Clipping Freedom in upstate NY

[Mercysmom]

We have had warm weather and Mercy was clipped for her visit to the mall in February and Freedom was looking at my clippers longingly...so I did a quick clip on her last night and bundled her up. She has been shedding in clumps and has been so itchy...and she was loving getting clipped - holding her legs up for me, stretching her nose out...and the rule is, when I clip, the weather always gets bad.

So, of course it is blowing and snowing now here - no more warm weather for a few days. I have enough Freedom fur in the wheelbarrow to make a new horse, and a very feisty little mare that is rearing and bucking in her stall, now that she is free of all her winter coat. I left her legs fuzzy as it will protect them with the mud in the pen... but she seems less itchy now.

Thank goodness for the Kalglo heater - may have to fire that baby up later.

Denise

 

[Reble]

We have had warm weather and Mercy was clipped for her visit to the mall in February and Freedom was looking at my clippers longingly...so I did a quick clip on her last night and bundled her up. She has been shedding in clumps and has been so itchy...and she was loving getting clipped - holding her legs up for me, stretching her nose out...and the rule is, when I clip, the weather always gets bad.So, of course it is blowing and snowing now here - no more warm weather for a few days. I have enough Freedom fur in the wheelbarrow to make a new horse, and a very feisty little mare that is rearing and bucking in her stall, now that she is free of all her winter coat. I left her legs fuzzy as it will protect them with the mud in the pen... but she seems less itchy now.

Thank goodness for the Kalglo heater - may have to fire that baby up later.

Denise

Oh so we have you to blame, yes, snow on the ground here and going to be in the minus at night for the next few days if not a week, sounds like.

What where you thinking, silly, not very nice to fool around with the weather.

 

[Mercysmom]

I think Freedom is the only one who is happy!

Oh well, there are bloodroots blooming in the woods by my house on the new trail I made for trail riding Dipper...the daffodils are blooming and the crocuses are almost done...red maples are shedding their blooms...

The spring peepers have been singing so the old wives' tales is three more snowfalls before spring is official... one is out of the way after today!

Now if the wind would just stop blowing so doggone hard...

Denise

 

[deb s]

I purchased a weanling filly from Rhapsody Shetlands. She finally arrived in the middle of Nov. I am dying to see what her color will be. But in upstate NY you never know what the next day will bring. I have not clipped her at all. I had the clippers out a couple days ago to clip the moms to be, bellys. I was so tempted to do the now yearling's head. I live in Honeoye, NY, I use to manage the hardware store near you. I talked to you at the Area I show in July, your horse is sooooooooo beautiful, that was the reason I purchased a shetland but she is a classic. She is also AMHR registered.

 

[Mercysmom]

Hi Debbie!

Gotta love our upstate NY weather... at least later today (Sunday the 5th) is supposed to be warmer!

I contemplated selling my Shetland but decided against it!

Hubby is not happy but I love showing her and she is so much fun to work with... and they are adding some Classic classes to our July show so luckily I can switch gears to see how she does as a Classic since she is not shod as a Modern at the moment....

Freedom is not shivering despite being clipped so I feel like I did her a good service. Mercy, however, cursed my name the first few days after the Lollypop Farm telethon...

Glad to see you here on Lil Beginnings - good luck with your babies!

Denise

 

[Lilac Lane Farm]

Ok what were you thinking????

LOL. We did the same thing here in greater Upstate NY, clipped a filly and going to be 30 deg thru Thursday. I HATE NY!!! Need to move south soon

Heidi

 

[barnbum]

Hi fellow New York folks!

And Mary!!

I felt terrible clipping my mares' bellies this week--Chloe got a nice warm day, but I did Gypsy's yesterday since she was stuck in the barn and DRY. But, boy oh boy did they LOVE it. I didn't have to halter or tie them and neither moved a muscle--and when I polished a bit later while they were together--they were pushing to see who could get clipped first. No one is shivering--thank goodness.

I can't wait for Horseheads--to watch--and help.

 

[Little Indian Acres]

The weather here in Southern Indiana is really crazy. Yesterday we were all freezing at the LKF clinic because though the sun was out there was a slow chilling wind which happily drifted it's way into the barn. Then this morning it was nice, warm and sunny. By late afternoon today it was a downpour with horrid winds. I think we are supposed to get like 30 degree weather and snow the beginning of this week. Hard to believe I was wearing shorts and bathing horses a few days ago.

 

[Genie]

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I read your post yesterday and wasn't worried at all for our weather, although the forecast said we could get a bit.

It was warm yesterday afternoon and I bathed a stud that had rolled in lots of mud.

THankfully I put him under a heat lamp last nite because ........Look what this morning brought

 

[Devon]

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http://pic60.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1742/1...2/360605592.jpg

I read your post yesterday and wasn't worried at all for our weather, although the forecast said we could get a bit.

It was warm yesterday afternoon and I bathed a stud that had rolled in lots of mud.

THankfully I put him under a heat lamp last nite because ........Look what this morning brought

OMG ; We didnt get Snow here but Im close tot he NY boarder.

 

[WLS]

Hello from north of you up here in Canada. YES, what were you thinking ??? WE are expecting hopefully our last snow storm of the season this afternoon. And it is crappy and cold out there. WE never feel it is safe to do a full body clip till about mid May. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I can clip some faces and necks. I think they appreciate getting all that hair off their necks and jaws, but like to keep the hair on their backs, kinda like a blanket. So my horses look funny for about a month with partial clips, but at least I don't have to bother with blankets at night and cool days.

 

[Mercysmom]

We did get a blanketless day on Sunday - today it is back to blankets and snow predicted for tonight - 5" on my hill.

There was something springlike about watching Freedom and Mercy blanketless, rolling to get the itchies out, tossing their heads and grooming each other. I can see what toning we need for this season, too.

Denise

 

[midnight star stables]

I wasn't going to reply but......

I'm sure your boy is HAPPY - He sure sounds it!!!

I'd rather have a Happy hairless, then a Irritable yak! I don't understand some people, they are blinded by the date and overlook their horses' comfort.

Not everyone can clip at this time of year but it shouldn't be taboo for others. My horses are stalled at night and during bad weather year round, so they never get a huge coat of hair. We have a warm barn and blankets galore. I have clipped two so far this year and they are much more playful now. One is 16 years old and runs and plays more now then ever. The other would race around as a yakk and sweat and sweat. Both are now much happier and Donovan IS healthier! Also, on the side of the lake we are, we don't get the strong winds or heavy snow.

So one person can not base opinions for all people in their area. To each their own!!

JMHO, from a Clipping Canadian

(Who isn't alone

)

Denise - I want pictures

 

[Mercysmom]

I know Freedom is more comfortable clipped and in a warm blanket - I never look at the calendar but observe the comfort of my girls when deciding on clipping but I knew some folks may be colder than we are in April an might shiver at the thought.

Freedom was the itchiest little mare going... rubbing on anything to get rid of the itchy hair. Spots where she rolled were covered in the white hair from her back.

Freedom's a mare, BTW...think of the Toby Keith song about "when you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell...."

She was born April 24, 2001 - she was stuck during delivery and when I got her delivered (from her left leg back all the way, right elbow locked on mare's pelvis and her head out ahead of her hooves), the whinny she let out was a ringing belltone - hence her name Silversong Freedom Rings. The veterinarian said I did a good job getting her free as her eyes were not bloodshot and the mare showed no bruising or tearing, thank goodness. Her name took on more meaning for me as a friend of ours was married 9 days before 9/11 and our hotel room was on the 12th floor of the Marriott between the Twin Towers overlooking the courtyard where the Sphere sculpture was.

While Mercy has been my performance horse, Freedom is learning how to handle herself through obstacle courses and over jumps so I am looking forward to showing her in 2009.

And, despite the snow and cold of the past few days, we are starting to warm up again - finally! I am hoping in a day we will be blanketless again!

I have to get some pics on Friday - I finally have a day off and can take some!

Enjoy!

Denise