|
Post by gem on Aug 9, 2005 7:58:52 GMT 1
I clip as I keep mine in work all winter, I won't clip Sky this year as she is in foal and I will only be riding her lightly till dec, otherwise she is always clipped as A) she gets really hairy and sweats easily so this way she is kept cool and i dont have to worry about her being damp, also she gets mud fever so I generally clip her legs too to help reduce it.
Holly will be clipped this winter as I am expecting to do some indoor dressage if I can with her.
|
|
|
Post by Val (Toons&co) on Aug 9, 2005 8:45:15 GMT 1
I don't clip mine in the winter as they either have too fine a coat anyway or aren't ridden hard enough. I do clip Jaz in the summer - first time this year - as she's showing signs of cushings and not shedding properly: her summer coat is only starting to show now. She was really uncomfortable last summer so I decided to clip her this year.
|
|
Su
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,998
|
Post by Su on Aug 9, 2005 9:45:58 GMT 1
I voted 'clipping as horse gets uncomfortable', which is what I will do this year if my horse does get uncomfortable (he had the winter off last year so wasn't clipped)
|
|
erarab
Advanced Poster
Ping!
Posts: 382
|
Post by erarab on Aug 9, 2005 9:49:20 GMT 1
I clip for several reasons, one because my horses work hard and they get too hot if I don't, two because it takes them ages to dry off if I don't and three because I can't stand a dirty muddy horse - if its all clipped off and the horse well rugged there is little to get dirty and what there is comes off easily ;D
|
|
duncs
Novice Poster
Posts: 23
|
Post by duncs on Aug 9, 2005 12:35:09 GMT 1
I always clip my pony because I can only ride him at night and I cant wait wait round for hours till he dries off to put his rug on every time I ride, plus he enjoys being clipped!
|
|
jenna
Novice Poster
Posts: 0
|
Post by jenna on Aug 9, 2005 12:41:40 GMT 1
I don't have a problem with people clipping for convenience, if the horse is OK with it.
What I DO have a problem with is people twitching/sedating/stressing out their horse because it's convenient.
There is a lady at our yard who does most of the clipping, so last winter I took Kira along when she was clipping another horse, let her stand near to see and hear them, and by the end of about half an hour, we had the clippers running right next to her.
I don't intend clipping her, however I may at some point in the future feel the need, or god forbid, if I have to sell her, I will know she has been introduced to them.
There are people at the yard who don't bother doing this, their poor horses are twitched or have four or five people hanging off them to stop them from fleeing, time after time, all for the sake of "convenience"!
|
|
|
Post by ajalita on Aug 9, 2005 12:45:51 GMT 1
I don't clip cause my horse doesn't need it!
|
|
varkie
Grand Prix Poster
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 4,913
|
Post by varkie on Aug 9, 2005 12:52:27 GMT 1
I definitely think that many people over-clip. I see so many horses who have been either blanket clipped or hunter clipped or even fully clipped, who are doing no more than hack out a bit at weekends - this strikes me as being a bit mad! Some horses may well need this, but not all will! As with everything, I think its about treating the horse as an individual, and too many people clip just because thats what they do, and its that time of year.
Some of mine in work are clipped, some aren't. Those that are, are clipped as minimally as I can, but as much as they need. Those that aren't, the clippers are always waiting if they do start to struggle!
|
|
gypsydust
Advanced Poster
jay + tangle xx
Posts: 302
|
Post by gypsydust on Aug 9, 2005 13:29:34 GMT 1
I think a lot of people don't even really know why they clip - its just how it is!! I personally don't agree with clipping a horse unless you need to for their well being rather than just for show, but I guess that as long as they are rugged sufficiently then it's not really too serious an issue I'd agree with both of those. I think a lot of horses are clipped more than they need to be (ie blanket when a low chaser would suffice, or even full when they only need a chaser just so there's no clip lines...) but there's no point being all evangelical about it if the owner has the rugs and facilities to cope and the horse is okay. Last year Ria (30 and fluffy) had a minimal clip, literally two clipper blade widths from under her jaw down her neck and along the underside of her stomach. In the event, it wasn't a big enough clip, but I only got her in the October and wwent with the motto of taking less off while I didn't know her. She is ridden daily, and sweats up a lot as she is a very high-spirited ride despite her age. This year I intend to give her a low chaser, but take it quite high up her neck where she sweats most. I'm not too worried about how long it take her to cool off as I have plenty of cooler rugs (well, just plenty of rugs really!) but I do want her to be comfortable when she is ridden, and minimise the risk of her catching a chill. All her rugs are half and full necks and she is stabled at ngiht like all the horses at the yard. My other pony Monty is a young New Forest, he's 8, and also in daily work - a lot more intensive than Ria as he has a lot of work to be done with his schooling and we also go to the odd local show-jumping, plus I am hoping to do some dressage next year. He gets exzema and is fully clipped because if his skin gets too hot his exzema is much worse (the sweat isn't good for it either and he is a very 'hot' pony). He's actually fully clipped at the moment, and in during the day to get out of the sun. Like Ria, all his rugs are half and full necks, and he is stabled at night in winter. His legs are clipped also so he will have stable bandages on cold nights. I tend to clip his legs every alternate clip, and clip his face the first two clips but then leve it once the winter is in full swing so he has some warmth there. Certainly clipping makes after-riding care a lot easier for me, but it isn't the main reason I clip (and it makes life harder in terms of stable bandages for them both!! Oh and exercise sheets - mind you, they've got some gorgeous fleece ones for this year which I can't wait to start using lol!) Good topic :thumbs:
|
|
sjade
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by sjade on Aug 9, 2005 14:11:00 GMT 1
I full clipped Saeed last November as he was getting very hot when worked, despite having a thin coat. he was worked for a god 40 minutes 6 days a week, more at weekends. Won't be clipping any this year as mares are in foal and won't have much time to ride the boys etc. A thought: if you have a really woolly bear now, and plan to show for a few more weeks, would you clip?
|
|
|
Post by Kim with Rio on Aug 10, 2005 10:10:23 GMT 1
My girlie's a native and gets very hairy, so if I want to do any work with her at all in the winter, some of this lovely coat has to go, even if it is just a bib type clip, it helps immensely!
|
|
|
Post by Val (Toons&co) on Aug 10, 2005 10:26:20 GMT 1
A thought: if you have a really woolly bear now, and plan to show for a few more weeks, would you clip? Well i would for the same reason I clipped Jaz: because the woolly bear would be extremely uncomfortable in the middle of the summer. I don't show but it would not be the reason why I would clip.
|
|
Cathy248
Grand Prix Poster
Maddie's 2nd Fun Ride
Posts: 1,045
|
Post by Cathy248 on Aug 10, 2005 16:37:40 GMT 1
Nice to see the new DG has stopped any rediculous anon comments about 'cruelty' of clipping or the 'idiots' that don't! I can never understand why people don't spend the time getting their horses used to clippers rather than having horses who they have to twitch and tie down to clip just because they aren't used to it!
|
|
|
Post by Susan on Aug 10, 2005 19:08:55 GMT 1
I amswered other because, Im like some in the middle. The first year we had Flynn as youngster ( aged rising 4) we clipped him a little neck and belly, head, sort of a chaser clip, for no other reason so he was used to clippers. In fact in my album, when I can learn how to load picture to a thread, it will show Flynn standing there and being clipped around his face and it was his 1st clip. Then two years later I clipped him in hunter clip, thinking with working more he would need it. Last year, I re-thought more about what I do and why I do it. I clipped him all out in Oct, but then never clipped him again. The first one helped to not have such a thick coat too soon, as I dont rug heavy rugs, prefer he is unrugged as much as possible and it also helps to keep weight off him. I thought about it, he needed his coat to help him for a reason, and I left off any rug for as long as poccible and then he went into only a mac rug, till we had those week or so of nasty weather. he wasnt cold, he wasnt uncomfortable and when rode he didnt sweat up. Now if he, I would have done a little bib and tested the result. Little as possible off. Even when he came in the dried Hippo! all were aghast at the state of him, mr response. Oh NO he will have had such fun today being a horse.
It is extremely useful for all horses to have no fear of clippers, but if they dont need clipping I prefer they arnt. But if done to just ensure they are OK, and it doesnt have to be a big clip, it is good they are fine.
I dont like it when I see horses clipped out fully who hardly do anything only for their owners convience and they want to have a horse looking all neat and tidy as show off specimins. But that is my opinion. They probaly hate people like me who often have very scruffy horses, riding out and not 100 clean and sparkling. Lucyloo will you need any hlep if you do this?
|
|
Lucymj
Olympic Poster
Posts: 771
|
Post by Lucymj on Aug 10, 2005 19:17:52 GMT 1
I clip out all year round. Full clip inc legs in the summer and hunter clip all winter. My lad has such a thick coat he simply can not cope with hard work otherwise.
His summer coat is really thick aswell. I am pregnant with my second child and have been away so decided to not clip this summer for the first time and he has really struggled. His summer coat came through last week! Now that i am back and riding plenty again i think i am going to have to clip him out in the next week or so and keep it off all winter or he just wont be ableto be worked at all over the winter! xxx
|
|