Clipping Head/Necks

[Tremor]

I was looking back as some of my videos and I saw that I had clipped head/necks in March-ish. I do think it was too early, but I was very clipper happy. I clipped in April for god's sake! TOO early for Iowa, lol.

Anywho, just because I'm itching to clip and with nothing to do I figured I could at least schedule a clipping day for heads/necks.

What temperature is the MINIMUM needed to clip heads and necks?

Yes, I am this impatient. Looking at past videos don't help!

Plus, these girls are just BEGGING to be clipped.

 

[Mini Paradise]

I can't answer your question because I don't know the answer. But, I just wanted to say that I head and necked some of my show horses in January and they do just fine. Of course I only clipped them with #10 so that the hair can still grow fast. Right now we have been having a lot of rain lately and just couple weeks ago temps at night were in the high 20's. I have not had a problem with the horses shivering or showing uncomfort with being partially clipped. Minis grow so much hair especially on their bodies that I don't think head and neck would really affect them. Of course it depends on where they live. Our winter so far has been pretty mild with lots of rain, but no snow. I won't body clip them until March for their first show.

 

[Tremor]

I can't answer your question because I don't know the answer. But, I just wanted to say that I head and necked some of my show horses in January and they do just fine. Of course I only clipped them with #10 so that the hair can still grow fast. Right now we have been having a lot of rain lately and just couple weeks ago temps at night were in the high 20's. I have not had a problem with the horses shivering or showing uncomfort with being partially clipped. Minis grow so much hair especially on their bodies that I don't think head and neck would really affect them. Of course it depends on where they live. Our winter so far has been pretty mild with lots of rain, but no snow. I won't body clip them until March for their first show.

I don't know much about the difference between Texas and Iowa, but our winter has been mild compared to what we could have. Right now we've had 40s and 20-30s at night. Not too bad. I too clip with a #10 blade.

Last year in March my head and neck clips didn't bother them, BUT my full body April clips did. Their skin would wrinkle and they lost weight from trying to stay warm. It was my mistake and I learned the hard way.

I would love to clip their heads and necks sometime soon. Boredom is getting to me and I've been making "curiosity clips" (Little clips on their neck underneath their manes about an 1-2 inches long to see color.)

Winter kills me.

 

[Mini Paradise]

I know how you feel. I am dying to do full body clips on all of mine. Perhaps you can try clipping just their heads with #8 and see how they do. That way they still have body hair, but you'll be able to see their pretty faces

 

[chandab]

I wouldn't recommend it this early in the year in northern states. That said my gelding that was diagnosed with Cushings in November had his head (not ears) clipped in early to mid November to facilitate cleaning the abcess on his cheek (which is what prompted the blood tests that pointed to Cushings); and he has done well, but we haven't had a normal winter and we've had above normal temps this year (I don't think I could have clipped as much as I did if we were having normal winter weather and temps. And, his head is now quite fuzzy, although not as fuzzy as the non-clipped yaks.

 

[Riverrose28]

I clipped two colts yesterday, just necks and heads for pictures. I used a #7F on the necks, it leaves some hair about beagle length. I used a #10 on the heads, and left some hair in the ears, and went with the lay on the ears, as I'm in MD and it is still cold here during the night. I also am keeping them in the indoor until some of the hair grows out, I do have a round pen in there so they can stratch their legs. It's supposed to rain, then snow here today, and I was worried if I put them back out in the field they wouldn't go in the run in shed to stay dry. Silly horses will stand out in the rain and I didn't want them to get chilled.

 

[Becky]

I will clip the muzzle, under the jaws, underneath the neck, a bridle path and along the top of the neck next to the mane, in the winter if I need to clip any. This gives a nicer, cleaner look to a horse and especially any I am trying to sell. They still keep enough hair to stay warm.

 

[Suzie]

My horses are getting hot and itchy already. I have been head and neck clipping for a while now. Even though temps drop at night now, they have enough body hair to stay very warm.