Clipping for warm weather?

[FirstTimeMiniMom]

My mini foal is 7 months old. His coat is very long and fuzzy and we live in Arizona where its getting warmer every day, but still cool at night ( highs in the 70's, lows in the 40's) . My questios are should i have him clipped, or will he shed naturally when it gets warm enough? He already gets warm during the day if hes been out playing in the pasture.

Would you recommend having an experienced person clip him, or is this something a first timer can do?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[disneyhorse]

He will shed out naturally on his own and then you won't have to bother with blankets. Shedding out naturally is ultimately healthiest for horses.

You can brush as often as you can when he starts to shed to help the process and he will learn to love it.

 

[Hayley~Diaz]

Yep, not to mention all that brushing is great for him getting used to be touched all over for when the time comes for clipping, he is already used to the handling. Grooming is so good for the stimulation of shedding and improving skin/hair condition.

Also, regular grooming is useful for finding bumps, lumps and injuries that could easily be missed, hidden away under all that hair.

If you really want to clip him, have someone experienced show you how to do it properly to make it a happy, safe experience for your guy. Theres nothing worse then a first timer young horse having a previous bad experience when you have to clip him again! you could even arrange to go to a mini breeder/owner's place when they clip their horses to get some helpful hints and tricks. Plus there are books/videos andonline things to help out.

Make sure you have sufficient covers/blankets too for both night and day if you do decide to clip as well.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

If you clip you will have to be forever running in and out adjusting blankets - as it gets hotter having him clipped will be a problem as he will have no natural sunscreen, anyway. Far better to leave him with his natural protection form the cold and the heat, and just make sure he has plenty of shade and somewhere warm at night.

 

[HGFarm]

I am also in Arizona and I would never clip in winter. He will shed on his own when it's time. Though our temps are milder than the rest of the nation, this is still winter to us and he needs his hair. Winter is not over yet, though we have been having warmer temps than usual it seems. If a storm comes in, he would freeze to death and also needs his insulation for the cold night time temps here.

 

[Hayley~Diaz]

Fortunately I live in NZ where the climate is a lot different - it doesnt snow here. So its ok to clip in winter as long as we have blankets, although I still dont bother

 

[amysue]

This time of year it is best to let them shed naturally. If you are worried about him sweating on warm days, you can hang a tarp over the fence as a shade cloth so he has a place to seek shade to avoid sweating during the day and chilling at night. If he appears to be having a hard time with the heat this summer, enlist the help of someone to hold him while you bathe and clip him. This time of year the weather fluctuates too much to warrant clipping. If you do clip him, he will need a sheet or even a blanket at night. His body will self regulate naturally with his coat.