# lets see those body clips :)



## kchfuller

i'll start... here is Maddy:


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## M2twisted

this was a few years ago, but he gets the same silly haircut every winter, ha!


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## ilovestitch

Here ya go!


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## AppyLover615

^^ i love it when people make cool mural like clips LOL 
~AL615


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## kchfuller

M2: I have never seen a clip like that, is it a type of trace?

ilove: is that your horse? that is amazing!


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## JustDressageIt




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## kchfuller

^cute 

I love how they are all chestnuts on here so far haha


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## letsgetserious

ilovestitch that isnt your horse...


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## Void

I'll be clipping come November 15.


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## Tasia

letsgetserious said:


> ilovestitch that isnt your horse...


I belive that was just an example


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## gypsygirl

here is rhydian, with a trace clip if you can even see it ! i just think this is a really pretty picture of her !


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## o0hawaiigirl0o

Here's my girl after her first ever clipping experiance.


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## shanoona

I don't like hem. I am not for clipping, I just think it's unneccessary and it really must pinch terribly


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## lacyloo

shanoona said:


> I don't like hem. I am not for clipping, I just think it's unneccessary and it really must pinch terribly


Yeah I don't get why people clip...Poor ponies,they look naked :shock:


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## shanoona

lacyloo said:


> Yeah I don't get why people clip...Poor ponies,they look naked :shock:


Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


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## drafts4ever

We're going to chest clip Caleigh because her winter coat is so thick she just sweats and sweats and then doesn't dry or cool off well at all. She has a blanket, well a couple blankets to keep her warm after we clip her. She's never been clipped so it'll be a learning experience. We're going to take it nice and slow. I do tend to like the furry. Although I leased a horse a while back who was clipped to represent every holiday his owners could do. If I can dig up some old pictures I'll scan and post em. He had a pumpkin on his butt for Halloween and jiggle bells and ornaments for Christmas, they didn't do thanksgiving that I can remember I don't think he had grown the fur back in time. 

sorry for the long post. I like seeing peoples clips. Some are very interesting.


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## gypsygirl

i clipped rhydian because the barn i rode her at was not heated so it was FREEZING ! but i wanted to show her over the winter & the winter shows are at heated barns where its at least 40degrees warmer. if i hadnt clipped her at all she would have sweated buckets from being so hot. she had problems regulating her body temp anyways so it was a must. i would have clipped more but she was a freak about it haha. i think its really mean to take your horse to a heated barn to ride & not clip them if they have been used to being outside all winter. they just get so hot you cant hardly ride them


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## AppyLover615

> He had a pumpkin on his butt for Halloween and jiggle bells and ornaments for Christmas, they didn't do thanksgiving that I can remember I don't think he had grown the fur back in time.


Thats cute 

I can see why one would want to clip their horses coat for proper body heat regulation when working. We had a cushings horse at the barn I used to ride at that would grow such a long wavy coat and poor thing would sweat like crazy if he was worked, so it made sense to help him out a bit, give him a "breather" so to speak.

~AL615


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## drafts4ever

gypsygirl said:


> i i would have clipped more but she was a freak about it haha.


How did you go about clipping if she was a little freaky about it? The lady I bought Caleigh from said she'd been clipped only once and when I ran the clippers (really quiet and cordless) she tensed and backed away. We were going to have the vet sedate her a little but the sedation did nothing when we had her teeth done and the vet doesn't want to experiment with more.


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## drafts4ever

shanoona said:


> sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


I think you mean a fleece cooler?


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## Pinto Pony

My boy last winter


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## gypsygirl

^^ your pony is so cute !!!


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## Void

shanoona said:


> Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


I'm body clipping for fungal reasons.

Also when you work a full-time job and can only ride before work, it helps you be less late to work then you would normally be if your horse cools out faster. 

Also we lack warm water at our barn :/


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## gypsygirl

drafts4ever said:


> How did you go about clipping if she was a little freaky about it? The lady I bought Caleigh from said she'd been clipped only once and when I ran the clippers (really quiet and cordless) she tensed and backed away. We were going to have the vet sedate her a little but the sedation did nothing when we had her teeth done and the vet doesn't want to experiment with more.


i used a lip twitch. she didnt care about the normal smaller clippers, but the body clippers my friend has are really really noisy. sedation didnt help at all, she just kept fighting it & it had no affect on her at all


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## Stencilbum

shanoona said:


> Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


Hi, I'll try and answer this question for you as best I can.

Horses have been given a very efficient coat by nature, but nature never did intended horses to be worked hard to the point of sweating in their natural behaviour for hours on end in the way they are asked by us keepers.

The growth cycle of a Horses coat is governed by the amount of daylight hours in a day (hence the winter coat starts to grow in early July after the summer solstice, and the summer coat starts to grow in early January after the winter solstice) in the northern hemisphere . 

So why do people clip their horses ?

We ask them to work in varying degrees irrespective of this and they warm up and start sweating very quickly with a rider on their backs (depending on their level of fitness). 
If a horse has a full coat of hair 30+mm long, it will hold onto the sweat for over an hour and so you cannot throw a rug on a wet horse and turn it out, as for one reason the salt in the sweat crystalizes in the coat as it dries and will cause irritation under the rug, and if you don't rug your horse, cannot turn it out soaked with sweat as it will get a chill (all horses must be rugged if clipped)

In regard to horses and ponies in competition, if their body temperature goes above normal range, they will struggle to hold their attention (like us humans). If this becomes the case and they overheat, then it is a waste of time entering them in competition as they will never give their best once they get hot apart from it being unfair to work them to this temperature 

You see different clips on horses and they are all designed to offer the correct balance between natural protection and avoiding this overheating (and brain cooking).

I have a section on my website which explains this in detail and what sort of clip style people choose, how much natural protection the take away in comparison to human clothing. Why clip ??

If you are not working your horses, they don't need the help of clipping (unless they have cushings disease), but if they are in work, then they and you will benefit from this practice, and this can be done in both the winter and summer depending on climate and workload (eventers clip all year around in the UK)

Lastly, Irrespective of what style or design of clip which people give their horse's and pony's, it is only a haircut, and provided they are properly protected from the elements and managed accordingly it will not be an issue to them.

I have some pictures of custom designs which we have done ourselves and also that I've sent out to people all over the world in my album here for those interested.

Ash


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## kchfuller

^thanks Sten ... very well said ...

Shan, i feel like your comment was totally not productive.


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## gypsygirl

shanoona said:


> Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


a horse i used to ride if she wasnt clipped i would have to walk her for upwards of 2 hours. she would still not be all the way dry so i would also have to brush her for a long time. she had sweating issues, but still. most horses that sweat in winter & have hair i usually have to walk and/or groom for at least an hour if they are worked for 45 minutes. that is just impossible when you have other horses to ride & other things to do every day


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## Stencilbum

gypsygirl said:


> i used a lip twitch. she didnt care about the normal smaller clippers, but the body clippers my friend has are really really noisy. sedation didnt help at all, she just kept fighting it & it had no affect on her at all


This is a tricky one. When we started clipping Jessie, she wouldn't stand for clipping with a regular set (she was terrified, and saw off the girl who came down to trace clip her), so my daughter (who is her primary rider/carer) ended up clipping her with some very quiet (human) trimmers as we didn't have anything else to work with, It took ages but it did the trick, and over time we started to introduce louder and bigger ones. 

As I see it, the problem with using a twitch or sedation like (sedalin) is that the horses then associate the procedure of clipping with pain or something they don't understand, makes lots of scary noise and can't run from.

We started by turning the trimmers on in her stable, and running them for about 10 minutes nearby whilst grooming her with a brush. Then we moved on to bringing them closer to her when switched off and ran them over her flank whilst reassuring her that they weren't going to eat her.

We did this for a couple of days and then turned them on and brought them closer to her and ran them across her side and all over her whilst turned on so she could hear and feel the vibrations of them without actually clipping (not too close to her head though). We did this a bit more and eventually took a crafty clip of her coat.

If she showed any sign of alarm at any stage, we took a step back and carried on working at this level until she was happy to move on.

Eventually she was happy to stand there and be clipped with the trimmers into a trace (which took an evening), and after a couple of more clips, we re introduced the big clippers again and she was OK with them. 

She will happily stand for any length of time to be clipped now and this enabled my daughter to clip a star design all over her over the space of about 3 evenings a couple of years ago (below) as a way of showing off the stencil system (it did grow out very quickly though as it was done in October)










Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her (through fear), she went from that to being so chilled out about the procedure she would allow my daughter to climb underneath her with a pair of trimmers to clip some stars on her belly, it is testament that patience does work!

We as owners will never be able to force these big animals to do anything they are scared of like boxing, clipping, shoeing, jumping, wading etc etc (without a fair amount of cruelty) so we have to work with them and teach them to trust our judgment.

We have found there is little you cannot ask of a horse if the trust is there


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## AppyLover615

wow that's crazy! in an interesting way of course. 

~AL615


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## drafts4ever

I love the stars!!!!


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## gypsygirl

i guess my situation was a bit different. the horses owner doesnt ride her in the winter so she was never gonna body clip her again once i sent her home. i just needed to get it done in the 2hr window that i was at my friends barn. she actually really liked the lip twitch, she fought it for about 3 minutes then she was great

cute pony !


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## Stencilbum

gypsygirl said:


> i guess my situation was a bit different. the horses owner doesnt ride her in the winter so she was never gonna body clip her again once i sent her home. i just needed to get it done in the 2hr window that i was at my friends barn. she actually really liked the lip twitch, she fought it for about 3 minutes then she was great
> 
> cute pony !


She is a real darling and a joy to own 

Don't get me wrong, I do understand the usefulness of a twitch and when time is a limiting factor for a rare procedure the means can justify the end. We used a shoulder pinch on the TB when she got a really nasty case of ringworm on her chest a couple of years ago and started dancing around when we tried to put the cream on, but for clipping which is likely to happen 3 times a year year in year out, I think it better to educate to cooperate than use a brute force method.


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## gypsygirl

i dont look at a twitch as being brute force. it releases endorphins & has a natural calming effect.


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## Stencilbum

gypsygirl said:


> i dont look at a twitch as being brute force. it releases endorphins & has a natural calming effect.


I see it as that as well, but you can make a horse very head shy with the practice when you twitch a lip. This indicates to me that they really don't like it.

There is a saying - Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me !

They soon associate a twitch with something they would not voluntarily stand for. This is wy I dislike its use with clipping.


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## gypsygirl

Stencilbum said:


> I see it as that as well, but you can make a horse very head shy with the practice when you twitch a lip. This indicates to me that they really don't like it.
> 
> 
> 
> There is a saying Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me !


just dont overuse it then =] it doesnt hurt them any, they just dont want someone grabbing thier nose, they dont know whats going on. but they get over it & it can benefit them if you think about it. if someone can twitch a horse then they wont have to resort to beating & cornering as some people do


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## coffeemama

ilovestitch said:


> Here ya go!


 That is AWESOME!!!!:lol::lol:


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

shanoona said:


> Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


Imagine wearing a winter coat soaked through in 15F weather. A furry horse won't dry in ten minutes, the pony I used to lease would take hours (no exaggeration, literary 2+ hours) to dry, even with two sweat sheets, two coolers, and plenty of towels. He was fine being clipped and was much happier afterwards.


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## kchfuller

^agree ... i don't get off work till 5 pm and it gets dark by 5:30 so I can't risk my horse getting sick b/c she didn't dry all the way.


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## lacyloo

Solution... Don't work the horse hard in the winter. HAHA


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## gypsygirl

lacyloo said:


> Solution... Don't work the horse hard in the winter. HAHA


not possible if you show in the winter =]

im not sure where everyone is from, but when its cold they get hot a lot faster than many people think they will


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## upnover

Stencilbum- welcome to the forum! I've seen that picture of your super cute pony floating around online. I think i actually laughed outloud the first time I saw it! That is hysterical! Thanks for your explanations, very informative! 

Clipping is a Godsend. It's not realistic for performance horses who show or are in training to just have the winter off. Nor is it realistic to expect the wooly ones to dry off with a cooler in under 10 minutes. With proper blanketing your horse stays warm and clipping is a win win situation for everyone.


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## MN Tigerstripes

I thinking clipping is necessary if you plan on working your horse significantly over the winter. Esp if you work in a heated barn. Otherwise they overheat and it takes hours to cool them down.


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## My Beau

I agree - clipping makes the cooling process drop from HOURS to under an hour. It's a definite for people who train heavily through the winter so they can pick up right where they left off on the spring and for those who show all winter. 

I personally don't clip my horse that I show now as he won't stand for it, but if he would, he would be running around in a high trace clip - no doubt about it.

It's easy to say don't work your horses so much in the winter - but we have to sometimes and there is a whole other world of showing in the winter with Indoors and such. 

Personally I find clipping better than leaving a horse under lights to keep their coat short. Much better.


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## ezhuntin

lacyloo said:


> Yeah I don't get why people clip...Poor ponies,they look naked :shock:


I have to clip my horses.
I fox hunt in the winters, and its is much cleaner looking.
Plus, my white horse stays cleaner.
It also helps with cooling a horse down while keeping them warm.


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## dunsjump

I usually show all winter, my horse gets a full clip in late October/early November and is clipped again in February (or before then depending on how furry he gets). If I didn't clip him, I simply wouldn't be able to work him hard without spending hours cooling him out and additional time towel drying him. Of course clipping him does require owning more blankets (at least in my mind, I always want to be prepared) - but I guess that blanketing and clipping come hand-in-hand. 

My horse is much lighter when he is clipped. I will try and get some shots tomorrow and then compare with his passport photo (in Canada, horses have to have passports to show at rated shows - it helps record all their points and all sorts of other things but IMO it's also a giant money grab - just a sidenote) from when his hair had grown back a few years ago.


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## JoeyJoker

I'm looking into getting Joey clipped next year, only a bib or low trace as he'll be (hopefully!) in much harder work by then, and he grows such a thick coat it's simply unfair to expect him to preform when he's hot.


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## Stencilbum

upnover said:


> Stencilbum- welcome to the forum! I've seen that picture of your super cute pony floating around online. I think i actually laughed outloud the first time I saw it! That is hysterical! Thanks for your explanations, very informative!
> 
> Clipping is a Godsend. It's not realistic for performance horses who show or are in training to just have the winter off. Nor is it realistic to expect the wooly ones to dry off with a cooler in under 10 minutes. With proper blanketing your horse stays warm and clipping is a win win situation for everyone.


I use the still picture as part of a 4 minute video of the clipping system when I do the trade shows and it is surprising how many people will hang around to see it loop again as they usually give a similar response to yours :lol:
It looks complicated, but it really was very straightforward to do.


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## StormyBlues

shanoona said:


> Yeah. They look funny, naked, and I think it's very uncomfortable to them. Imagine yoursef in winter. Wearing jacket, but in this jacket would be a huge hole on your belly. And then again winter trousers. I think it would be very uncomfortable for you to have this kind of clothes. And the "reason" for this? That the horses get sweaty and they can get ill and sick??? WTF??? You don't have any time to put "( i dunno the right word-try to understand )sweat-drinking blanket" over your horse and simply walk with him for 10 minutes?


 Obviously, you havn't had to keep a show horse in shape over the winter. It takes a couple of hours for a horse to dry from work in the winter. Clipping and blanketing is much better for the horse. 

I plan on clipping(well really paying my trainer to clip) Geof in early Dec. when his blankets come in(I ordered them today!) because I'm going to show in FL, and we are going down to clinic in GA later in Dec, and I don't want him to overheat when we school XC!


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## Stencilbum

StormyBlues said:


> Obviously, you havn't had to keep a show horse in shape over the winter. It takes a couple of hours for a horse to dry from work in the winter. Clipping and blanketing is much better for the horse.
> 
> I plan on clipping(well really paying my trainer to clip) Geof in early Dec. when his blankets come in(I ordered them today!) because I'm going to show in FL, and we are going down to clinic in GA later in Dec, and I don't want him to overheat when we school XC!



I had a holiday in Orlando in July and it was just baking. I didn't see any horses there in the fields when we went to Cape Canaveral so I guessed that keeping horses in such a hot climate isn't very popular.

Do the temperatures drop dramatically over the winter months in FL ?


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## StormyBlues

I live up here in Area V(Texas-Arkansas-Louisianna area) and it gets pretty cold, cold enough for wooly coats! We go down to show our horses in FL for 2 weeks every year, and since it is consteratably warmer there, Geof, and all the horses, need to be clipped before we go down. 
To answer your question- it can get COLD in FL! We were in Disney World once and it was so cold, we had to buy heavy winter snow clothes! So yes, it gets cold!


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## Stencilbum

StormyBlues said:


> I live up here in Area V(Texas-Arkansas-Louisianna area) and it gets pretty cold, cold enough for wooly coats! We go down to show our horses in FL for 2 weeks every year, and since it is consteratably warmer there, Geof, and all the horses, need to be clipped before we go down.
> To answer your question- it can get COLD in FL! We were in Disney World once and it was so cold, we had to buy heavy winter snow clothes! So yes, it gets cold!


It is about 44f (7C) where I am in the UK at the moment during the day, so winter clothing is definitey the order of the day  , but we have mild weather in comparison to the Northern US states due to the Gulf Stream.

How many hours drive is it to take your horses to FL ?


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## Gillian

Stencilbum said:


> I had a holiday in Orlando in July and it was just baking. I didn't see any horses there in the fields when we went to Cape Canaveral so I guessed that keeping horses in such a hot climate isn't very popular.
> 
> Do the temperatures drop dramatically over the winter months in FL ?


There are actually lots of horses in FL because we can ride all year long. As for how cold, well it depends on _where_ in FL. I'm more in southern FL so it really never gets colder than the 40s. And even that's rare. Then again if you're farther north in the panhandle or in Tallahassee, it'll be colder. So it all depends. :]


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## StormyBlues

^Yeah, we'll be up in Ocala-Jacksonville area in Feb. 

It takes around 18 hours to get down there. And that's with just a couple stops!


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## ilovemyPhillip

Here's my guy getting clipped..

xD


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## kchfuller

haha


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## gypsygirl

does anyone who does a strip or trace clip keep their horse naked ?


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## Stencilbum

gypsygirl said:


> does anyone who does a strip or trace clip keep their horse naked ?


As in unrugged ? I'd really hope not.

I've got a guide on my website which shows you the comparison between states of undress in humans and horses ifit is any help 

Why Clip


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## gypsygirl

i know about different clips & why & such, im wondering if anyone thinks its okay to do a small amount of clipping & not blanket their horse


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## kchfuller

I wouldn't ... since you are removing some of their coat that they use to keep warm you need to compensate with a blanket.


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## StormyBlues

And their coats at this time of year are waterproof, so your also letting them get wet if it rains or snows and that will chill them


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## dressagebelle

When I used to clip my dads horse, as he got a really long coat in winter, I would literally clip under his neck, just where his windpipe is, and the front of his chest, and left the rest of his body unclipped. Since he had such a small area clipped, I wouldn't blanket him unless it got pretty cold. Keeping in mind that I live in sunny San Diego, so even in winter its still relatively warm. I never had a problem with that, and I gave the barn manager permission to blanket him if she deemed it cold enough, and I hadn't gotten out there. I did completely clip my mare though, and kept her blanketed.


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## Stencilbum

dressagebelle said:


> When I used to clip my dads horse, as he got a really long coat in winter, I would literally clip under his neck, just where his windpipe is, and the front of his chest, and left the rest of his body unclipped. Since he had such a small area clipped, I wouldn't blanket him unless it got pretty cold. Keeping in mind that I live in sunny San Diego, so even in winter its still relatively warm. I never had a problem with that, and I gave the barn manager permission to blanket him if she deemed it cold enough, and I hadn't gotten out there. I did completely clip my mare though, and kept her blanketed.


This sounds like sensible advice. We use a rule of thumb that if the area is clipped, it is covered.

We use rugs with neck covers if we clip up that far as it does get down to freezing regularly, but as said earlier, the hair acts as a waterproof barrier, and by clipping it of doesn't just expose to the cold, but also the damp.


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## StormyBlues

I'm thinking of maybe getting a neck cover for when I clip Geof, it doesn't get terribly cold here often, and if it does they stay inside(or go out for a short period of time). Should I?


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## Stencilbum

StormyBlues said:


> I'm thinking of maybe getting a neck cover for when I clip Geof, it doesn't get terribly cold here often, and if it does they stay inside(or go out for a short period of time). Should I?


The down side of using an aftermarket neck cover is that it can rub away the base of the mane. If you can get a rug with a removable one, then you are on to a winner


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## kchfuller

slinkies


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## drafts4ever

here's Caleighs chest clip in progress. 
I have the underside left to do and even it out a bit but all that will happen tomorrow. I'm kind of anal about it being symmetrical so tonight was to touch up a bit of the sides and tomorrow she'll just have to be patient with me. I have a shoot with her on Thursday so it needs to be perfect for that too.
The roof was leaking a little bit so she was getting dripped on hence the dark random patches on her body and neck. She was very tolerant of the drips and the buzzing clippers.


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## StormyBlues

Yeah, I can just get a cover that goes with his rain sheet!


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## dressagebelle

I found a picture thats basically how I would clip my dad's horse. And why I didn't feel the need to blanket him unless it was really cold. modified_clip.jpg.jpg


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## gypsygirl

dressagebelle said:


> I found a picture thats basically how I would clip my dad's horse. And why I didn't feel the need to blanket him unless it was really cold. modified_clip.jpg.jpg


thats what i sometimes do too.

i dont blanket with it either bc they do grow some more hair after a short while, its not like they are completely bald.


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## Patches457

_*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_

Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To. I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others. I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later? So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.


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## MN Tigerstripes

I think it's quite a bit more comfy for the horse to be worked (as is needed to keep in show shape) when it's clipped during the winter. Imagine keeping in shape for track with long johns, bulky coat, and snow-pants on. How long are you going to last before you pass out? Probably not very long. In addition, if you don't clip they have a salt encrusted long coat until you give them a bath. I'm sure brushing can't get it all off. I would assume that's pretty itchy. Frankly if you plan on working your horse over the winter it's kinda mean NOT to clip them. 

Those of us that aren't involved in the show world may not have to ever clip our horses because we have the luxury of not HAVING to work over the winter. We can just doing some trail rides a couple times a month. In which case I would just take the extra couple hours to cool the horse down. But when you're riding 4-5 days a week, adding an extra 2 hours a day just isn't feasible, and it's not obviously not because these people are "lazy" or bad horse owners. Anyone who takes the time and effort to get out to the barn 4-5 days a week and train/work their horse isn't lazy.


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## kchfuller

^well said ... I think sometimes it's hard for people who don't show/keep their horse is show condition to understand what all goes into it. 

Right now I get off work at 5 pm and for example last night I got to the barn and it was almost dark (it's dark by 5:20 ish) so I rode with the arena lights and when I got off it was COLD so I put Maddy's cooler on to try and wick some of the sweat before i blanketed her. I wouldn't know what to do if she had a full coat of hair b/c there is no way she would dry when it's dark and cold. I was out with her for an hour and a half already and can't even imagine what time I would have gotten home if she wasn't clipped (cause i have another horse to tend to after her).


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

Patches457 said:


> _*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_
> 
> Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To.
> _*Since when do horses care what they look like?*_
> I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others.
> *Plese, nothing about owning horses is natural*
> I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later?
> *Try 30 minutes of work, you try jogging in a snow suit. It's not about the time, it's comfort for the horse. They over heat and sweat VERY quickly. Plus, they get very cold cooling out. You try being soaked to the skin for 3 hours cooling out, brrrrrrrrr.*
> So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.
> _*Clipped fur doesn't pinch or itch, but salt soaked fur does. The salt just cannot be completely brushed out, it leaves their skin dry, itchy and flaky. As for the "ribbon" part, even when I didn't show I clipped my old pony, it just wasn't fair to him to do any work with so much hair. And no, I don't have an extra three hours, four coolers, and armfuls of towels 5 days a week. I think you overestimate the time it takes for them to get sweaty, 10 minutes would have my old pony lathered and panting before he got clipped.*_


We have the comfort of choosing the clothing we wear. Snow suit for skiing, sweats for jogging, and maybe a sweater inside. Why shouldn't our horses have the same luxury? I think it is more cruel to make them work in their "snow suit". Clipping lets them work comfortably, then add blankets to keep them war outside


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## gypsygirl

Patches457 said:


> _*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_
> 
> Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To. I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others. I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later? So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.


wow you dont ride in the winter do you ?

i ride my mare for no more than 30 minutes ever & shes sweaty after about 10...sorry but i do have to work & go to school so i cant spend 3hrs a day with one horse...

btw, my horse is only stalled over night & only in the winter months bc we dont have any good trees [on flat ground where it isnt icy & treacherous in the winter] or shelter so i think its actually nicer for my horse to come in at night when it gets really cold.


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## gypsygirl

Patches457 said:


> _*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_
> 
> Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To. I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others. I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later? So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.


sorry for the double post but i forgot something

i dont show my horse 

sorry im so selfish to want to ride a few days a week seeing as im working hard every day to afford to keep my horse. why would i slave to pay the board to not ride half the year ?


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## Patches457

Well Clearly, That Horse Minds What She Looks Like Eh? I Assume You Do Not Practice Keeping Life Natural To Horses, But I Do Try. 24/7 Turn Out On A 10 Acre Field. Free Choice Hay. Natural Based Training. We Don't Clip, Buff, Blanket, Shoe And Or Stall Them, They're Horses Here. 
Yes, I Ride Threw The Winter In Upper Were Snow Is Heavy And Temps Drop Below 0 F Frequently All Winter. I Have Endless Trails To Barrel Down In The Snow And I Do Not Have Sweaty Horses. Although I Have Never Demanded My Horses Trot For A Half Hour Strait As One Of You Said. So I Suppose There In Lies My Problem. I Am Sorry I Just Do Not Agree With Some Things People Do For Show IE Partial Body Clip In Winter, Blanket, Set Horses Under Heat Lamps, Turn Them Out For Limited Hours A Day Or In Some Cases Limited Hours A Week, Shoes, Weights On Shoes/Legs And Anything Of The Sorts. 
Not Trying To Start A War Here So I'll Shut Up =) Just Was Agreeing With The Others On The Ridiculousness Of It All.


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## gypsygirl

if you really want to keep it natural dont brush or ride your horse either =D


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

Please, please stop typing with every first letter capitalized, it is against the rules and hurts the eyes.

I never said I trotted for half an hour straight, I ride 30 minutes WTC. How is it cruel to give my horses a pampered life? Yes, my horses are blanketed, shod (if they need it), come in at night, fed grain, etc.


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## SmoothTrails

I think the clips are cute. We don't work hard enough to need them, and our horses are kept out all winter. We did hav eto clip one gelding's chest because we went to a CTR in Fl. We are from TN, and he would have killed over had we not done that and kept cool sponges with us. He was a black gelding with some winter fuzzy still left and it was in teh 80s!!! Our horses get used to the clippers for their bridle path, but I don't know how long it would take for me to train one to stand for a full body clip..lol.  I love seeing everyone's pictures!!!


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## ariielise

Patches457 said:


> Well Clearly, That Horse Minds What She Looks Like Eh? I Assume You Do Not Practice Keeping Life Natural To Horses, But I Do Try. 24/7 Turn Out On A 10 Acre Field. Free Choice Hay. Natural Based Training. We Don't Clip, Buff, Blanket, Shoe And Or Stall Them, They're Horses Here.
> Yes, I Ride Threw The Winter In Upper Were Snow Is Heavy And Temps Drop Below 0 F Frequently All Winter. I Have Endless Trails To Barrel Down In The Snow And I Do Not Have Sweaty Horses. Although I Have Never Demanded My Horses Trot For A Half Hour Strait As One Of You Said. So I Suppose There In Lies My Problem. I Am Sorry I Just Do Not Agree With Some Things People Do For Show IE Partial Body Clip In Winter, Blanket, Set Horses Under Heat Lamps, Turn Them Out For Limited Hours A Day Or In Some Cases Limited Hours A Week, Shoes, Weights On Shoes/Legs And Anything Of The Sorts.
> Not Trying To Start A War Here So I'll Shut Up =) Just Was Agreeing With The Others On The Ridiculousness Of It All.


So shoeing is bad too? Tell that to two of my mares that had been barefoot their whole lives, but also sore on something even as soft as dirt. I'm sure they would rather be in pain than shod :roll: Also, for two of my other horses, they look like wooly mammoths in the winter months, and when the temps rise a bit here and there they sweat just standing in their pastures. I haven't clipped my draft, but if she works at all she will get at least the bare minimum clip. I'd rather care for my horses than have her die simply standing in her pasture. Just because you don't agree with clipping doesn't make anyone else's methods "wrong" or "unethical". It just means they do things differently and that is THEIR business, not yours or anyone else's. Stepping down now. I hope everyone has a wonderful night.


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## kchfuller

Patches you aren't adding to this thread so if you want to add the thread and show your horses body clipped then that would be great but if you don't want to then that is fine too - just try to keep the negativity down. This is supposed to be a fun thread to show off our horses not stating why we do it ... if you don't want to body clip or rip on ppl who do, then please start your own thread


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

Here's an example of a full body clip, sadly no before pictures. He was almost black and had 2-3 inches of hair, each hair 3 inches long, lol









Here he is 2 weeks after a clipping, see how fast his hair grows?


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## heyycutter

my horse is extremely fuzzy and i want to clip him, since he sweats heavily after just 15 minutes of work, and i do have blankets for him.
can anyone recommend a clip that removes enough but not too much hair? i do a rough board so i am at the barn everyday, but my horse is too aggressive for the other barn workers to blanket so if i cant make it one day or if i dont blanket and then the weather gets really bad, he wont be getting one on. (if that makes sense, i mean if i dont get around to blanketing him, no one else will for me).
soooo, i dont want to remove too much hair, but enough so hes not drenched in sweat after 30 mins. any ideas?


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## upsidedown

One of my ponies is lathered with sweat after trotting 5 minutes if she is not clipped. I am not kidding. I don't think its cruel to clip a horse to keep her from being uncomfortable. I don't think its cruel to clip a horse for any reason actually as long as you blanket them adequately. I'm not understanding quite what the issue is? They are itchy? Not quite, I would think deep set in sweat would be itchier. They are cold? Nope? You think it looks ugly? To each to his own. 

In NC the weather is so bizarre. This week it has been 30 at night, 70 and sunny in the day, then 30 at night again and 50 and pouring rain the next day. Honestly if I was a horse I'd rather be clipped and have a blanket that could be taken on and off then have one that was permanent. Just my beef. 

Fiona turns really odd colors when she's clipped. She won't let you clip her back legs for anything but is mostly fine with everything else. She is pretty mareish in the back legs regard, she will kick you. But then again you can't braid her tail either, and strangers can't brush the inner thigh part (she does let me do it ) and if a gelding gets in her butt on a trail she kicks. Its just her peeve.


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## kchfuller

heyycutter said:


> my horse is extremely fuzzy and i want to clip him, since he sweats heavily after just 15 minutes of work, and i do have blankets for him.
> can anyone recommend a clip that removes enough but not too much hair? i do a rough board so i am at the barn everyday, but my horse is too aggressive for the other barn workers to blanket so if i cant make it one day or if i dont blanket and then the weather gets really bad, he wont be getting one on. (if that makes sense, i mean if i dont get around to blanketing him, no one else will for me).
> soooo, i dont want to remove too much hair, but enough so hes not drenched in sweat after 30 mins. any ideas?


Here is an idea ... BUT i want to make sure that i state that when you clip a horse you need to make sure that they are appropriately blanketed since you have removed some of their warmth...

http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/equestrianworld/phph7Xb8w


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## kchfuller

1dog ... if your horse was black before it is totally a blue roan now- really cute horse


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## Stencilbum

Patches457 said:


> _*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_
> 
> Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To. I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others. I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later? So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.


Wow, you don't hold back do you.

I think I ought to offer a little bit of background to the pony. 

We got Jessie off a Gypsy dealer who had bought her in foal as a 2 year old. They had another couple of foals out of her and then broke her to drive. They drove her hard on the roads (as gypsies tend to do here) and this percussion from fast trotting on the asphalt gave her an injury in the side bones called Occification which turns the cartlidge in the lower leg to bone and this sent her lame every time they harnessed and drove her as they really didn't care. 

Obviously in pain every time they got her out of the field and worked her because this causes deep bruising if ignored, she became very difficult to catch, and so they gave her beatings across her head with a lead rope, riding crop etc to teach her a lesson and as a result she became very head shy, wary of men and virtually impossible to catch.

(we didn't know this until after we got her to our yard)

A couple of days after we got her back, we went to catch her and she really didn't want anything to do with humans. We tried again the following day and it took 10 people off the yard 2 1/2 hours to split her from the herd and corner her to the point she finally gave up.

We moved her from that yard to a field with another couple of mares to make it easier to bond with her, and it took us 12 months of gentle daily handling to gain her trust.

She saw off 5 farriers in the first 4 months of our ownership because she was terrified of them - from the DIY butchery of her hooves and a dig in the ribs with a file or a hammer if she moved, and it took a lot of patience to find one who could trim her feet and keep her calm and we have stuck with him for the last 8 years.

So she is naturally a nervous pony and is not afraid to defend herself from someone or something she sees as a threat.

We had to educate her to see that not all humans wish her harm.

We had to educate her to see that a manhole cover in the road isn't going to eat her, and that we will not allow her to come to any harm whilst we are with her.

We had to educate her to see that clippers are not going to hurt her, and needed to clip her as she was jumping twice a week in competition at this time. She is a very competitive pony who thrives on the competition environment and this can be seen clearly by the way she carries her head and tail high after a jump off.

The star clip is the equivalent of a blanket clip and is only her own hair at different lengths - nothing more, nothing less !

If she were frightened by the act of clipping, no one would be safe around her as she would kick or run.

I don't show this picture on the net very often because I don't want to be seen to be encouraging unsafe working practice to impressionable minds, but I think it is important to show her true nature.










Do you think she looks like she is going to lash out in this picture and do you think she would stand for 3 evenings and allow her handler to climb underneath her if she wasn't totally at ease with the situation given the history of abuse she suffered under her previous owners.
Do you think also I'd stand and take this picture or allow my daughter to climb underneath her if I had even the slightest doubt of the trust they share and her temperament ?

As for the cooling down bit and that you think we don't give enough time to this aspect. Our horses were not bought as ornaments to decorate the fields. They are working animals, and part of 'best practice' when doing this, is for us to ensure that they are comfortable and able to regulate their body temperature given their work load. It is called horse management and works on the premise that a happy and well cared for horse is a contented horse.

As Jessie is currently not being worked, she is barefoot, unclipped and stabled when the worst of the weather hits us when she is not out in her 5 acre field with her field mate.


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## gypsygirl

heyycutter said:


> my horse is extremely fuzzy and i want to clip him, since he sweats heavily after just 15 minutes of work, and i do have blankets for him.
> can anyone recommend a clip that removes enough but not too much hair? i do a rough board so i am at the barn everyday, but my horse is too aggressive for the other barn workers to blanket so if i cant make it one day or if i dont blanket and then the weather gets really bad, he wont be getting one on. (if that makes sense, i mean if i dont get around to blanketing him, no one else will for me).
> soooo, i dont want to remove too much hair, but enough so hes not drenched in sweat after 30 mins. any ideas?


i would do a strip clip or a trace clip. here are two pictures the first one is the strip clip


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

kchfuller said:


> 1dog ... if your horse was black before it is totally a blue roan now- really cute horse


Yeah, his colors are so fun. He goes from almost black/dark bay to a light silver throughout the year. In the spring, and single grooming will change the color of his entire coat!


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## Cougar

Greylite gets the winter off but she used to need clipping. She sweats heavily and it isn't fair to her. Cougar on the other hand NEVER sweats. So he can be all fuzzy wuzzy, be worked hard and be totally fine.


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## GeminiJumper

Patches457 said:


> Not Trying To Start A War Here So I'll Shut Up


Thank God!!!!!


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## StormyBlues

Patches457 said:


> _*Now bear in mind this was the pony which tried to double barrel the first person who tried to clip her *_
> 
> Do You Blame Her? Look What The Clippers Made Her Look Like, Id Kick And Scream To. I'm On The "No Point, Un Natural, Why Do It" Side Of The Fence With The Few Others. I Mean Really. You Clip Because Its Easier For _You Who Show_ To Do Two Hour Work Outs Daily Threw Winter So You Dont Have To Spend The Time Cooling Out The Horse You Worked Into A Later? So They Are Itchy, Pinchy, Un-Naturally Over Stalled and Over Blanketed For Your Benefit To Win A Pretty Ribbon or For You To Have The Time For The Lathering Work Out But Not The Cool Down Part? Weird.


 Clippers arn't itchy. Look at this, I get home at 4 from 8 hours in school. I have to work out Geof to keep him in eventing condition. I have to do about an hour and a half to 3 hours of mucking stalls and cleaning the barn after riding an hour, I don't have the time to cool out Geof for 2 hours after I do trot sets with him. It's not fair for him to have salty itchy skin after I ride, so he can get a gall.


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## StormyBlues

I wanted to bump this back up


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## Stencilbum

I was sent these a couple of days ago by a lady I supplied a large quantity of various sized circles to a couple of years ago. She did it for a Christmas show, but thought it so funny, she kept them on till they grew out. My first thoughts were they had some kind of disease :lol:






























> Horses names are Annie & Henry in fancy dress and just Henry ready for a hack out one day the following January. We left the spots on as it caused great hilarity at every show we went to for ages or even hacking round the village.


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## kchfuller

lol that is soooo cute!


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## StormyBlues

^CUTE! I've decided to wait until early Feb. to clip right before we go out to FL. It will save me $150 cause I would probably have to clip again if I did it now anyway!


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## MN Tigerstripes

I would like to clip my TWH horse mare (Flame) in a flame pattern this spring. Just for fun and to get some good pics. I would have to wait until it's warmer though and not clip really short (she grows like a 3" long coat). Soda is WAY too mouthy for me to blanket her. I put a tail bag on her and it was all goobered on. LOL, I could just see him out there chewing on her blanket and pulling her around with it.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

^ they make a pepper spray like product to spray on blankets, Painter had to have it because he likes to rip the front of his blankets. It is horrible, horrible stuff, but it doesn't hurt them and works quite well, lol. Just wear gloves to apply!


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## MN Tigerstripes

Sweet, that sounds like a great idea. Then I could clip him in a bubble pattern too! Get it? Soda? LOL, alright I'm a dork.


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## coffeemama

I love your pics! Joey looks like a teddy bear and safe to ride. He must be fun.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

lacyloo said:


> Solution... Don't work the horse hard in the winter. HAHA


And you really shouldnt. Dont work your horse hard in the winter is so true!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> And you really shouldnt. Dont work your horse hard in the winter is so true!


Why? I've never understood what is different about the winter. The horses get a good warm up to warm their muscles, but they work just as hard as they would anyother time of the year. I've never had a problem with it.


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## StormyBlues

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> And you really shouldnt. Dont work your horse hard in the winter is so true!


Why? My horse needs to be in top compeating shape in the middle of Febuary, and if I just don't work him now, how do I supose to get him all the way back into shape. You can't do it.


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## MN Tigerstripes

Frankly it's much more dangerous to your horse's health to allow him/her a long layoff with limited work. You're just increasing the likelyhood that they'll be injured by letting them do nothing all winter and then expecting them to be in competition shape in the spring. It can take up to a year or more to properly condition a horse properly for competition.


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## StormyBlues

exactly


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## kchfuller

How about some more pictures?


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## Stencilbum

kchfuller said:


> How about some more pictures?


How about this :wink: ?


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## MN Tigerstripes

Very cool, such a pretty horse too!


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## StormyBlues

Yeah, cute horse!


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## Marrissa

Stencilbum: those are some awesome clips! I'd never of thought of that. That star clip looks like it'd take a long time to do but it's very neat.

As for the whole to clip or not to clip I see it as to each their own (like everything else in life ). Depends on the horse, the work level, and the rider. If horse and rider are happy, life's good.


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## MorningGlory

So, I just want to say that I LOVE this pics  I've never clipped (new to horse ownership), and I don't show or anything. I just wondered what the grooming would involve for a full body clip?

On a side note: To everyone who doesn't agree with body clipping, maybe this thread isn't for you?? If you ask a man who shaves his head bald if he itches, what do you think the answer would be? I have shaved many heads and the clippers don't pull, or itch. I just get a kick out of people who just want to start something :|

Keep the pics coming  I'm enjoying them


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## Stencilbum

Marrissa said:


> Stencilbum: those are some awesome clips! I'd never of thought of that. That star clip looks like it'd take a long time to do but it's very neat.
> 
> As for the whole to clip or not to clip I see it as to each their own (like everything else in life ). Depends on the horse, the work level, and the rider. If horse and rider are happy, life's good.


 
This picture was taken a couple of years ago. when she was in work and jumping in competition at least once a week. It is an extreme example of what can be done but we took off enough hair to keep her comfortable when working (this was equivalent of a blanket clip in area of hair removed) Now bear in mind that some of the shows were going on until 10pm or 11pm. You don't want a sweaty horse soaked through to be boxed and driven in an open backed trailer in freezing temperatures or have to walk a horse off at the end of the how for an hour before boxing.










Here was her at a show a couple of weeks later but as her coat was growing so fast at this time, the design was alreading fading (sorry about the pic size 










This was her yesterday modelling a paint stencil looking fairly chubby and unclipped and barefoot as she is not in work at the moment (she is not for sale BTW)


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## Allison Finch

shanoona said:


> I don't like hem. I am not for clipping, I just think it's unneccessary and it really must pinch terribly


 
Well, you must not ride very much during the winter. 

What is cruel is having a horse work in a heavy fur coat, sweat until it is wet, then have to stand in the cold with wet hair that takes forever to dry. A real recipe for hypothermia. Clipping allows the sweat areas to dry quickly letting them get warmer quicker. No one here clips a horse without being committed to blanketing when it gets cold.


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## Stencilbum

And another one from Eire


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## StormyBlues

Bumping. Anyone else?


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## orin




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## pony hunter rydr

orin- cute pony! (or horse) He reminds me of my pony! Elmo got clipped today, such a cute pony now! I'll have to get some pictures later


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## rosie9r

Billy trace clipped.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

StormyBlues said:


> Why? My horse needs to be in top compeating shape in the middle of Febuary, and if I just don't work him now, how do I supose to get him all the way back into shape. You can't do it.


 Your horse can still be in "top" competing shape and not have to have a hard work out. And i didnt say "not to work with them", i said not to work them hard. And you can do it. Simple as that.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

Allison Finch said:


> Well, you must not ride very much during the winter.
> 
> What is cruel is having a horse work in a heavy fur coat, sweat until it is wet, then have to stand in the cold with wet hair that takes forever to dry. A real recipe for hypothermia. Clipping allows the sweat areas to dry quickly letting them get warmer quicker. No one here clips a horse without being committed to blanketing when it gets cold.


"cruel"? How is that cruel? You dont have to make a horse "sweat until its wet". I ride in the winter a lot and NO way am i giving my horse a clipping. I just dont make him "sweat". I give him a good work out not hard. They are always down to the point on what i want to do, getting ready for shows. I think its just not right to clip horses and in my opinion it doesnt look nice, it looks un natural.


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## gypsygirl

^^ even riding for ten minutes can make them sweat btw !!


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## eventnwithwinston

I love these clipping pictures 
Wish I had some to share..


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## xoSonnyLove1234

gypsygirl said:


> ^^ even riding for ten minutes can make them sweat btw !!


i meant hard working dripping in sweat..not just a little..btw!!


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## StormyBlues

Ok, well if it's so unnatural, I'll let my horse get out of eventing condition, won't clip him, take him down to Florida to do a couple events and let him die of heat stroke.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

StormyBlues said:


> Ok, well if it's so unnatural, I'll let my horse get out of eventing condition, won't clip him, take him down to Florida to do a couple events and let him die of heat stroke.


 Relax...please...I think i said its my opinion..if i think it looks unnatural it shouldnt effect what you want or you think. Dont get all over me. There are circumstances that i would clip my horse if we were going to a hot area. But, well, i am not. So i wouldnt let my horse be clipped.


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## VanillaBean

Allison Finch said:


> What is cruel is having a horse work in a heavy fur coat, sweat until it is wet, then have to stand in the cold with wet hair that takes forever to dry. A real recipe for hypothermia.


It's called not working them to sweat badly and oh my gosh, a COOLER. wow.


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## StormyBlues

It takes a good couple of hours for a full winter coat to dry from sweating. And You can't do endurance work or a good jumping workout without your horse sweating profusly. It's more likly for the horse to get *VERY* sick from having a long coat then one that is clipped. A horse that has a long winter coat doesn't dry off in the rain, so if it gets below freezing they can easily catch a bad cold, same when they have a long coat and sweat, they could easily catch a cold. And when they get working hard they can get WAY overheated, and that causes horses to *DIE*.


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## eventerdrew

Personally, I would love to clip my horses but I don't know how, my horses don't stand well enough, and I don't have the cash to spend on clippers at the moment. But I plan on doing so when I have the $. I try not to work my horses as hard in the winter because they have long coats. However, my horses sweat. A LOT. doesn't matter how long you work them. So, clipping will be a good option once I have the opportunity. 

I'd rather have them "unnaturally naked" than dead


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## xoSonnyLove1234

^well i have been riding for 5yrs and another friend (shelby) 10yrs. In all that time not one horse has died from getting "WAY" overheatedand we dont clip our horses. So get over it. They arent going to die if you give them a good cool down. So as i said before in MY OPINION i dont like it and it shouldnt matter to you what so ever. I want no comments on this comment b/c everyone needs to not get all over me. Relax.


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## Allison Finch

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> "cruel"? How is that cruel? You dont have to make a horse "sweat until its wet". I ride in the winter a lot and NO way am i giving my horse a clipping. I just dont make him "sweat". I give him a good work out not hard. They are always down to the point on what i want to do, getting ready for shows. I think its just not right to clip horses and in my opinion it doesnt look nice, it looks un natural.


 
Then you, obviously, don't fit the above description.....do you?


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## Allison Finch

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> ^well i have been riding for 5yrs and another friend (shelby) 10yrs. In all that time not one horse has died from getting "WAY" overheatedand we dont clip our horses. So get over it. They arent going to die if you give them a good cool down. So as i said before in MY OPINION i dont like it and it shouldnt matter to you what so ever. I want no comments on this comment b/c everyone needs to not get all over me. Relax.


 
The biggest difference is you are not having to keep your horses competition fit, I would guess. At least, I hope not.


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## StormyBlues

^compleatly agree. You obviously don't event.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

^ no i dont. I show in the summer. But i can still have my opinions.


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## Snaffle

Yes, but your opinion isn't appreciated when you have a 'holier-than-thou' attitude.


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## Snaffle

Just to clarify, I was speaking in general. Not directly to SonnyLove.


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## StormyBlues

Eventing is a good equivalent to showing the in summer all year round


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## KristinJ

These pictures are very cute! I personally probably won't ever clip, as I don't own a good set of clippers, my horses are out 24/7 and I would butcher it! haha. That being said, clipping really isn't all that necessary. I work with racehorses with FURRY FURRY standardbreds. They are raced in full coat, soaking in sweat. Either bathed or just put a few coolers on them. A few hours later all dry =)

I like them natural, but I also don't show or ride my guy regularly (yet). Beautiful horses =)


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## eventerdrew

Sonny, no need to get snippy. Who said my comments were directed at you? I was responding to the pages and pages of people explaining why they don't clip and why they do. 

I would appreciate you not talking to me like that in the future, or anyone else for that matter. "Relax" "get over it" and "my opinions shouldn't matter so what ever" are not welcome and I think you need to take a step back and think about what you are posting before you post it, please.

To everyone- beautiful horses and I think we have some people who are pretty handy with those clippers. Now, if you wouldn't mind doing my horses.... 

Happy Holidays everyone


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## xoSonnyLove1234

^ sorry. I thought it was directed at me and it got my "blood boiling"/mad.


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## Allison Finch

LOL, Sonny, we aren't bashing you. If you don't need to clip, I say don't. Your horse is a cute fuzzball! Clipping is strictly on an as needed situation.


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## kchfuller

I wanna see some pictures and no more people saying why we shouldn't body clip please ease please... I started the treadfor pics no to be told why I shouldn't body clip or have to defend why I do it 

thanks!


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## mom2pride

Oooh, I'll be clipping Flicka this coming week, when I get home... I'll for sure post pics!!! She gets sweaty really fast, and it takes a while to dry her off; it will be the first time I've ever body clipped a horse  But considering it doesn't get below 0 where I live, I think I can deal...Lol!


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## paintluver

I think it is just to cold here to clip! lol! I love the look of clipped horses though! (And fuzz balls too!)


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## StormyBlues

That's why we blanket when we clip! Lol the one part I'm not looking forward too


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## mom2pride

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> ^well i have been riding for 5yrs and another friend (shelby) 10yrs. In all that time not one horse has died from getting "WAY" overheatedand we dont clip our horses. So get over it. They arent going to die if you give them a good cool down. So as i said before in MY OPINION i dont like it and it shouldnt matter to you what so ever. I want no comments on this comment b/c everyone needs to not get all over me. Relax.


I think alot of the people body clipping their horses on this thread either live in an area like I do (desert\ie warm regions), or show all through the year...most of them probably in the combination of the two. I lived in the 'north' all my life, til this fall, and I never body clipped one, and still rode pretty hard all winter; they were always in condition, so they didn't usually work up a sweat, and when they did, I darn well made sure they were dry and in a stall that night. However, now that I am in the desert, and the horses STILL get a thick coat, I find that even Flicka's 10-15 lunge warm up, prior to getting on, she is sweaty. I would rather body clip her, than have her heat up so quickly, and stay that warm for an entire lesson, when it's close to freezing (it is usually between 25-37 degrees most days...occasionally warmer). She takes so long to dry thoroughly too, and I don't walk away until a horse is thoroughly dry.


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## xoSonnyLove1234

^Mom2pride: um ok?


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## pony hunter rydr

Elmo! On the other side he's only half done because the clipper blades died on us xD
Just letting you know, I'm at a sitting trot, not wrong diagonal lol


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## StormyBlues

How cute!


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## Stencilbum

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> ^well i have been riding for 5yrs and another friend (shelby) 10yrs. In all that time not one horse has died from getting "WAY" overheatedand we dont clip our horses. So get over it. They arent going to die if you give them a good cool down. So as i said before in MY OPINION i dont like it and it shouldnt matter to you what so ever. I want no comments on this comment b/c everyone needs to not get all over me. Relax.


I think you need to consider that not everyone else's circumstances are the same as your own or that of your friend. For those who compete their horse's through the winter (as we have done for a fair few years), clipping was an obvious choice, and one which was made out of necessity. Many of the winter shows in the UK are evening events which run until 10pm or 11pm. The horses need boxing too and from them which means they have to stand in an unheated and drafty area in the back of the trailer or lorry in temperatures around freezing. If you put a cooler on them, it wouldn't keep them warm under these conditions, and if they sweat (which they do because they are being ridden in competition) then the salt will crystalise in their coat.

The when you get them back home at 11:30pm/midnight, they are still wet, and need drying off for maybe another hour till 1am before you can rug up properly and turn out.

If you don't have the patience to stay up until 2am every time you do a show, then clipping is the obvious and sensible option.

Ours have not been in work for the last 12 months so they are not clipped at all at the moment, but if they return to work in the next few weeks, they will be clipped if need be.

Necessity is the mother of invention as they say !


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## mom2pride

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> ^Mom2pride: um ok?


Well that sarcasm was a bit rude and uncalled for; I was explaining why alot of owners likely clip...and as you stated before, "your opinion" is just that, but you seem to want to pick fights with those who don't agree with your opinion. If you don't like an opinion, fine, but don't hash everyone who doesn't agree with you. 


After having clipped Flicka, she was much more comfortable during our workout today, so FOR ME, that was the best choice. If I were in MN still, there's no way I would even consider clipping, but I'm not anymore, and she was miserable, whether you believe that or not...I'm with her everyday, so I know when something is uncomfortable for her. 

For everyone else's enjoyment...Flicka's new doo...


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## kchfuller

cute! keep the pictures coming and the haters need to stop!


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## StormyBlues

Flickas a cutie!!!


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## mom2pride

StormyBlues said:


> Flickas a cutie!!!


Haha...thanks!  I think she's a cutie too, but I'm just a 'little' biased :lol:


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## xoSonnyLove1234

mom2pride said:


> Well that sarcasm was a bit rude and uncalled for; I was explaining why alot of owners likely clip...and as you stated before, "your opinion" is just that, but you seem to want to pick fights with those who don't agree with your opinion. If you don't like an opinion, fine, but don't hash everyone who doesn't agree with you.
> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4360718&id=503544788


I didnt start anything and i wasnt hashing people who didnt agree with me. People got very defensive wehn i said my opinion. I never said (not saying you said i said this) anything rude about others horses. I didnt "pick fights" i was saying my opinion and after that we all should have dropped it. But once people start defending why they do it and start being sarcastic and rude it gets to be all over the place. I didnt want to start a fight and i didnt. So if we could just drop this it would be better. Thank you


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## xoSonnyLove1234

Stencilbum said:


> I think you need to consider that not everyone else's circumstances are the same as your own or that of your friend. For those who compete their horse's through the winter (as we have done for a fair few years), clipping was an obvious choice, and one which was made out of necessity. Many of the winter shows in the UK are evening events which run until 10pm or 11pm. The horses need boxing too and from them which means they have to stand in an unheated and drafty area in the back of the trailer or lorry in temperatures around freezing. If you put a cooler on them, it wouldn't keep them warm under these conditions, and if they sweat (which they do because they are being ridden in competition) then the salt will crystalise in their coat.
> 
> The when you get them back home at 11:30pm/midnight, they are still wet, and need drying off for maybe another hour till 1am before you can rug up properly and turn out.
> 
> If you don't have the patience to stay up until 2am every time you do a show, then clipping is the obvious and sensible option.
> 
> Ours have not been in work for the last 12 months so they are not clipped at all at the moment, but if they return to work in the next few weeks, they will be clipped if need be.
> 
> Necessity is the mother of invention as they say !


 My point is that i dont show in the winter i show in the summer. So i know other peoples circumstances for doing it.


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## StormyBlues

xoSonnyLove1234 said:


> I didnt start anything and i wasnt hashing people who didnt agree with me. People got very defensive wehn i said my opinion. I never said (not saying you said i said this) anything rude about others horses. I didnt "pick fights" i was saying my opinion and after that we all should have dropped it. But once people start defending why they do it and start being sarcastic and rude it gets to be all over the place. I didnt want to start a fight and i didnt. So if we could just drop this it would be better. Thank you


Then why pray tell did you comment?


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## xoSonnyLove1234

StormyBlues said:


> Then why pray tell did you comment?


I commented when someone said not to work hard in the winter. I agreed and posted yes i agree with that. Then you StormyBlues said why not and i vocied my opinion not to work are in the winter. How you can still be inn top competing shape and such while not sweating very much. Then i said how i thought it looked unnatural and i got very rude sarcastic comments.


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## StormyBlues

Because you can't keep a horse in competition condition safely without them sweating


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## barnprincess

i dont clip. Never will. Only time i clip is if they dont shed out sonn enough when the warm weather gets here. I ride in the winter MAYBE once a week. for about a half hr. just w.t depending on how frozen solid the ground is. I have a acre of flat grass i ride on so it gets rock solid. And my horses never sweat from 30 min of just walk trot sets. we do a lot of bending and stuff. My horses are also thoroughbreds and dont have thick coats. theyve been blanketed since the 40 degree weather set in. they are inside at night in a closed barn. every ones situations are different. and each horse is different. i think the arguers should think of that before starting arguments. If you event i can understand clipping, same for lesson horses at places which have indoor arenas. EVERY circumstance if different =].


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## xoSonnyLove1234

barnprincess said:


> If you event i can understand clipping, same for lesson horses at places which have indoor arenas. EVERY circumstance if different =].


i agree.


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## kchfuller

STOP STOP STOP the debate  

Only pictures please!


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## barnprincess

^ uh .... its a open thread...lots of threds get turned into conversations....


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## StormyBlues

Um, those of you who are against clipping really shouldn't be on here at all.


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## barnprincess

^ LOL its a OPEN forum, and the threds are all open to discussion . people WILL voice opinions. thats what forums are for.


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## kchfuller

Barnp: I created this to "show off your body clips" not get told why not to clip. If someone wants to start their own thread about that they can but I'd like this thread to stay with possative stuff please.

Thanks


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## barnprincess

lol who died and crowned you queen of posting.

and its positive .


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## kchfuller

Wow ... Rude.


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## barnprincess

yeah well you cant tell people what to say and not to say...


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## Tripp

barnprincess said:


> yeah well you cant tell people what to say and not to say...


Seriously BarnPrincess. Get OVER yourself... This is a post for people to post pictures of their clipped horses. If you want to debate the clip or not to clip topic, make your own dang post so I can enjoy this one without pointless bickering.


Now back to the topic:
Sadly I don't have any cute clipped pictures... But love seeing them.


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## thinktwice

^^ and its starting all over again! ^^
JUST like on HGS, no surprises from BP!


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## barnprincess

ROOOOOOOFL... i was one of like 10 ppl saying something about clipping.. i didnt once say i was against it =] so go back and re-read. i actually defended the op when i said every case is different and to stop arguing....also i said if you event or have a horse thats a lesson horse and have an indoor then sure im all for it.


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## Tripp

I really don't care if your for it or against it, and this is the last post im making on the thread to stop from cluttering it. But regardless if this is an open forum or if it's your post or someone elses. Atleast have the common courtesy to STICK to the topic, and not jump on people and mouth off at them. This is a topic for posting pictures of clipped horses, not for random pointless bickering... Last time I checked you weren't to fond of people going off topic and saying things off topic on your own threads, so give people the same courtesy.


Anywho, back on topic everyone hehe.


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## barnprincess

I was on topic... Then i was told to stop lol.


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## kchfuller

And we are ignoring ... Moving right along  pictures anyone?


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## StormyBlues

Hahahaha, seriously some people...... 

Geof is still a fuzz monster.... I'm waiting until Feb I think


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

WEll, boring picture and just a plain full body clip, but at least it distracts from the idiocy! Here's my parents horse all shaved down for a show









And sort of a before picture, but he doesn't have his winter coat yet in this picture. Look at that shaggy mane!


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## Stencilbum




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## gypsygirl

cute clipped ponies !!

do you guys think that body clipping will ruin their summer coat when it comes in ? thats what someone at my barn told me today & i had never heard it before. this is a legit question so no funny business....


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## Hali

I love your photos stencilbum. Please come to Canada and clip my girl? 

Gypsy, I'm curious about that as well, I was told the same thing. Could it also have anything to do with when the horse was clipped??

I'll have to get some photos of my mare tomorrow. She's got a body clip at the moment, and is super cute!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

I don't see how it would, the clipping only effects the hair it cuts. The summer coat would just push out the old hair and grow normally


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## blush

I've clipped my horses every winter for the past 7 years, and thier summer coat comes in just fine. :] 
I actually prefer thier summer coats when they have been clipped in the winter, the hair comes in super soft. And if you spray conditioner on the clipped parts throughout the winter, it also is really shiney when it grows out. :] :]
Robbie is much more comforatble when he is clipped, he cools down and warms up much faster and we can have more intense rides without waiting forever for him to dry. I'd like think he enjoys not getting drenched in sweat after trotting for 20 mins. :]

I couldn't get a full body shot, but I got his neck and purdy face hehe. He got a really high trace clip. :]


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## mom2pride

Blush, he's gorgeous...if he goes missing, I didn't do it okay??? Lol!!!


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## kchfuller

Maddy's body clip is growing out but here are some recent pics


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## ridergirl23

gypsygirl said:


> cute clipped ponies !!
> 
> do you guys think that body clipping will ruin their summer coat when it comes in ? thats what someone at my barn told me today & i had never heard it before. this is a legit question so no funny business....


clippingonly effectss their summer coat when it is done to late (like, when the tipes of their summer hair is coming in) but im almost positive it doesnt effect their summer coat other then that. beautiful horses btw everyone!


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## kchfuller

Oh i forgot to add- clipping only has an effect on the coat if you do it too late. I clipped in Oct. and i keep her blanketed as well as well groomed and i use vetrolin shine spray


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## apc11196

drafts4ever said:


> How did you go about clipping if she was a little freaky about it? The lady I bought Caleigh from said she'd been clipped only once and when I ran the clippers (really quiet and cordless) she tensed and backed away. We were going to have the vet sedate her a little but the sedation did nothing when we had her teeth done and the vet doesn't want to experiment with more.


You could work with the horse every day for a while with clippers. First get her used to you petting her all over her body, including her ears and nose. Then get her used to how the clippers look. After that rub the clippers over her body without them being on. Then rub them with them on, but without actually clipping her... she could then feel the vibration. Last, clip her ....


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## Stencilbum

Hali said:


> I love your photos stencilbum. Please come to Canada and clip my girl?
> 
> Gypsy, I'm curious about that as well, I was told the same thing. Could it also have anything to do with when the horse was clipped??
> 
> I'll have to get some photos of my mare tomorrow. She's got a body clip at the moment, and is super cute!


I'm not that good at clipping 

My daughter is the one who has done most and that last photo was one which one of my customers sent to me a couple of seasons ago.

Anyway, I've got loads of them here and there 

Here was the first designs we cut for our own horse's when I started the stencil business










And here is the all over star pattern half way through clipping it on


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## blush

mom2pride said:


> Blush, he's gorgeous...if he goes missing, I didn't do it okay??? Lol!!!


Haha, thank you! :] 
I'll make sure to lock him up tight at night then. ;]


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## Void

I've decided not to clip my horse afterall this year since he's so fresh and its been sooooo cold.

His winter coat actually doesn't look too bad this year, his new heavy blanket weighed it down and smoothed it out. He never really grows a bad winter coat, he just usually gets stinky in the winter but he's staying pretty clean this year. Probably the new blanket at work!


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## speedy da fish

lacyloo said:


> Yeah I don't get why people clip...Poor ponies,they look naked :shock:


well if you excercise them a lot during the winter they get sweaty and thats not nice when they are really hairy.


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## SunriseNorth

The horses at Sunrise's therapy program almost never need to be clipped in the winter because they therapy lessons usually arent taxing enought to work up a real sweat. (and of course, the one horse who IS worked a lot [JW] doesnt seem to sweat so i cant do a fun body clip! no fair!  hahaha. I'd love to try the star pattern).


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## Rio's Kabam




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## kchfuller

Dang look at that color difference!


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## GeminiJumper

Rio's Kabam said:


>


What type of clip is this? I've never seen it with all the neck left on...


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