Does anyone on here NOT clip?

[countrymini]

I've been doing a bit of thinking because a lot of people I've talked to use a twitch on their horse's nose to get the job done, and even tho I've been assured its ok I can't get over the possible pain factor. I'm not showing atm but I have seen some photos of a show just recently where some of the horses were shown in their winter coats. Does anybody on here go for the natural look when showing?

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I'll be honest with you- I HATE clipping horses. Absolutely hate it. And my boys are GOOD to clip.

That said, I wouldn't take an unclipped horse in the ring if you are doing halter. I HAVE taken Sunny in, but he was driving AND it was late October, so I didn't want him de-fuzzed for the winter coming on.

We also clip for the Stock Show in January, which I detest, but... if you wanna play the game, you play by the rules. Clipping is necessary. Bummer.

 

[Kaitlyn]

I don't ever twitch my horses. So it CAN be done without a twitch. You just have to do lots and lots of work to desensitize them, and even then some horses will never get completely used to having their head done, so it is a long process. But at least with a mini they can't throw their ears out of reach like the big guys!

 

[targetsmom]

I don't always clip if I am only doing performance and the horse has a short coat from an earlier clip, but in general, I clip. I wasn't going to clip Princess for her show this past weekend where we are only doing performance, but then another heat wave hit so I clipped her so she would be more comfortable. She is normally a brat to clip but was fine this time except for the legs. I am a senior citizen so I do not even try to clip everything in one day. Body one day, legs another and head the day before the show. Princess is fine for the head. I would say clip and you might be surprised. I had one mini that I tranq'd the first time I did her head and then she didn't need it after that. I very seldom use a twitch, but I will if needed. It does NOT hurt the horse; what it does is trigger the release of endorphins so the horse doesn't fixate on what you are doing. You should give the twitch a short time to work before you start doing anything and never leave one on for more than about 10-15 minutes. Also, make sure you rub the nose after you take it off to get the circulation going again.

My experience is that any that I clip for "comfort" (chests, necks, flanks, etc, but no head or legs) - even barely halter broken babies - don't mind being clipped at all and will stand or be held quite well.

 

[dutchhollow]

My experience is that any that I clip for "comfort" (chests, necks, flanks, etc, but no head or legs) - even barely halter broken babies - don't mind being clipped at all and will stand or be held quite well. "

I just found this out, I clipped my just under one month old colt, as he had very thick wooley baby hair and our temps had been steady around 100 and very humid. I put if off for a few days, as I only have very old cow clippers (read very large and loud!) and I didn't want to scare him. He just stood there like he didn't notice. I didn't do face, head, or legs. It doesn't look good by any means, but I am sure he is more comfortable!

 

[Leeana]

I only clip when I have to, that is for AMHR/ASPC show. If I am going to a local open show or our fair (I still enjoy open shows and our local county fair), then I usually will not clip besides the essentials (legs, ears, jawline, stray hairs, facial, bridle ext). I do have one super fuzzy horse right now that I am taking to an open show next weekend and he will be body clipped just as he looks like a marshmellow.

 

[disneyhorse]

I've never used a twitch, never owned one. Very rarely I've used my hand... Mini noses are very small. That said, I do body clip horses for show. It gets easier each time as the horse gets used to it and realizes it doesn't hurt and I'm not going to give in. I am not fanatical about clipping the ears, I just slick down any missed hairs with gel in the ring. Over time horses get better about it.

You will need a lot of firm patience though. Twitches just make it faster and easier though, so your choice.

Unless the individual has a very tight summer coat, I'd clip.

 

[Carolyn R]

I think if I ever showed my mare that I kept, beyond a quick trim or with the exception if it was early in the season and she was a hairy beast, I wouldn't clip her, she has an amazing sooty buckskin color that has HUGE dapples on it, clipped, she just looks mousy and it takes forever to get her dapples back. As far as the twitching, i've done clipping with and without, depends on the horse. It really isn't cruel, if done correctly it is based on pressure points and the release of endorphins that relaxes the horse, not the common misconception that it creates localized pain to take their mind off the clipping. Don't confuse not body clipping with not clipping fetlocks, faces, bridal paths and cleaning up their manes and forelocks, I wouldn't dare have stray hares and whiskers everywhere.

 

[HGFarm]

I have never had to twitch to clip. The only time I clip is when I am showing, and I would never dream of showing a horse not recently clipped here.

 

[Magic]

I've shown horses unclipped, most recently at an AMHR Area show this year in May. My gelding "Fire" sheds out very nicely, and at that show we entered some halter classes just for the heck of it since there was a pay-one-price fee. Fire had won in Halter in the past against body-clipped horses (one of which I know finally was able to get his HOF in halter after Fire got his HOF and stopped showing in it). The rules state that horses can show either clipped or in a full coat, and when the coat is short and looks good, why not? I saw the most gorgeous mare one year at Nationals who was Grand Champion, and she had a full coat. I'd say it depends on the horse, what its coat looks like, and the time of year.

 

[susanne]

It all depends upon the horse, their coat, and the time of year. I've shown Mingus in his natural summer coat, only trimming bridlepath, ears, jawline, fetlocks. He sheds out to a sleek, shiny coat that isn't long enough for a 10 blade to touch. The only times I've ever body-clipped is for early spring shows.

Be forewarned...YOU will have to be the one with the tough skin if you choose not to clip. I've had people who have never seen him accuse me of showing a dirty, hairy horse when they heard I didn't clip.

 

[Marty]

OH heck I don't even show but I sure do clip! For one thing I don't want my horses feeling uncomfortable in the heat and for another, I take a lot of pride in their upkeep. Having a bunch of messy hairy furballs around that are not clipped and groomed up nicely is not an option. Mohawks and fetlock hairs hanging off a horse is my pet peeve. I'd rather be boiled in oil than have to be subjected to looking at that stuff. And I do use a twitch for a certain little red haired girl, not mentioning any names (Chrissy) who'd rather kick my head off than to let me shave her back legs. Go forth and clip !!!

 

[countrymini]

OH heck I don't even show but I sure do clip! For one thing I don't want my horses feeling uncomfortable in the heat and for another, I take a lot of pride in their upkeep. Having a bunch of messy hairy furballs around that are not clipped and groomed up nicely is not an option. Mohawks and fetlock hairs hanging off a horse is my pet peeve. I'd rather be boiled in oil than have to be subjected to looking at that stuff. And I do use a twitch for a certain little red haired girl, not mentioning any names (Chrissy) who'd rather kick my head off than to let me shave her back legs. Go forth and clip !!!

lol

 

[cassie]

Hey Hayley,

I'm with you on the clipping lol not sure what to do lol, over here in Australia miniature horses always seem to be clipped... miniature ponies are different you don't have to clip them and its only started to be that your allowed to clip them. I'm trying to work out if I want to try clip my mini horse who I think would hate it or if I should just show her performance LOL its hard when you don't want to clip but have to because of what everyone else does... I think trimming is necessary for any show horse/pony but if they are in full summer coat and don't need it then I don't clip it lol. if its the middle of summer and they still have a hectic winter coat (like my foal did last summer) then I would body clip as some have said for the relief of the horse, poor things.

good luck with clipping if you decide too

I wouldn't do it yet though unless you were showing and rugging... brr much too cold still I think lol

 

[countrymini]

Yeah, since I"m not showing atm its not a huge drama. I'm wondering now if those minis i saw in their coats at the show were ponies. I do remember thinking 'can't believe it got a ribbon, its legs look so short! lol

 

[countrymini]

It all depends upon the horse, their coat, and the time of year. I've shown Mingus in his natural summer coat, only trimming bridlepath, ears, jawline, fetlocks. He sheds out to a sleek, shiny coat that isn't long enough for a 10 blade to touch. The only times I've ever body-clipped is for early spring shows.

Be forewarned...YOU will have to be the one with the tough skin if you choose not to clip. I've had people who have never seen him accuse me of showing a dirty, hairy horse when they heard I didn't clip.

Aw that is harsh, might've had something to do with Mingus looking better than theirs lol. I sometimes don't get when people gush over a horse that's just been clipped, and to me it looked far better with the colour on lol. Depending on how mine shed out, I'm planning on letting them go, just tidying up a few spots with a attachment on the blade so it leaves a bit of hair on. Thats just for me so I can look out and see groomed horses on my lawn lol. If I ended up showing I'd have to do all the right stuff.

 

[Wings]

Aw that is harsh, might've had something to do with Mingus looking better than theirs lol. I sometimes don't get when people gush over a horse that's just been clipped, and to me it looked far better with the colour on lol. Depending on how mine shed out, I'm planning on letting them go, just tidying up a few spots with a attachment on the blade so it leaves a bit of hair on. Thats just for me so I can look out and see groomed horses on my lawn lol. If I ended up showing I'd have to do all the right stuff.

You might have nicer colour unclipped but you always get the nicer outline when clipped which makes it worth it every time. I used to not clip if I had two shows very close to each other but everyone could spot when I had gotten lazy and IMHO it's the rare horse that can carry regrowth and still look awesome in the breed group rings where the competition can be very hard and every bit can make a difference in your placing.

I keep a twitch on hand, I used to hate them but after battling with one of mine and ending each session with us wanting to murder each other I realised it is so much kinder on both of us to use it, clip and get it over and done with as little stress as possible.

 

[susanne]

I would point out that Erica shows at least one of hers in natural coat, and I'm sure that if he had a nicer outline clipped, then she would do it. Again, it depends upon the horse. Not all horses can pull it off, but some most definitely can, and do it magnificently.

Personally, I feel that the AMHR and AMHA color classes are a bit silly -- that grey horse is a chestnut...that grey one is a bay...that grey is actually black... They look like unfired pottery.

 

[Tapestry Minis]

We took our two boys to a local R show just recently and since it was so spur of the moment and their only show for the year I didn't want to do a full clip on them. So we did head and legs and just did our best to blend it. The stallion in my avatar photo took Res Grand and my other took 3rd under one judge with at least 8 horses in the class. So it can be done, as others have said it just depends on what their coats are like when they are shed all the way out.

 

[wingnut]

I only clip the horses I show and no, I would not show them un-clipped. I don't "uber" clip them (no 30's 40's or 50's in my blade arsenal), but I get them cleaned up and looking like nice and well groomed horses. I do not need to twitch. I also don't "enjoy" clipping as it is very labor intensive and takes a long time. In fact, I plan to upgrade my clippers next year to see if I can speed up the process some.