How much clipping/trimming in winter?

[chandab]

Just curious how much others clip or trim their minis in winter, especially those in northern areas.

I have a couple that get really woolie and grow thick "beards" and I've been contemplating scissor clipping the beards some to reduce the bulky hair so it'll be easier to get a halter on them, but not sure how much I should clip/trim wiht our extremely cold weather.

 

[targetsmom]

I only do bridle paths and then use a larger size halter if I need to. Helps to have extra halters in larger sizes!

 

[candycar]

I'm obsessed with keeping my girls looking pretty

I clip bridle paths, faces and some of the leg. I like my horses to look like horses not yacs and I like their halters to fit all year. I use a 1/8 or 1/4 in guard going with the hair on the lower part of the face(cheeks, jowls, jaw line). On the lower legs I use a 1/4 or 1/2 in guard clipping with the hair. Under the fetlock near the hoof I clip against the hair to keep from getting scratches. Sometimes I'll get crazy and clip a little with a long guard under the belly so they have a nice line and don't look so fat LOL!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

None most I do is bridle paths.

 

[happy appy]

I do Bridle paths and a little under their chins. I find that they collect a lot of ice there from drinking out of the trough over the winter. I just use scissors on their chins so that I'm only cutting the really long hair. I'm not really clipping.

 

[Reble]

Here in Ontario Canada get pretty darn cold, but still like to do bridle path, faces under the chin, and a strip down the back along with the V at the tail.

Also do the broodmares belly, this is usually done Sept - Nov. so still have some coat growth when the nasty snow comes to stay for a long cold winter here.

This helps us to be able to see their backbone to access their weight, and the V is so it is not so thick when springs comes and need to clip for early show season.

After that just do bridle paths to know when to do their feet and deworming, once it gets standing up know it is that time again.

 

[Double T]

We don't seem to get near as cold as y'all do (although the last year we've had some really cold weather for this area, lol) but I'll trim up a bridle path, and if I'm taking them somewhere, I'll lightly trim the beards up. Not flush against their skin, but get those long hairs cut off, if that makes sense.

 

[REO]

I only do bridle paths and then use a larger size halter if I need to. Helps to have extra halters in larger sizes!

DITTO

Plus, it their tails are dragging the ground, I trim those to keep them out of the mud & snow.

Clipping minis in winter is like people trimming bikini lines in winter.

 

[2minis4us]

I don't trim at all in the winter.

 

[wingnut]

I don't do any. I make sure I have the next size up halter for each so I have the ability to halter without any issues. Should I get one or more of my girls driving next year, I may do something different. Right now, there's just no need for us.

 

[Jill]

I don't trim or clip in winter.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I don't like beards on my boys. I got a #5 blade that does a pretty good job of tidying the head without looking too wierd where it meets the longer hair at the neck.

I don't trim legs, though.

I've heard the long chin hair and fetlock hair is useful for shedding rain and ice. But I can't bear that hairy beard look. We are out and about all winter in the cart and I want them to be presentable in public.

 

[Taylor Richelle]

Just the bridle paths for my guys! It's way to cold up here in Maine to do anything else

 

[disneyhorse]

I am happy to live somewhere where I have to trace clip my horses!

However, if I lived anywhere it got below freezing EVER and I didn't have a barn... I wouldn't clip at all. They need all that hair for a reason.

 

[Minimor]

No trimming or clipping at all here. I do not even trim bridle paths through the winter--they do go through a spell where they have that Woody Woodpecker look, with the overgrown bridle path sticking straight up, but that's okay, they don't care. I have larger halters so if they are so hairy that their regular halters don't fit I can just use a larger one, no big deal there.

 

[Marty]

I just did mine. I'm obcessed with keeping my horses in nice appearence without risking them getting cold. I do bridle paths and around the jawline to outline the face. Can't deal with the beards. I do keep the whiskars though because I worry if they don't have them to "test" the water they will stop drinking. I don't do fetlocks anymore in winter either. I really think fetlock hairs are very rude, gross, and nasty, but they do provide protection. I don't want to take anything away from them even though they don't live outside 24-7. I do trim up tails a little bit and mane hairs with scissors so they are neat and don't have split ends. I use a lot of show sheen on the body and brush brush brush.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Bridle path only, and much smaller path in the winter than I cut in the summer. Everything else is yak. Can't hardly see my boys feet any more right now he has so much hair on his legs, but I figure if we get snow and crunchy surface all this hair will keep the legs protected. I use a run in shed for winter so I want as much protection as possible.

 

[Sue_C.]

I don't trim at all in the winter.

Most I do it scissor cut the bridle paths a bit, but not to the skin, and clip the muzzles and fetlocks a bit so they don't get snow/ice balls.

To check condition, it isn't difficult to feel through the hair in their backs, to remove that hair here, where it is so damp in the winter, along with the cold, would be making them sooo much colder, as the dampness and snow would collect on the top of their backs like it was a trough.

 

[little lady]

I normally do the bridle paths and a bit around the head. This year I am going to "try" to let them go au natural. We shall see how long I can do that though...

 

[Eagle]

Clipping minis in winter is like people trimming bikini lines in winter.

I don't trim at all in the winter.