Sweaty shettie

darcip

darcip

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my 2 Shetlands youngsters are currently so sweaty, How do you manage them at moment with the mild weather or is it best to clip so there more comfortable. Thanks in advance 😊 (if I clip what rugs would I need? They was perfectly fine last winter no sweat at all)
 
Can you bib clip to give them some relief without removing their all-weather coating completely?

I sympathise. My cob is very hot just standing still atm.
 
Surbie said:
Can you bib clip to give them some relief without removing their all-weather coating completely?

I sympathise. My cob is very hot just standing still atm
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I could attempt it 😂 just wondering if it’s best waiting it out till it goes colder or should I just bite the bullet and clip
 
Surbie said:
I'd go for it now - you might have to do it again, but it would give immediate relief.

Plus bib clips on tiny ponies are hard to spot so wonky lines don't matter!
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Okay, it will probably be very wonky 🫣🫣 around what weather would I need to rug them when clipped?
 
Gloi said:
My Icy x is sweating at the moment. I'll wait it out as he's too damp to clip but this warm weather won't last all winter. He can have a clip then.
You can take quite a lot off a Shetland before needing to rug them unless you are living in the Arctic.
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Honestly they are just furballs at the minute 😂
 
I would do something like a chaser/Irish clip, and no rug, unless there's a particular need for one (ancient or ill/thin pony). I usually take about a third of my NF's coat off every winter for heat management and weight loss, and he's not rugged. A bib clip wouldn't touch the edges in terms of his heat loss! They'll grow back plenty of coat before the winter proper anyway so you can reassess when it's colder and clip again or not as needed.
 
Burnttoast said:
I would do something like a chaser/Irish clip, and no rug, unless there's a particular need for one (ancient or ill/thin pony). I usually take about a third of my NF's coat off every winter for heat management and weight loss, and he's not rugged. A bib clip wouldn't touch the edges in terms of his heat loss! They'll grow back plenty of coat before the winter proper anyway so you can reassess when it's colder and clip again or not as needed.
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Sounds perfect that it will grow back before winter, I was worried I’d do it and end up regretting it when it gets colder 😂😊
 
Gloi said:
You can take quite a lot off a Shetland before needing to rug them unless you are living in the Arctic.
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Or just up here in the north isles where you need that hair to keep the wind and rain out 😁 (more so than the cold) They are well designed wee fellows for island weather.
 
My two non-working littles often get a bit taken off over winter - usually under their bellies, between front legs, and the underneath/bottom half of their neck. They have so much fluff you can't actually tell their belly is clipped unless you lie down and look, even with loads taken off 🤣 But you can tell instantly how much more comfotable they feel. Start with a little bit, you can always take a bit more off another day if you think they need it. As youngsters I wouldn't rug at all, even with a bit of a clip, these two are older now and a bit arthritic, so do get a rainsheet if the weather is foul
(My two working boys are full clipped all year round and have a very impressive wardrobe :p opposite ends of the spectrum!)
 
I fully clipped mine last year in October and only occasionally put a 50g sheet on if it was wet and dire. He had enough regrowth by the time it got properly cold and meant he could spend all winter out on good grass and ad lib hay with the tb without coming into spring like a hippo!
Taking some insulation off is great for weight management if you need it, but for a bib up to a blanket I'd probably only rug if they're skinny or elderly.
 
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