Who doesn't clip...?

Meeee! I've only ever clipped once in twelve years with the same horse. Even in heavy work she never really needed it as she has quite a thin winter coat (she's an Arab) and even more so if I kept her rugged up through the autumn. She would usually be fairly sweaty after a lesson or a good gallop, so I'd dry her off as best I could then turn her out.
 
For years I have been anti clip, big time. This year we clipped out our big boy ( except for legs and lovely feathers) he gets so so warm without. Bless. My mare had a small clip last year but is lame a present and if she doesn't get much better she will deffinatly stay unclipped. If she does however gets better soon I will give her a small trace clip as was hoping to concentrate on SJ this winter.
 
Me :)

Hairy beastie doesn't sweat, which means winter is his favourite season. He lives out with a lovely thick hairy coat, doesn't feel the cold, and can be just popped straight back in the field after riding.

The no sweating thing also means saddle cloths only need very occasional washes. Lots of advantages of non-sweaters in winter - it almost makes up for my constant state of worry that he'll overheat during the summer ;)
 
Mine are still currently unclipped but I am planning on clipping my ISH tomorrow (he's just having a trace - we hack out/school/jump 4-5 times a week and he is just starting to get a bit hot now so he needs it.) My Appy is still unclipped and is hunting fit, although I am planning on doing him this week or next but got to book the Vet for sedation and then will take the lot off except for legs! I wish I could get away without clipping him but he sweats away too much weight when hunting if I leave him hairy. :(
 
Mine was fully clipped out 3 weeks ago and desperately needs doing again as he has grown it all back.

He was soaked in sweat from a moderate 40 minute schooling session on Saturday, needed a hose off and took about an hour to dry.

There's no way I could not clip him - he's a very hot horse and is in moderate work all winter.
 
Tough call every year! Harley has a really heavy winter coat, and despite doing very little sweats a lot after a 30 minute walk. My four year old has a thick fluffy coat, and will be ticking over this winter. Last winter I clipped Harley twice, the second time at the end of February as the woman who was riding him said she had loads of time to ride - she never rode him again and the poor lad had an unnecessary blanket clip. All mine live out, and I think this winter they will both have a bib extended back through the front legs to just beyond the girth, that way they can stay naked, or rug if it's wet. Every year I say I'm not going to clip then get fed up with Harley wandering along at half speed covered in lather!!
 
Nope, not me.

He's only on light work, so doesn't really get sweaty & if he does get a little bit sweaty, he just gets a fleece cooler in if stabled or chucked out in the field to have a roll.

He's got a brilliant winter coat & is naked for most of the winter, only needing a rug in the worst weather.

Far less hassle to keep his winter coat than clip for us - it does seem to shock some people though! :D
 
Me, not ridden enough in winter to warrant clipping and exercise is gentle not fast work so barely breaks in to a sweat. Doesnt grow a big fluffy coat anyway, i just trim the feathers and up the back of the legs to help to keep the mud at bay and wears a turnout rug no fill
 
I was just wondering how being sweaty is different from getting very wet in the rain and why you need to wait for them to dry out before putting them out?

If you rode your horse and it got sweaty and then you waited for it to dry and then it started raining whilst you were waiting for your horse to dry out and then you have to put them out again in the rain they would get wet again soon and might get a chill?
 
I figured no need to clip mine as not in work.

He has turned into a bear. We had a sunny day on Friday and he was sweaty about the elbows/girth, and no rug involved! I suspect he will need to be clipped when older or else given winter off...he wants winter and spring off, apparently :D
 
SO1 said:
I was just wondering how being sweaty is different from getting very wet in the rain and why you need to wait for them to dry out before putting them out?

If you rode your horse and it got sweaty and then you waited for it to dry and then it started raining whilst you were waiting for your horse to dry out and then you have to put them out again in the rain they would get wet again soon and might get a chill?
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This is what puzzles me too. They get rained on, or hoon about and make themselves sweaty in the field without any problems. Presumably in the wild they would get seriously chased by predators, or have to fight for mares, and they'd sweat up a treat, but they're OK. So what does clipping achieve? I can perhaps see that aiding heat loss would help in something like racing, where every little competitive advantage counts.
 
I've never clipped. Horse gets a wee bit sweaty when worked in her coat, but not dripping or lathered, and seems happy enough. A little bit of sweat won't hurt. If it's cold enough, she'll get a fleecy cooler to wear after a ride. And it means I don't have to futz around with quarter sheets and the like when hacking out. People here are shocked I don't clip, but not doing so was kind of the norm at my barn in Colorado.
 
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