lucky where we are and the boys don't need fly rugs as we don't have many flies at all here.
Is sunburn a real concern? He is bay so black skin so not.

TIA

 

[Tiddlypom]

Yes, I clipped both my coloureds fairly recently and they are much more comfortable as a result.

I used coarse blades which leave a longer 3-4mm cut than standard horse blades, so more protection against the sun and flies. They do leave lines at first, this is on the day she was clipped, but 8 days on the lines have virtually disappeared.

I did use waterproof fly rugs for a few days to protect from sunburn, but she does have a lot of pink skin.

ETA I've just bought some of the new 4.8mm blades now available for my Liveryman Harmonies, and that length would be even better. Yet to use them.

 

[Fransurrey]

Me. He sweats like a priest in a hoe house. Being pink skinned, I was concerned about him burning, but he's pretty good at moving into the shelter during the hottest part of the day and I leave the back on. I do have a fly rug for him and may clip before this weekend, so it may be used then, as it's hotter than average round here (we reached 30.4 on Saturday!). I'll assess at the time, though, as he has a very full mane which drops both sides, so shields the neck well, plus horseflies get trapped under his rug (never had this issue with any other horse, so it must be the way it falls against his cobby sides!).

 

[asmp]

I’ve already clipped one with covercote blades. Thinking about doing the other one.

 

[eggs]

Another who clipped with covercote blades.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I’ve clipped my mare twice now, with A2 blades leaving 2mm of hair. She is sweet itch rugged with a UV rug so no issues with burning and keeps her much cooler.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I clipped Louis as he was late shedding and getting hot his got cushings but still ridden, his much more comfortable now his been out naked since his bay so no burning from sun.

 

[L&M]

My blue and white cob is clipped all year round - he has a fly/uv rug on as soon as the sun comes out. He gets very grumpy in the heat so really benefits from clipping. He has a full body clip, leave his legs but remove feathers, take off his whole face every other time, half face the other.

 

[millitiger]

Thanks all, very helpful!

 

[meleeka]

Sorry everyone, the rain was my fault, I fully clipped the mini on Friday . He is much happier and more active, so definitely the right decision.

 

[Auslander]

I'm going to clip Alf this week, as he's sweating up terribly, just in the field. He's got quite a heavy summer coat, compared to the more bloody types here, and he's a lot more comfy clipped out in summer. He is fine with everything off, but Ivan, the piebald gremlin, needs a fly rug on if he's clipped as his back is white, and he gets sunburnt

 

[MuddyMonster]

Thank you for starting this post, as I was going to ask about summer clipping! I hope it's OK to hijack?

Is the general consensus that one is better going for a coarser blade (at 4.5mm) over a medium blade (at 2.5mm)?

I clipped my native last August/September using the fine blades but did worry about bites and insects - as he's sensitive to them. He's bay so less likely to get burnt (I think!)

I have MasterClip HD Roamers if it makes a difference

 

[TheHairyOne]

I clip all year round with a medium blade. I do lob a fly rug on if its sunny inside the first the first week post clip as he will burn (mostly very pink skin).

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I just went outside to give mine a tiny haynet and Arabi who is not clipped but so fine coated was absolutely covered in bites under his tummy and chest, I've smothered it in some wonder gel it's quite soothing and put his really thin fly rug on

Yet Louis who was clipped 10 days ago has a few bites but no where near as bad but his coat is much courser, and his just got much less sensitive skin so I don't worry about him as much.

 

[Julia0803]

Thank you for starting this post, as I was going to ask about summer clipping! I hope it's OK to hijack?

Is the general consensus that one is better going for a coarser blade (at 4.5mm) over a medium blade (at 2.5mm)?

I clipped my native last August/September using the fine blades but did worry about bites and insects - as he's sensitive to them. He's bay so less likely to get burnt (I think!)

I have MasterClip HD Roamers if it makes a difference

I have the master clip hunters. I just did my boy today with the coarse 4.5mm blades, first time using them.

I think they are great on his legs… tbc on his body. He was last clipped with fine blades (1.5mm) on 13/5, but legs had been left on.

Being a cob, his coat grows like crazy, especially the white bits which are very thick and wiry. His coat had grown enough in 4 weeks that the coarse blades removed a teensy bit of length on his body- probably a few mm. (Annoyingly, the sort of amount where it’s hard to see where you’ve missed bits until you’ve already tidied up and put clippers away). It was the first time I’d used them, and I thought they would take a little more off tbh. I’m not sure if he’ll be cool enough with a 4.5mm cut, as he was sweaty going for a quick walk in the shade first thing yesterday.

He’s a mainly white cob- all of the top part of him is white with pink skin, hence trying the coarse blades to try and prevent sunburn. Just not sure if he’ll need more off to be comfy. I dithered about using the fine blades on the underside of his neck/chest just to get a bit more airflow, but he’s being bitten like crazy as the horse flies have come out this week. However, we’re at an endurance ride this weekend so I may have to try and whip a bit more off to help him cool.

If you’re not needing to worry about sun burn, and your horse runs hot, I’d probably go for 2.5mm. Can you try with the 4.5mm and then if he’s still hot, go again with the 2.5?

 

[ihatework]

I prefer not to but if needed would.
I did a few years back on an Irish chap I had whose coat was just a bit coarse. Thankfully all mine these days have summer coats like glass