the CLIP and Billy UPDATE *pictures*

[Jump The Moon]

Hi everybody,
So alot of ya knew I was planning on getting Billy his first ever clip this year. Well, the "big day" was monday and he was an absalute doll! Perfect behaviour in all ways. It's just a nice, low, friendly trace clip. Well suited for his first though I thought and it's working it's non-sweat magic, lol.

Pictures:

[mandisue]

HE looks embarrassed!~ LOL> Cute pic, good job on the clipping.

[FatSpottedAppy]

Haha, looks nice! Pretty Billy. :D

[cloedoll]

It looks great, Billy is so cute =P

[MyHorseBiggs]

Looks good! Did you do it? :)

[Gypsy Rose]

He,he! "Mom, where did all my hair go?"

[carla]

He,he! "Mom, where did all my hair go?"


LOL! Yeah, or, "uuuh, you can't make up your mind, Mom?"

edit: Of course, he looks super cute to us- whether he's fond of the new look or not! Glad he did so well for his first clip!

[IrisGreen]

I am a little confused... I have heard of people clipping there horses in the spring to get off there winter coat for an upcoming show. But, I don't know much about clipping.

So, you clipped him to keep him from getting sweaty? Do they get sun burned? Dry skin? itchy? I'm just wondering. I don't board and my horse is kept at my place so I have never been around a clipped horse or anyone that clips there horses. This is all new to me.

[Vibe]

Aww, He is so cute! The clip looks good. I am glad he did so good for you!

[Jump The Moon]

iris: I clip Billy because his winter coat is so thick he sweats up really easily in the autumn/winter. So, he gets his clip to sort that problem out.

LoveXMyXMustang, carla, gypsy, caitlin, fatspottedappy - you said it! Lol, he seems to like it, he just seems happier to work I'm guessing he's more comfortable :D

MyhorseBiggs and Mandisue - my BO clipped for me, she's experienced with nervous and first-time horses for clipping so I figured that was our best bet.

Thanks everyone!! :D:D

[luv2show]

AWWEEE, he looks so cute!!
He's still so dark! lol.
Your BO did a great job.

[WashingtonBay]

I am a little confused... I have heard of people clipping there horses in the spring to get off there winter coat for an upcoming show. But, I don't know much about clipping.

So, you clipped him to keep him from getting sweaty? Do they get sun burned? Dry skin? itchy? I'm just wondering. I don't board and my horse is kept at my place so I have never been around a clipped horse or anyone that clips there horses. This is all new to me.

I bet in your climate, you'll understand when you start wanting to ride and work Muffin more. In heavy winter coat, they sweat quickly and get overheated, like we would running in a parka. Then they are difficult to get dry again and can get chilled when night falls, because they are wet to the skin, unlike wet from rain where they stay fairly dry at the skin.

[IrisGreen]

That sounds like a good idea. I could see it keeping him comfortable and helping him regulate his temperature better.

Do you have to worry about flys, sun burn, or dryness? How fast does it grow out?

Muffin gets thick coat and sweats on his chest but I would be worried about him getting sun burn or flys having direct access to his skin. I guess you could put fly spray on the horse with sun block in it.

If you ride with them clipped under there belly is there any risk of them chafing under the cinch? Do you have to use anything to insure they don't chaff?

I saw a picture of horse once (on horse.com)that had a dark patch on it back the size of a saddle and it looked like the horse was shaved except that one area. Do they clip a horse like that? I always wondered about that picture but I didn't know people clipped in the winter to stop sweating.

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't know anything about clipping a horse. I might think about doing it with Muffin on his chest. He gets a very thick coat and it makes him sweaty in the day time because it doesn't get that cold here.

[IrisGreen]

Thanks WB :) I didn't see you post on the next page. That makes since and I can understand it. Muffin gets the thickest coat I have ever seen on a horse and we have mild winters. He sweats during the day in the sun because it's just not that cold in the daytime.

[WashingtonBay]

That sounds like a good idea. I could see it keeping him comfortable and helping him regulate his temperature better.

Do you have to worry about flys, sun burn, or dryness? How fast does it grow out?

Muffin gets thick coat and sweats on his chest but I would be worried about him getting sun burn or flys having direct access to his skin. I guess you could put fly spray on the horse with sun block in it.

In colder climates, flies disappear in winter, and sunburn is not an issue with dark skin horses. It might be for yours. You might want to put a fly sheet on yours if he's clipped.

How fast it grows out depends on what stage the horse is at in growing hair. Might have to be done again over winter, but sometimes not.

If you ride with them clipped under there belly is there any risk of them chafing under the cinch? Do you have to use anything to insure they don't chaff?

There's actually a lot less risk of them chaffing without the long hair pulling and getting matted under the cinch. When I worked mine more in winter and clipped them, at the very least I clipped the armpits and under the cinch.

I saw a picture of horse once (on horse.com)that had a dark patch on it back the size of a saddle and it looked like the horse was shaved except that one area. Do they clip a horse like that? I always wondered about that picture but I didn't know people clipped in the winter to stop sweating.

That's called a hunter clip. Some leave the hair under the saddle as additional padding and to prevent overly sensitive skin, however when I was showing we body clipped them completely and did not have trouble under the saddle.

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't know anything about clipping a horse. I might think about doing it with Muffin on his chest. He gets a very thick coat and it makes him sweaty in the day time because it doesn't get that cold here.

If you cause him to sweat very frequently in winter or when he might get chilled afterwards, it would be good to clip him. And the more hair you remove the easier it is to get them clean, particularly in moderate climates. Then if needed, blanket them for warmth. I used to do a clip that looked like this in winter (attached). It doesn't remove a lot of the hair they need for warmth and to shed rain, but it did remove the hair from the major sweat areas of the body.

[jeezitsjacki]

aww what a cutie all clipped. I keep threatening ben that if he doesnt stop sweating when I ride im going to have to clip him. Its strange last year he had no winter coat, but this year that is definately not the case!

[Dixie]

Clip looks good! Isn't it awesome when we do first time things to them, that they behave so well?

Iris - This page has pics of most clips I've seen and a few I haven't.
http://www.peasridge.co.uk/clipper-advice/clippers-clipping-advice-horses-types-of-horse-clips.shtml

I used to do what that site calls a 'medium trace clip' back home when I was still riding a lot in the winter and taking lessons. Sometimes we went to a few shows as well. Just remember anything over a low trace clip does require a blanket if your area tends to get pretty cold.

[Jump The Moon]

Thanks everyone, he's so good.

Ashley - I know! He's lightened up a fair bit though, he got so dark this summer, I'm wondering how much lighter he's gonna get! Lol, although, I think there's abit to go - in comparisson to his summer pics he's light as anything - but his skin's very light underneath... makin' the clip look light and the coat look dark... me thinks =D

[quicktodance21]

aww Billy is so cute :D

[KittySawrus]

I can't get over what a lovely colour Billy is! Glad he was so nice for your BO. 9/10 cases I have to twitch the horses I help clip D: good lad Billy!