To Clip or not?

[Miss MoneyPenny]

I am in a tis as to whether or not to clip Penny this year. I am hoping to do some schooling and hacks over the winter but nothing too much. Although she is coming back from hacks a bit sweaty at the mo and I am don't want her to catch a chill standing around getting cold. But she hasn't got her full mammoth coat yet!

Penny lives out 24/7 and if I were to give her a belly & neck clip can she still live out?

Would she need a neck cover as her rugs are the turnout masta ones - without neck covers? Just a thought, as she would have half of her neck out to the elements once clipped.

Any ideas welcomed!

[anuvb]

Unless she is coming back really sweaty and doing lots of work (ie - three long hacks a week plus schooling) then I wouldn't clip her out for winter. Rather sponge her down with a damp sponge and then use a cooler rugs until she has cooled down completely.

If you do decide to clip then she should be able to live out 24/7 okay and without a neck cover during the day, but I'd consider getting a neck cover to use on really cold nights.

You don't have to make a decision just yet for the amount of work you are doing, but just keep an eye on her and make a decision once her winter coat has come through completely.

[Mehitabel]

i would also wait until she has her mammoth coat as otherwise you'll just have to clip again when it arrives! she can certainly live out with a neck and belly, and you won't need to get her neck covers unless she really feels the cold. remember, neck covers are a reasonably recent invention and we've been clipping for years - horses never suffered before.

[AJB]

I clipped my boy yesterday!!!-he is a IDxTB (more ID than TB!!) and gets very very teddy like in the winter-already I cant work him for a half hour in the school without having to sit around for an hour waiting for him to dry-no fun when the winds like it is here lately!-I gave him a blanket as I like to keep his back fur on and he will be out 24/7 until mid november when all the yard horses have to be in at night-he has a mid-weight on day and night from now on and i did put a neck cover on last night as it was very chilly in the wind and he has it on today as its the same-however normally I would take the neck cover off it the weather is ok during the day....last year I did not have a neck cover until long after he was clipped and he seemed ok so I dont think they are essential but it does keep them clean which is part of the reason most people clip and rug!....my boy works most nights for 30-40 nminutes in the school and is hacked for 2-3 hours upwards weekends so he works quite hard....I think clipping is all about your individual horse-another at the yard only works lightly is a TB and has a blanket which he doesnt need but his teen owner thinks he looks "cool"....

[Bebe]

Bebe lived out for most of last winter with a trace clip and she never wore a neck cover. I did let her mane grow as long as it will go though, and it's thick enough that when the wind blows the wrong way it covers both sides of her neck.

Up until Saturday Bebe was living out with a bib clip and she wasn't rugged, she was fine. On Saturday I extended her clip so now she's got half a trace clip (half neck, shoulders and belly to just behind where the girth goes has been clipped). I didn't rug her Sat or Sun but she wanted to go out last night instead of being stabled so she had a l/w rug on. It was forecast to be very windy and wet today so I left her l/w rug on, and now it's sunny and dry (typical)!

If your horse is only sweating up lightly and you have the time to dry him off properly before turning out, I wouldn't clip or would just do a bib clip if you feel he needs it. I only clipped Bebe as she was so sweaty after an hours hack in walk it was taking an hour to dry her off. This included using 2 coolers, a hairdryer and a towel - and she was still slightly damp after all that!