Clipping the black mini question

[Cayuse]

I will be clipping my mini this spring for show season, and was womderering how long it would take for him to return to his black coloring from the mousy color that blacks usually end up being when clipped. He is a true black. When I clipped his felocks last summer for a show, he grew back to black in about a week, and that was much quicker than I anticipated. When I clip my others, it seems to take about a month to return to there original color.

I will hopefully be showing in solid color classes, so I would rather have him black than newly clipped super slick.

Any tips appreciated and as always, thank you!

 

[amysue]

My true black mare, Velvet does not get too mousy gray after a clip if instead of using my big body clippers (Oster 210), I use my A5s with a 10 blade. I find that the blade cuts a but coarser and longer than the body clipper blades and since the cut is a hair longer, it stays blacker as less skin shows through. The first time I clipped her, she looked gray, so I bathed her again and that helped immensely with restoring her color. I try to clip her 3 weeks before she has to look presentable for anything so her color comes back, it does not usually take more than ten days, but that way I have enough time to re clip or touch her up. I feed her ground flax seed to help keep her shiny and I add skin so soft oil to my flyspray to make them all shimmery.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I usually get clipping in about April/May and my blacks coat grows back awfully until July lol

 

[Miniv]

No matter what color (but I noticed it more with our black), the best result of clipping tended to be the third one.

 

[Cayuse]

My true black mare, Velvet does not get too mousy gray after a clip if instead of using my big body clippers (Oster 210), I use my A5s with a 10 blade. I find that the blade cuts a but coarser and longer than the body clipper blades and since the cut is a hair longer, it stays blacker as less skin shows through. The first time I clipped her, she looked gray, so I bathed her again and that helped immensely with restoring her color. I try to clip her 3 weeks before she has to look presentable for anything so her color comes back, it does not usually take more than ten days, but that way I have enough time to re clip or touch her up. I feed her ground flax seed to help keep her shiny and I add skin so soft oil to my flyspray to make them all shimmery.

I clipped his legs with a 10 blade, so maybe that is why he darkened up quick. That is blade I usually body clip with, too, so maybe that will help. I just don't want to ruin his pretty color.

Thanks everyone!

 

[supaspot]

It depends on the time if year ,if clipped early in the spring they can grow back mousey , the trick is to clip them at least a month before the show , then wrap them up VERY well, clip again 8 to 10 days before the show and wrap up very well and they should grow back black , when the warmer the weather comes you should be able to clip once a week before

 

[Cayuse]

OK, so it seems sometimes the color comes back better after the second or third clipping?

Does any one know why, or is that just "the way it is"? I wonder if it is because the first clipping is done before the winter coat sheds, and the second clipping when the summer coat is in?

My welsh, who is chestnut with a silver mane and tail is difficult to clip as no matter what, I get clipper marks that won't blend. My red chestnut mare blends fine and so did my old bay gelding. Funny how they are different.

They are beginning to shed. I have to resist the urge to break out the blades. Lots more winter ahead, I bet!

 

[Miniv]

I don't know exactly why the third clipping has given us the best results.......but what you, Cayuse, suggested, is probably it.

It has to do with the undercoat in the winter vs summer. When we would clip horses for Nationals or Worlds, which is in the Fall,

their color was never as nice because we were starting to deal with the winter undercoat coming in.

Ours are shedding too, and our temps have been unusually "spring like", but I can guarantee that Mother Nature will throw

us another cold snap before REAL spring hits. So, the curry comb is my best friend.

 

[lkblazin]

also if you lengthen the amount of light they get in a day, there hair growth will change. It has to do with the time of year there body thinks it is. Hormones and brain stuff is all involved. Big show barns use this method in the winter. when they are riding they don't want fuzzy sweaty horses. So they keep them clipped and under timed lighting.