ponyparty
Well-Known Member
I know, another clipping thread, zzz.... Don't want to hijack someone else's though.
Horse has EMS, needs to lose some serious condition this winter to give us the best chance of managing his weight in spring.
He's thin skinned and sensitive, doesn't like the rain on his back and doesn't have any shelter in his turnout area. Therefore he will need to be rugged - even if just a no-fill rainsheet.
He's also a ridiculously good doer for his type, and grows a very fluffy winter coat. On an in-hand, walk-only hack over the weekend he was very warm!
Last winter he was blanket clipped, but quite late. He didn't lose enough weight, and in spring he ballooned. I probably did over-rug though, panicking about the snowy weather and everyone else on my old yard doing the same. I'm going to be a lot tougher with rugging this year.
So far I've come up with the following options... What would you do?
a) Hunter clip now and no fill rainsheet, going up to 100g when it gets cold. Re-clip (maybe just a trace, depending on what the weather's doing) later in winter if necessary.
b) Trace clip and try not to rug as much as possible... He will make it known (by pratting around) if he isn't enjoying being out naked though, and I'm worried that this won't be enough hair coming off for him to lose weight if he's got a rug on as well.
c) Other, better option that I haven't thought of!
Horse has EMS, needs to lose some serious condition this winter to give us the best chance of managing his weight in spring.
He's thin skinned and sensitive, doesn't like the rain on his back and doesn't have any shelter in his turnout area. Therefore he will need to be rugged - even if just a no-fill rainsheet.
He's also a ridiculously good doer for his type, and grows a very fluffy winter coat. On an in-hand, walk-only hack over the weekend he was very warm!
Last winter he was blanket clipped, but quite late. He didn't lose enough weight, and in spring he ballooned. I probably did over-rug though, panicking about the snowy weather and everyone else on my old yard doing the same. I'm going to be a lot tougher with rugging this year.
So far I've come up with the following options... What would you do?
a) Hunter clip now and no fill rainsheet, going up to 100g when it gets cold. Re-clip (maybe just a trace, depending on what the weather's doing) later in winter if necessary.
b) Trace clip and try not to rug as much as possible... He will make it known (by pratting around) if he isn't enjoying being out naked though, and I'm worried that this won't be enough hair coming off for him to lose weight if he's got a rug on as well.
c) Other, better option that I haven't thought of!
