Body Clipping...too late?

[HunterMarc]

With my allergies, shedding, dandruff and my horse hating to be groomed (sensitive TB) it want to just hack the rest of his winter coat off. Is it too late? I thought I once read in some UK article that you should not body clip after January as it can ruin the summer coat that is growing in and make it dull? Not sure how true that is, however I just recently saw a trainer I know do a full body clip on a horse that just came in from the field.

I do a trace clip on my horse in October and then again in late December or early January as it grows in. Now, I am thinking of doing a full body and leaving a small patch where the saddle sits.

Thoughts? Is it too late?

Another quick question, I use Andis Progress clippers with the 31-23 blade set. I have an Oster A5 with a #10 blade. I don’t feel that those are too short, what size blade would match up with the Andis? Oster 7F? Oster A5 would be used for head and legs.

Thanks!

[BigMama1]

I just did mine this week for the same reasons you describe. I do it every year around this time and have never had a problem with his summer coat at all.

[MysticOakRanch]

I have done clips as late as MAY and never had any issues with the coat growing out. I am convinced that is one of those old “wives tales”.

[fordtraktor]

A lot of show horses are clipped every few weeks. You can clip whenever.

[HunterMarc]

Another quick question, I use Andis Progress clippers with the 31-23 blade set. I have an Oster A5 with a #10 blade. I feel the #10’s are too short, what size blade would match up with the Andis? Oster 7F? Oster A5 would be used for head and legs.

Thanks!

[supaflyskye]

I once body clipped a horse (who had not been already clipped earlier in the season) in early January…I really didn’t think it was all that late, and I’d just acquired him at the time, he had a ridiculously long coat (especially for Florida!), had not yet started to shed at all, was covered in bot eggs & just generally a mess. he really needed a clip.
but…that year he ended up shedding out…BALD. completely naked, NO hair at all. he did not grow his coat back 'til next year’s winter fluff came in.
I NEVER clipped that horse again.

my other gelding, one year I gave him a blanket (not full body) clip – first/only one of the season – in mid February, and his coat came in perfectly fine.

I suppose it just depends on the horse.
but things can go awry…

[Laurierace]

Never too early or too late, it’s just a hair cut.

[Dazzle.the.great]

I haven’t had any problems with clipping my horse later in the season. Last year I did a full body clip on my mare in early April and she still had a wonderful coat. I just made sure that my clipper blade wasn’t as short as the summer coat, so then I wasn’t cutting the hair that would show underneath. I find that if you clip all the way to the summer coat, then it tends to get dull and prickly. So I leave about a centimetre of winter coat and let that shed out in its own and leave you with the summer coat underneath.
Hope I helped in some way.

[ladyj79]

Said it before, I’ll say it again, I clip the FEI horses every three weeks.

I don’t body clip with a 10, only legs and faces. I generally use a t84.

I have never seen body clipping negatively impact the coat regrowth, but I have heard a lot of people say that over the last 30 years.

[HunterMarc]

Thanks everyone. Tomorrow it’s getting hacked!

[PonyPenny]

Clipping has absolutely no effect on the summer coat. I have great results with the Andis T-84 blade. Never get lines. Horse needs to be clean and blades sharp though.

[BroncoMo]

I clip every three weeks through out the summer and fall. The only “ruining” going on is the sorrel who is orange for about a week. They grow out just fine.

I I have no experience with Andis but an Oster 8.5 or 7F is perfect for a full body clip. I use a 10 on the legs and head. Some I’ve even shown the day after clipping.

[andhourspass]

We just had this same discussion at my barn last week and could not come to a consensus. Half the barn said it was fine, the other half said it’ll ruin the summer coat. The only thing we did agree on was that if you are routinely body clipping as ladyj is doing then the coat never has a chance to grow out either way, so it really doesn’t matter.

[Pally]

Pretty pretty @MysticOakRanch

I’m definitely with all those who say no big deal to hack it all off, as I’ve done that enough times. Sure, some of the horses went on that every few weeks all summer schedule, but some have been left alone again until fall.

One thing I’m not sure about though - so here I will ask the collective COTH minds - if one does a late season partial clip will they tend to see a colour difference come spring or summer? Mostly thinking if allowed to shed out naturally, but I guess also applies if full clipped later on (for example, doing a trace clip in Feb then full clipping come April). We do so few partial clips on the show horses it’s just not a scenario I’ve really seen.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I just clipped our hunter pony for a show next weekend. He looks fantastic. I was able to give him a bath so he is shiny with his new clip and just a shade lighter than normal.

I have clipped them around this time every year before Devon (and sometimes later) and never had a problem (I use T84 blade). It is a horseman’s myth, most likely perpetuated by bad clip jobs, that it ruins their coats. Plenty of top show horses are clipped year round with no ill effects.

[HunterMarc]

Thanks again for all the responses. Waiting for a blade to come in the mail for my small clippers to do his head and legs. The rest of his body is done other than where the saddle goes. I did a shape the size of a Mattes pad left un-clipped.

Why would you clip a summer coat though…inst that short enough for those that clip year round? I am always clipping whiskers, fetlocks, bridle path, under the chin and jaw year round but not the body.

[MysticOakRanch]

@Pally

Pretty pretty @MysticOakRanch

I’m definitely with all those who say no big deal to hack it all off, as I’ve done that enough times. Sure, some of the horses went on that every few weeks all summer schedule, but some have been left alone again until fall.

One thing I’m not sure about though - so here I will ask the collective COTH minds - if one does a late season partial clip will they tend to see a colour difference come spring or summer? Mostly thinking if allowed to shed out naturally, but I guess also applies if full clipped later on (for example, doing a trace clip in Feb then full clipping come April). We do so few partial clips on the show horses it’s just not a scenario I’ve really seen.

Thank you The mare pictured does not have a clipped head in the first picture - I’ve blended the head into the neck (it was clipped over the Winter, but not in her last clipping), and you don’t see any difference in head color versus neck color. My experience has been no difference in color. I’ve clipped my bay mare, my B&W pinto stallion, and my black stallion later in Spring, and never had any issues with color. I suppose it varies by horse, but the three I’ve done have all grown out just fine.

[Pennywell_Bay]

As to clipping a summer coat, some WBs have serious goat hair- even with their summer coat (which isn’t one). Mine gets sleak and shiny like a seal. My trainers sweats like a pig and never gets that sleek no-hair coat. And he is fine, nothing wrong with him. Some are just hairier. I see a lot particular at the summer shows Devon, then Upperville, etc that the hairer ones tend to be clipped all year. You can use a blade that it is barely noticeable.

[BroncoMo]

@HunterMarc

Why would you clip a summer coat though…inst that short enough for those that clip year round? I am always clipping whiskers, fetlocks, bridle path, under the chin and jaw year round but not the body.

I live in a cold climate. Below freezing temps are common even in June and July, and snow on occasion. So regardless of lights and blanketing, mine are never as slick as they need to be.

[Kottbulle]

As for why would anyone clip in the summer… if you have a gray it makes your world easier. My gray tended to have a denser, thick coat. And he hated humidity. So by giving him a full body clip, it made it easier on him. He seemed to handle the heat and humidity better… added bonus, it was easier to keep him clean. nothing for manure stains to stick to. I used the T84 for the body and 10 for the head and legs.