Clipping-When

[Tremor]

I am partly curious because I am loving the weather and because I am jealous of those of you in warmer climates.

When do you start clipping heads/ necks, and full bodies?

 

[chandab]

I usually can't/don't start til late April/early May; we can still get cold and icky weather til about Mother's Day. [My MIL runs a small greenhouse, and she doesn't recommend planting til Mother's Day; we're talking little plants, plugs and shoots; not starting from seeds (not sure about those).]

 

[amysue]

I do not clip anything significant until may. Only because it can still be very cold up until then. I try to clip bridle paths muzzles and legs before the vet comes in march when the vet comes so they dont look like mastadons. As cute as they are all fuzzy, I love how pretty they look clipped.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I sometimes clip at the end of March, but am prepared to blanket several times after that. We get some days in the 90's and I hate for them to carry all that dirty fur around on hot days. Plus, it's too hot for them to drive when they are so hairy.

It's usually the last of April before it stays consistently warm, however.

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

I am clipping my super fuzzy bay gelding on the 22nd and dapple grey mare on the 29th. This is only because I have a show on April 5th, otherwise I would probably wait and let them shed out naturally. But since I show, that dictates when I clip. I try to pick the warmest day to clip then keep them blanketed.

 

[wingnut]

I live in Maryland. For the non-U.S. folks, that's on the east coast of the U.S. in what we call the mid-Atlantic area. Our winters are generally mild in comparison to the mid-western areas (Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Illinois, etc.). We will often have many days in the 30's with some in the 40's and some below the 30's. This year, we've had abnormally cold temps for many days as well as frequent storms that yield everything from rain, sleet, ice and 1-12" of snow. Just to give those unfamiliar with the area and idea of what we see here.

Generally I don't clip anyone, anywhere before mid-April. Then, it's only the 2 or three I'm showing. My club's show season starts in early May and I like to do that first major clip about 2 weeks out from the first show. Once clipped, I blanket anyone who needs it. Some years, they are fine other years, they need a blanket for about 2-4 weeks afterward.

This year, I head/neck clipped two of my mares to clean them up while we were at the PA Horse Expo with my club. The temps were still cold when we left there so they were blanketed and I put neck wraps on them. As soon as we had some moderate temps (about 5 or 6 days after the expo), I was able to take off the blankets and wraps. They have been fine.

Otherwise, my girls don't shed out on their own, completely, until about June. My other two mares are allowed to shed out as long as it doesn't get too warm and they're miserable as a result.

 

[REO]

I never clipped until I could go outside in the middle of the night, bare my arm and it not be cold.

 

[Tremor]

I never clipped until I could go outside in the middle of the night, bare my arm and it not be cold.

Wish I could do that. I don't know what it is with me, but I am always cold.

I love how quick this month is going honestly. By the time I realize that spring is here, it will already be Mayan time to clip!

 

[poniesrule]

There's a good point Marsha, hot when we drive. I want to start driving more and conditioning, but with the weather it's driving me crazy! Last week it was 76 on Monday, snow & freezing rain Tuesday, then back to 60's the rest of the week. Would anyone recommend trace clips now? I don't have hoods for their blankets, and don't have access to stalls, just a run in. Would a fleece cooler help wick moisture with all that long thick hair after a workout? I've just been doing long slow walks on those off days. First winter/spring with these little woolies, our big guys never had such issues even in their winter coats!

 

[Marty]

Usually its during May for me but this year's weather is insane so I don't know when I'll clip at the moment. .

I base my clipping time on when the air is warm enough at night because blanketing horses is a pain.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I only have two horses, so blanketing isn't that big a deal. I don't have stalls, either, just runins. I put a neck wrap as well as blanket on my older mare last year when I first got her, as she seemed to feel the cold. And I penned them under the shelter if it rained.

There was a discussion about trace clipping on the Driving forum.

If I've been driving and mine are sweaty when I get home, they seem to do fine with just a good roll afterward.

And like Marty said, this winter has been so weird I'm not sure when I will clip--just play it by ear.

 

[Leeana]

I guess I am the evil pony mom but all of my show ponies have been head and neck clipped for a while now. I head and neck clipped one of my colts right after he came home in December (I felt a little bad about that one). I never blanket, except for a sheet for shows. Now when I do full body clips, whenever that may be, I may do a blanket at night or the first week or so but that is it. My barn is for the most part enclosed, no major drafts or anything of that sort. These two guys got clipped last week - the black was the colt i clipped in December/November (head/neck) and redid for photos and to get rid of the pig hairs for such.

 

[MiniNHF]

Last year I did April/May... this year it might be later because in DE we are having the winter from heck. Just this past weekend it was 60 and then monday dropped to 35 and snowed!

He is definitely extra furry this year vs last year because of the extreme cold we have been having (down in to the negatives). The only thing I have clipped before April this past month was his bridle path, throat latch etc areas so I could get the bridle on comfortably without it being tight and an issue. But even then I didnt take the hair all the way down.

 

[MiniNHF]

There's a good point Marsha, hot when we drive. I want to start driving more and conditioning, but with the weather it's driving me crazy! Last week it was 76 on Monday, snow & freezing rain Tuesday, then back to 60's the rest of the week. Would anyone recommend trace clips now? I don't have hoods for their blankets, and don't have access to stalls, just a run in. Would a fleece cooler help wick moisture with all that long thick hair after a workout? I've just been doing long slow walks on those off days. First winter/spring with these little woolies, our big guys never had such issues even in their winter coats!

I actually did a trace clip on my boy at the beginning of the fall/winter season because his hair came in quick and was making him miserable and tired well before his work outs were done from all the sweating. I left his legs and upper half basically and clipped the sweating points. I cant remember the name of the clip but they use them on bigger show horses. He seemed fine with it even though it was nippy outside and he was much more comfortable working... now he is just two toned now that his hair has grown in for the bitter winter lol Dont ask me why that hair grew in lighter, I saw that after a couple month and was like really?

 

[wingnut]

Leena: Wowza! Those are two beautiful horses!! Those heads! Those necks!!!!

 

[Julie/Azariah]

I USUALLY start clipping a few in April...but last year we had a cold spring... and this year the endless winter......

But... as soon as they start being miserable during the days... when we have a solid spurt of anything in the 70's I will clip and blanket at night.

May is usually when the hair REALLY flies around her