i decided to have my horse blanket clipped but would it be wrong to have her full clipped? she is 23 and has cushings (tho asymptomatic)… she is only in light work but i just feel that some of her funky skin conditions could be better managed if her long coat was removed … obviously i would fully blanket and our barn gets no colder than 40 degrees in the winter
anyone fully clip a light/medium worked horse?
I’ve clipped an elderly Cushing’s mare in light work. She did just fine with a full clip. As long as you’re prepared with lots of blankets, adequate shelter in inclement weather, and lots of forage to help keep her warm, it should be ok.
If she’s got skin conditions it would be worth considering getting a couple of light, base layer sheets that you can easily wash at home every week or so just to prevent the warm blankets getting messy and/or returning the source of the funk back to her.
I do a full clip on my trainer’s Cushings horse every 6 weeks like clockwork.
We are in NC, so we regularly get random warm days in the winter plus the sticky, hot, humid summer heat. He is also very prone to skin issues, particularly when his coat gets long. Like you suggest, the clip serves two purposes: cooling and easier skin care.
He was a former upper-level dressage horse. Now my trainer does light WTC with him 2-3 days a week to help keep him limber. She tries to let him tell her how much work he is good for. He does do better with some ridden exercise over being a complete pasture puff…
thanks all. i thought i was being overzealous but i think i’m making the right choice!!
redhorses- any suggestion on the sheet ? obviously something with no fill?
I fully clip a completely retired Cushings horse several times each winter. If I don’t his skin is a mess by the end of the winter no matter how often he is groomed. Of course he is heavily blanketed and happy as a clam!
seems there is a correlation between cushings horses and skin problems??
Something breathable and probably a single layer of material (maybe doubled at the shoulder) and of course fits well. I’d have the sheet be shorter (length and drop) than the other blankets so it doesn’t stick out. Whatever it is should be easy to wash. More of a cotton/blend than nylon. Uncoated nylon may breathe but it’s a slow enough movement that it could trap moisture which wouldn’t be good for funky skin.
PPID often causes the horse’s natural healing power to be compromised. This can be seen in injuries or wounds that heal more slowly and in reduced effectiveness of vaccines (which may need to be done more often). The skin is often the first place we see the reduced ability to heal. Plus the excess hair creates conditions that invite skin trouble.
I had to keep my retired Cushing horse clipped. It was a monthly event. I would often start with a full body clip and then the next month do a trace clip. And rinse and repeat. Again and again. I have gotten really good at body clipping! He had a variety of clothes to rotate thru.
My horse is fully retired. I’ll be doing an full body clip soon. No Cushing’s and really not much of a heavy coat but it’s just easier to keep him clean and comfortable.
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