1. What kind of clip is your horse sporting this year?
2. How often/how heavily is he worked?
3. What percentage of the time does he live outside through the winter?
4. Are you planning on showing?
My answers are:
1. Apron or low trace, haven't decided yet.
2. 3-4 times per week, fairly heavily
3. 50-60% of the 24 hour day
4. Maybe one or two indoor schooling shows
Last year, I did an apron clip (all red/white diagrams courtesy of Peasridge Clipper Advice)
I really didn't have any issues with it, so I'll probably do the same thing again. I'm tossing around the idea of doing a low trace since he does sweat in the stifle area, but I'd rather leave his belly on since he's out so often.
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| This, but keeping the belly? Seems like it would look weird. |
1. No clip. We sport the winter woolies in all their glory!
ReplyDelete2. Ugh. . .don't remind me. Work is sporadic and not heavy at all. Bad me.
3. Shy is out 24/7.
4. No shows this winter.
1. I haven't clipped yet but Houston will most likely everything but his legs clipped.
ReplyDelete2. I ride 5-6 days a week and he gets worked for maybe 30-45 minutes sometimes more
3. I would say probably 60%
4. I am planning to take Houston to 2-3 indoor schooling shows - we will see though.
1. Medium trace ( mostly a low trace, taking belly and a high clip over the stifle area.)
ReplyDelete2. We work 4-5 days a week, hard. Lots of winter trot sets and plenty of canter and trot work.
3. Guinness lives outside 24/7 (so, 100% of the time). He has access to shelter and even heavy woods. He is blanketed.
4. No shows till spring, though we will be doing some trailering for lessons.
1. Flurry has a bib/apron clip, Aero is unclipped
ReplyDelete2. About 5 days a week
3. Both are out 24/7 with a field shelter, unrugged at the moment
4. No shows planned
You could do the bib clip and then a nice even circle on each stifle. I don't think that would look weird.
1. Full clip, hunter clip and a trace (three horses).
ReplyDelete2. The two mares are worked five to six days per week if the temps remain above 32 degrees. The young guy is being worked four.
3. They spend roughly eight hours outside under blankets.
4. Yes, with the possibility of going south.
I am right there with you on the low trace clip minus the belly. But I would also not clip up the neck unless I purchase at hood. I think we should start a new trend. I mean I am not one to care all that much what other think so I am brave enough to try something different for the sake of my horse and that it just plain makes sense. What is the point of a clip if it is not fully effective? Is it a fashion statement or to keep our horses healthier??? I personally have never clipped and toy with the idea every year. Steady is out 75% of the time only in for inclimate (rainy, windy, below 20 degrees at night) weather. And as long and hard as I worked to get him to maintain a healthy weight I am cautious of anything that could adversly effect that. If I clip him at all it will be his chest and his flank area and if anyone wants to laugh at my horse or me they can laugh as we hand them their asses in the show ring ;) Kidding of course! But I am more concerned about my horses health, training and happiness to care if I am making an equine fashion faux pas.
ReplyDeleteI also did an Apron clip, you can see it in my blog http://weanieeventer.blogspot.com/ I even used the same website! I don't have any shows planned but my lessons are fairly intense and she sweats just as much in the winter as she does in the summer. She is much more willing to work if she isn't soaking wet in the first 5 minutes and she's easier to cool out. If the temps are in the upper 40s and 50s she doesn't need a sheet and last year I never even put a midweight on her.
ReplyDelete1. None. I'm not too big on clipping. I've always liked the natural fuzziness of horse winter.
ReplyDelete2. Three to four days a week.
3. All the time. We're in Florida so it doesn't get very cold. We hardly ever get below the forties.
4. Yes, all winter long.
1. clipped everywhere but head and legs
ReplyDelete2. 6 days a week, fairly heavily
3. All day - about 8-9 hours - blanketed
4. Just one November show
You can't tell Riva is body clipped from a distance - she looks exactly the same!
1. Henry got a mix btwn and trace and blanket clip.
ReplyDelete2. He gets 5 days a week of riding and it's all heavy work.
3. He lives outside with a covering and paddock but no walls- if that makes sense.
4. Maybe :)
Because of his workload he sweats a lot- so this will be best for both of us in the cool out process. He has a wardrobe to die for so he will be well dressed :)
1. Will be full body clipped tomorrow (unless I find another way to procrastinate)
ReplyDelete2. 6-7 days a week, heavy work, always sweats.
3. Less than 10% turned out (he hates it), but barn is pretty open air.
4. Monthly local shows with no particular standards
I'm not in a terribly cold climate--we'll have a week or two in January that will completely suck with lows around zero, but generally mid teens is as bad as it gets. We don't get snow accumulation, but we do tend to get a lot of rain. He has a blanket with a neck and a liner, and he'll stay plenty warm. :)
I missed this too! Stupid school is distracting me from the things that really matter...;)
ReplyDelete1. Full body clip
2. At least 4-5 days/wk but 6 isn't uncommon - fairly hard 30-45 min/ride and when not clipped sweats on his flanks and takes forever to dry!
3. Lives out basically 24/7 but I can put him in if I want.
4. Probably some shows which might be recognized but I haven't thought that far ahead! :)
If I lived somewhere colder than SC, I'd probably leave more hair on. Charlie doesn't grow a huge coat (although it is pretty dense) so I mainly clip him because I can't spend three hours at the barn waiting for him to dry off.