Body clipping in winter??

[KCandAllegro'sMom]

OK,

Well the weather here is pretty sporadic. Cold one week, in the upper 60's low 70's this week.

The boys both have their winter coats and Allegro has been sweating with this warmer weather. The nights have been getting down into the 40's this week since it has been warmer, but last week it was getting down to 29-32 degrees at night.

I was thinking about body clipping him - giving him a trace clip, then blanketing him because I worry about him sweating and catching a chill.

Any thoughts?

[WashingtonBay]

It's a really good idea to clip the major sweat areas if you work the horse very much in winter. Helps them work more comfortably, helps you get them dry before they get chilled. If you don't mind blanketing, there's no downside, IMHO.

[HeartofSteel]

I am planning on clipping Niko because he is super super wooley already and he sweats like crazy. I just ordered a neck cover for his blanket so he will stay nice and toasty and dry.

[KCandAllegro'sMom]

Thanks all.

He's not really being worked much, but is getting sweaty when he's turned out - just the warmth and playing.

I think it's time to get that blanket ordered and my clippers sharpened.

[Flair]

I am planning on clipping Niko because he is super super wooley already and he sweats like crazy. I just ordered a neck cover for his blanket so he will stay nice and toasty and dry.

And my woolly little Haflinger is getting a trace clip because the weather here is usually so nice most of the time that I still ride. But can't have him sweat up too much. I don't want to do a body clip because I'd only want him blanketed at night and don't want to mess around with different sheets and stuff.

[Remali]

A trace clip isn't a bad idea at all....and you can always blanket if needed.

[fire1]

I do a partial clip. I clip his whole neck and shoulders, then a portion of his rump gets clipped. He is a whooley mamoth and I work him hard during the winter months!

[All4Grace]

I just did a trace clip on Hazel and tomorrow Grace and Sunny are gettign clipped.
with the socal weather Sunyn get toohot in her full winter coat and the 70-80degree weather sometiems!!!
she is gettign a full body clip and blanketed on cold days. She is our resident old lady. :-D

[missdixie]

I agree, not a bad idea to clip. I just blanket the crap out of Dixie so she doesn't grow a winter coat. BTW that is so cool that your horse's name is Allegro, that is my first horse's name!

[KCandAllegro'sMom]

I agree, not a bad idea to clip. I just blanket the crap out of Dixie so she doesn't grow a winter coat. BTW that is so cool that your horse's name is Allegro, that is my first horse's name!

Thanks missdixie.

He came to me with the name Max (Maximilien actually) but I thought that it just didn't suit him. I had been looking at a filly before I found him and had picked out the name Allegra...so when I got him instead Allegro fit. When he's bad he's Allegro Adante

[FredRock]

I just blanket the crap out of Dixie so she doesn't grow a winter coat.

You're horse will grow a winter coat if you blanket; the only difference is that it will be smoothed down. Coat growth is affected by the amount of sunlight, not temperatures. That's why some horses have full coats in 80 degree weather coming out of winter.