To Clip Or Not To Clip

[SFrost]

COTHers please share your wisdom! In the past I have clipped my boy in the winter when he was in work. However, he was always stalled at night so I never worked too much about him being cold. We also had an indoor.

We’ve moved to a new barn where he’s on field board and I’m not sure what to do clip wise. He will have access to a run in shed most of the time. If the weather were to get really bad we do have stalls if needed. I’d honestly prefer he not be stalled because the 24/7 turnout has been amazing for his arthritis. We do not have an indoor.

I’m the type of person who loves the cold and I ride way more in the winter than I do in the summer. So barring an injury (knock on wood) or rain he’ll be ridden almost daily. He’s a good sweater so I worry about the drying/blanketing situation. We are in NoVA so cold but not frozen tundra cold.

He’s 3 miles from my house so being extra with blankets won’t be an issue. I can pop out there easily so I don’t drive my saint of a barn owner crazy. He’s got a sheet and two medium weights for layering currently. I plan to buy a light weight with a hood to add to his wardrobe. He has his quarter sheet for work. And he has his coolers of course.

So, clip? Don’t clip? If clipping would a blanket clip be okay? Should I get him any additional blankets if we clip?

[luvmyhackney]

I’m a little north of you and if in heavy work I would body clip and blanket accordingly. If your just popping around and not working hard enough to sweat more than chest and under tack, I would trace clip. Then buy a good cooler and a blow dryer.

[Highflyer1]

I’d definitely do at least some kind of trace clip. The weather varies so much in this area and when it’s 50 degrees plus in December it’s miserable.

[Dr_Doolittle]

I’m going to third the trace clip (also in NoVa), that is my compromise every fall - and my mare is out nights all year round with no shelter. I have good waterproof turnout rugs though. You can always take more off if you start with a conservative clip - the beauty of a trace clip!

How are you 3 miles from your boarding barn? (I am SO envious I’m 30 miles away - unless I take 66 instead of 50, in which case I’m 40 miles away! - and it’s never less than a 50 minute commute, often closer to an hour )

[Scribbler]

I’d say a trace clip and a good turnout blanket. Two blankets so you can swap out when one gets wet and take it home to dry.

But depends on his sweat patterns. Some seem to need a full clip.

[skipollo]

Until about a year ago, my horse lived out 24/7 with two run in sheds. We’re in PA, so it gets pretty cold here. I’ve done some sort of partial clip with him (usually an Irish or a trace)every year with no issue. I blanket him appropriately and he had unlimited hay, so he had no issues. I will say that we have a massive stockpile of blankets, having extras is really important especially if there isn’t a stall/barn for him to come in regularly. Blanket liners are also really helpful if you need extra layers but don’t want to spend big $$$ on a whole new blanket. A liner and a turnout sheet can be a makeshift blanket until a destroyed blanket can be replaced.

[DiamondJubilee]

I also vote for a trace clip (there are so many options, depending on your weather). I have done this with my guy through the winter as they are turned out for 18hr a day and in work as well. I love the Bucas stay dry blankets. They are able to “wick” away and dry a slightly damp horse.

[RedHorses]

I’ve done a modified trace clip for years on my out 24/7 horses - the modification being leaving the belly unclipped below a straight line from elbow to stifle. Horses don’t sweat much on their bellies and having that huge area clipped and unprotected by the blanket is going to make the horse much colder. If the horse needs more hair off I push the clip higher along the sides, not lower.

My horse wears a midweight Rhino Wug which is light enough to permit him to fluff his coat for extra warmth at night, and flatten his coat during the warmer days. Iif we have a nasty storm or a very cold snap I have a 100g Amigo with a 150g neck which goes right over top of his midweight.

One other option is to do a zebra clip. I first heard about this one when reading about someone in England who did it because her horse got terribly sweaty when worked in the winter, but also got cold easily when turned out. I’ve done a zebra clip on my other horse in the early summer before the nights were warm enough for a fully clipped naked horse and it worked well (he had trouble cooling off on hot days and had a longer and denser than a normal horse’s summer coat). The zebra clip did take three hours to do…

[Feathered_Feet]

@RedHorses

One other option is to do a zebra clip. I first heard about this one when reading about someone in England who did it because her horse got terribly sweaty when worked in the winter, but also got cold easily when turned out. I’ve done a zebra clip on my other horse in the early summer before the nights were warm enough for a fully clipped naked horse and it worked well (he had trouble cooling off on hot days and had a longer and denser than a normal horse’s summer coat). The zebra clip did take three hours to do…

I would LOVE a picture of this if you had one available…

[RedHorses]

https://m.facebook.com/555358407878252/photos/a.116855627101641/1084912431589511/?type=3

[joiedevie99]

@luvmyhackney

ou and if in heavy work I would body clip and blanket accordingly. If your just popping around and not working hard enough to sweat more th

As long as you have neck rugs for your blankets, I wouldn’t worry about clipping an outdoor horse in that climate.

[skip99]

I’d take where your horse sweats most into consideration.

My mare sweats first on her neck, then under the girth, the her flanks and under the saddle but if I’m able to keep her clipped in her neck and girth area she seems to get less hot overall and sweats a bit less elsewhere. So my clip for her looks like a high trace on the neck following a straight line down to just behind the girth. I prefer to leave as much hair as possible as she does get cold. She’s wearing a 100g stable blanket while stalled overnight (mid 40s nighttime temps) until her new 200g turnout arrives and she will go back out overnight with layers added as needed.

[pompeiii]

@DiamondJubilee

I’d take where your horse sweats most into consideration.

My mare sweats first on her neck, then under the girth, the her flanks and under the saddle but if I’m able to keep her clipped in her neck and girth area she seems to get less hot overall and sweats a bit less elsewhere. So my clip for her looks like a high trace on the neck following a straight line down to just behind the girth. I prefer to leave as much hair as possible as she does get cold. She’s wearing a 100g stable blanket while stalled overnight (mid 40s nighttime temps) until her new 200g turnout arrives and she will go back out overnight with layers added as needed.

This is what I do as well.

I haven’t clipped yet because my blankets are still being cleaned, but I think I’m going to do this again. Honestly, I like that my gelding has hair on his butt. Somehow I think it keeps me… safer in the winter cold. LOL. But, with this type of clip I can always take off more hair if I need to. It’s worked really well.

I do body clip my mini. He grows a yak coat, hates getting wet, and loves his blanket. We compromise and body clip. He loves getting clipped too. He keeps the hair on his legs and face and gets his blanket(s). Without a blanket? He tries to kick you all winter and is otherwise miserable to be around… Clipped and blanketed? He’s a happy camper. I think he sweats with his coat and then gets chilled. That’s the only explanation I have…

[SFrost]

I got so lucky with finding his current barn. Where he lived fit years sold and I was panicked about finding a new place. His home now is a private “backyard” type barn but their property is beautiful. Nice ring and the owners are the kindest most caring individuals. I feel for you having to drive that far! 66 is such a beast.

Thank you everyone foe the thoughtful and informative advice. I’m going to clip him with the less is more approach and take off more as needed. I’ll also be purchasing him either a liner blanket system or a light weight that can be stacked with his other blankets.

[wildlifer]

Also, it’s no longer 1940 - most blankets are breathable & nothing bad happens if you put a blanket on damp horse. They are just warmer while they dry.

[Kyrabee]

I would do a trace clip and his medium weight.

I haven’t clipped my horse for the last couple of years because I wasn’t riding much. She went au natural with no blankets. However, I am moving barns next month from a mostly self care barn to full service in hopes I have more riding time. I will do a trace or bib clip to give her chest and neck a buzz. She gets to be a hairy yak and it takes too long to cool out so the clipping helps a lot.

Susan