To clip or not to clip - advice needed please

[suzyqet]

I am asking for advice on behalf of one of my liveries.

She has a cob who is extremely hairy and is currently living out 24/7/365 unrugged with shelter.

She is quite stiff behind and is now on supplements to help this so gets a small amount of happy hoof once a day in order to receive the supplements.

She is overweight, not obese, but definately overweight. Probably a score of about 7 so needs to loose weight. Have been told by farrier that she needs to loose weight before lami shows an appearance. Hence un-rugged.

She gets ridden on a Saturday or Sunday only, but occassionally once during the week or possibly both weekend days. She doesnt do much, mostly walk with a small amount of trot and a little sedate canter or 2.

Anyway, when she gets ridden, she really does sweat badly. She has to be towel dried off and takes ages to dry. So, the livery is now thinking about clipping her.
I am now worried that if she clips her and puts a rug on her, she is not going to drop any weight at all, then we could get into real problems. Also, she is only thinking of doing a very low trace, so when rugged, she will get hot where she is not clipped.

What would you all do?

Any thoughts greatly received.

Thanks to all.

 

[Amos]

If she gets wet from sweat then she will get cold when she is turned out. Shes not going to loose much weight just because she isn't rugged. Personally (for what its worth) I would give her a bib clip. Pop a rug on at night and when its wet. If shes a tough, hairy, she'll be fine out in the dry/daytime without a rug with a small clip. Hope that helps!

 

[thinlizzy]

I have a really hairy cob in at nights very gentle ridden weekends walking vlittle. Trotting no cantering and nothing in snowy icy weAther it was sugeested for me to have her clipped she's rugged with a rug day and light stable rug night but I didn't think it was worth it I personallty think its down to personal choice I'd much rather have a unrugged hgorse like my youngster. Its much easier the cobs rugged as she was a recent purchase and had been rugged up by prev owner but next year won't .