Horse clipped to the skin, tricks to make her comfortable?

[Blueskidoo]

I recently bought a new horse, a lovely 11 y.o. Chestnut TB mare. They gave her an Irish clip at the sale barn, and they took all of her hair to the skin. She’s a naked mole rat. Her entire neck, most of her sides and her belly are bare.

It has been super cold here in Virginia and she has had to wear a ton of blankets. She’s started to grow back a few prickly hairs to go along with some dry skin and she is unhappy.

Anyone have any tips for us? I’ve been rubbing her down with some Healthy Hair care coat conditioner when it is warm enough, but the Chronicle Forum always has the best tips.

[GraceLikeRain]

Shapleys makes a coat oil you dilute in water and sponge on. I’d think even on a really cold day you could use hot water from a thermos and a cooler to sponge down those areas a few times a week to help keep the skin conditioned as the hair grows back?

[endlessclimb]

I second this. Use the lighter oil, and do it 2x a week until she’s more comfortable.

[Marla_000]

An old time hair/skin moisturizer
After a clip- Mayonnaise-
Slather on generously. Let sit, if cold weather, towel it off.

[StormyDay]

Human extra moisturizing hand cream. Make sure it’s unscented. Slather that all over the horse as many times a day or week as you can.

[4horses]

Does she have skin issues? I’ve clipped a lot of horses and usually they don’t look like mole rats when I’m done.

Now that said, my friend rescued the ugliest horse I’ve ever seen. Coat was bleached brownish yellow. Turns out the horse had some skin issues in addition to copper/zinc deficiency and turned into a lovely dark bay after some good nutrition.

My horses tend to grow back any hair I clip off so I don’t think it will take long for your horse to grow some hair back.

[Blueskidoo]

She has a funny something on her neck, the vet though maybe the clippers had gotten hot, and they clipped her so close that it might have been a mild burn.

The air has been really cold and dry, which is contributing to the problem, since she had no hair to hold moisture in.

I’ve been using hand lotion as suggested, it was easy to get. And seems to be sticking with her better than the Healthy Hair care. I keep it in my jacket while I head for the barn so it is isn’t cold.

She has started to grow some hair back, though it’s super prickly, she’s just an unhappy camper.

The surgical grade clip was just a bad move given the winter we are having, and she’s a sensitive girl.

When it warms up enough she doesn’t need quite so many blankets I know that will help, and if I ever clip her in the future, I will leave some more hair.

[NaturallyHappy]

Out of curiosity, what blade size did you use?

[Blueskidoo]

I didn’t clip her, I bought her that way

[NaturallyHappy]

Oh yes…I forgot. My apologies. I was looking for something that would leave hair a bit longer than the T84. I ordered a T10 by mistake. I wonder if that’s what they used.

[WNT]

I was at a barn that got in a sweet young warmblood that they must have clipped with a 50/surgical blade before he left their barn. I have never seen a horse body clipped so short (it was right after Christmas in Virginia ).

Bless him, he handled it well, and I just groomed him with the softest curry and brushes we had. He got awful long guard hairs that popped up, so he was pre-summer coat growing with 4" guard hairs all over his body for a few weeks until his coat started to come in. We did have to rug him up with a heavy neck cover, too.

[endlessclimb]

I always clip with a 10 blade, is that not the right one?

[FromTheGalaxy]

A 10 blade is normal body clip length. The T84 for Andis clippers is slightly longer, but not much. Normally the higher the clipper blade number, the shorter the hair. I think a 40 is usually used for surgical sites.

[endlessclimb]

Yeah, I’d never body clip with a 40! Would look like a naked rat lol

[FromTheGalaxy]

And the poor horse would likely be so uncomfortable like the OP is describing.

[NaturallyHappy]

@endlessclimb

I always clip with a 10 blade, is that not the right one?

I’m actually not sure. The Andis clippers came w the T84, so that’s what I used when I ditched the heavy Osters. I’ve been using the T 84 forever. Maybe I’ve been using the wrong one😀.

[NaturallyHappy]

@FromTheGalaxy

A 10 blade is normal body clip length. The T84 for Andis clippers is slightly longer, but not much. Normally the higher the clipper blade number, the shorter the hair. I think a 40 is usually used for surgical sites.

Thank you!