Mid West People clipping early this year????

[Frankie]

I have noticed some mid west people, IN, OH, IL, are clipping head and necks pretty early this year. Or I think it's early. Have you done it this early before? Are you using neck wraps or anything else once you clip to help keep them warm, or have you not had a problem in the past?

I have thought about it :lol: , but the nights are still getting pretty cool.

Are you doing it for show reasons? Or you just need a present after the long winter??? :lol:

 

[shminifancier]

I sure would not even in those areas.. Just wait till next week when a super cold front comes through.. We will be dropping into the mid teens by midweek~! That is way to cold to even THINK About clipping any part of a horses body~!.

Even though today it was 62 degrees~! Way nice But Way too early yet as tomorrow as snow storm is coming and then a big cold front is dropping out of Canada again. Winter is NOT over folks even though it may have felt today.. Heck It snowed in San Fransisco yesterday and also in Los Vegas~! Winter has not gone away.

 

[Buckskin gal]

Well I did clip two heads and necks with the Clipmaster which doesn't take it to the skin....probably equal to a 15 blade. We are in the warmer part of Montana and it can still get cold on some nights but we do have hoods to put on them to keep them warm. I am hoping to clip everyone by the end of the month and we do blanket if it turns cold. I just love to see them all dolled up

: Mary

 

[Sonya]

I did clip one of mine - one I got just about about a month ago - (just his body where a blanket lies), but only because he has some skin issues that need treatment. He's been clipped about a week - I have 3 different blankets for him - light, med. and heavy. He will probably be wearing a blanket full time until at least May probably. I was able to take it off him yesterday for a couple hours - it was 61. But Tues night suppose to be in the low 20's - so that's probably the last time his blanket will be off for more than a few minutes for a while. I did not do his neck, legs, only where a blanket can cover him. Did his belly a little, but not short as rest.

 

[CountryHaven]

I always start about this time of the year, but only with a 10 blade, so it's not really close, and pretty 'rough' looking, but it still gives me a really great view of what's been hiding all these months.

 

[kaykay]

i have refrained from doing anything other then a belly clip on my mare thats getting close. The problem is now is the time to get show horses ready and if you dont clip you really cant get a handle on their condition. ill probably clip mid april. I just know there are still a lot of cold nights ahead unfortunately.

 

[Leeana]

I clipped Joey's belly Thursday. I normally dont clip but he was shedding like none other and you just can not brush him enouph. I brushed him twice a day normally and his belly underneath was getting very tangled up and just a mess. So i just clipped it underneath a bit.

But thats all i plan to do untill April'ish.

Leeana

 

[sfmini]

In central Ohio it isn't safe to bodyclip and leave them without blankets until Mothers day. I am thinking of doing full bodyclips on our driving horses and keeping them blanketd since they are sweating so much when they are worked. Also, one of our horses will be in the Pfizer Fantasia at Equine Affaire next month, and then we have 4 going to Mike McCabe's clinic at the end of April, so they need to be working!

When I was teaching at Meredith Manor, we bodyclipped all of the horses and kept them blanketed all winter. over 200 horses, no health problems or cold horses.

 

[Sanny]

I'm in MN so though it is warm now things could turn in a minute and get below freezing but...

I've clipped head and neck on one horse, but left his ears fuzzy and I only clipped him because I could feel bumps and little scabs and such under the hair and he is a horse that has very sensitive skin and breaks out in hives and has allergic reactions to bug bites, stress, you name it. It has been really warm and he was really, really itchy and was going crazy scratching and itching and rubbing hair off his neck. I clipped him and have been putting Muck Itch all over the clipped areas and he is much happier.

Also....we've started driving and between needing to get back in shape and being covered in all that hair the horses work up a sweat right away and are very hard to cool down and dry off so I'd like to clip the driving horses with a low number blade but I'm afraid to in case the weather gets bad again.

I can blanket and they are stalled at night, but who knows in our weather if it would be enough.

 

[CountryHaven]

Yeah, I just wanted to add here, I wouldn't even consider body clipping anyone at this time. I simply do not want to have to keep them blanketed. The only ones I even do head and necks on are the ones IN the barn, getting conditioned, and I definately still leave their ears un-done. I've never had any trouble with just head/necking them this early. I've even done some in February in the past, although not this year. It's WAY too early for body clipping here unless you're willing to blanket, and even double blanket if necessary. Although it's been in the 60's this week, they're talking 40's and possible snow during the week coming up. Jeez Louise, what a crazy year this has been.

I did belly clip the one mare that is due this month. The rest that aren't due until next month I'm waiting on doing. All of those mares (due next month) are pretty reliable about their foaling dates so although I'm keeping watch over them for any signs of sneaky early droppings, I'm not fretting them doing anything just yet.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I know I'm still using an electric blanket at night- no way would I clip this early!!

I've even put off showing at this time of year because it is just too darned cold.

I have a colt I am considering taking to the Society sale, and I suppose I shall have to clip him, but I shall not do it for another two/three weeks.

Just hope Spring springs into action soon- we are about to get up to a foot of SNOW!!!!!

 

[stenhse]

I live in Western Illinois and don't plan on clipping them until Mid April. Even then, I will make sure I have blankets around for cold weather days.