Does anybody NOT clip?

[earthchild]

Its seems to me the norm is to clip your mini. Is it just people showing that clip? Is there anybody on this forum that still has a furry mini? If so, why do you opt to not clip? Vice versa, why do you clip?

I leave our minis and our one big horse natural since even if we work up a sweat, I hose them down and then hand graze or just amble around till dry. Our days our warm and slightly breezy, so they dry in no time at all. Then at night, when the temp falls 30-40 degrees, I don't have to worry about blanketing.

As for the face, I just trim any long hair, like under the jaw or on the outside of the ear. I don't trim the muzzle as I've always heard that horses need those whiskers, and I figure they were put there for a reason. However, I've never noticed the clipped minis jamming their noses into any more objects than an unclipped one, so maybe my fears are groundless.

I do shave a bridle path and tidy up the fetlocks, especially my horses white ones.

So that's my question and my answer.

 

[muffntuf]

Well of course we have animals that don't get clipped. But I have learned that weanlings have a really bad coat and it is better for them to help them shed out - then they have a regular coat. But I live in a cold region, so the babies have a really big coat until we help them take it off.

And yes I clip show animals. So I have both.

 

[mini horse mania]

I have never clipped....it takes forever for them to shed out though...i do.have a few I may try this year.i am 6 months pregnant...so I dont want much of a fight..lol....

 

[Kendra]

We only clip for shows/events, and sometimes not even then. The colt in my avatar was shown last summer without body clipping.

 

[Sterling]

When I show my boys yes, I give them full body clips. For the ringing in of the spring/summer season if they aren't going to shows I do a body clip leaving only their "leggins" on. I use their blankets on cool days and nights and their legs stay nice and toasty.

 

[chandab]

Depends.... I don't show; but some years I clip, some times I don't. It mostly depends on our weather and how shed out the horses are; if it gets really hot before they are shed out enough, I'll clip them to make them more comfortable. If they've been rubbing excessively and look moth eaten, I'll clip them. If we have a health issue, such as lice, I'll clip them to make treatment easier (provided weather is warm enough for clipping).

I do clip bridle paths and beards on everyone; well all that will let me, I have a couple that don't like clippers, so I do my best with scissors.

 

[Mini~Madness]

I body clip all the horses I show and I body clip the weanlings (they seem to hold on to their fluffy fur longer and need a little help). I just let everyone else shed naturally. I might help them along with a little curry comb action maybe a bath but that's all.

(null)

 

[Matt73]

I don't clip my two girls; both just get a thicker coat like a big horse would and are shed out beautifully and sleek by May. I do, of course trim bridle paths and "beards". My yearling colt I clipped as a baby and I may have to clip him this year, too, but he doesn't have that "yak" coat, either, that many minis get in the winter.

 

[Riverrose28]

I clip show horses, horses that are for sale, and horses having pictures taken. the rest I use good old elbow grease. My stallions haven't been clipped in several years, as have broodmares, just bridle paths and sometimes heads. When I have foals and the weather is extremely hot, I'll clip them. Haven't had a foals for a few years.

 

[HGFarm]

I also only clip for show- but usually keep bridle paths and legs neatened since they are such hairy beasts, LOL Also, I clip the areas on my broodmares when they are close to foaling because all that shedding hair has been known to impact foals to the point that it's fatal. I have not had the problem, but have known others who have....... Our winters here are mild too, so if I have a horse I am working a lot, I usually clip their head and neck- it helps them cool out quicker so they are not going into a cool evening being really sweaty underneath all their winter coat.

 

[Katiean]

I don't clip Dusty. He never gets much of a winter coat anyway. However, my girls ALL get some body clipping. I don't clip as much as if we were showing. But, i don't like it when they have that fringe. I clip to my taste.

 

[vickie gee]

I used to clip because I had hopes of showing. Now that I realize that have neither time, money, or even interest in showing I only clip bridal paths and trim beards and fetlocks. Some of mine slick off rather nice anyway. The yakkiest (doubt that is a word) still get either a clip or brushed so much they slick off. This was a mild winter and only one got real furry and she is shedding it off nicely with a little help from me and her friends. Flies are already bad so I am letting the babies keep their baby hair to help keep the bites away. My yearling colt got his tummy washed this weeked and had to have to furr balls cut out with scissors. My bad. The rain has been so bad I fell behind on brushing. Now they are getting lots of brushing and vitamin E. Shampooing hurts my backside so much I will probably space it out to one or two per weekend as the weather permits.

 

[wildoak]

We are in such a hot climate that most of ours end up being clipped to some degree. Show horses are already clipped except for legs & ears, and anybody else who doesn't shed out before it gets hot will get a shave. Flies are bad right now and I know the clipped horses don't have as much protection, but in another few weeks we'll be in the 90's every day and not much cooler at night.

Jan

 

[Trish]

I haven't clipped mine in several years. Like others say, elbow grease to groom them to get the winter coat off when it's time. I haven't even trimmed the bridle path but probably need to. I haven't shown since 2006. Sure do miss it.