When to clip-what temperatures at night is ok

[Basketmiss]

I want to clip Pal and Giddy as soon as its warm enough, but it is in the 30's this week at night and 50-70 in the day.

I was wondering how warm do you clip??

 

[ontherisefarm]

I wait till almost summer to clip my horses but I also do not show. Unless you are willing to take on the responsibility of blanketing them to keep them warm I would wait a couple more months. I am sure someone who clips early will have a bit better advice. I like to trim up bridle paths and such but never any major clipping till much later.

 

[suz]

We've finally started getting our warm weather so I clipped a few weeks ago. The nights have been in the high 50's/ low 60's with days 70's-80's and he's in his stall with a horse on either side of him. If it gets any lower than mid-50's at night, he will get a sheet. So, to answer your question, I wouldn't clip him yet with your temperatures. Still waaay too cold in my book!

 

[midnight star stables]

Do you stable at night and in bad weather? This is very important as to when one should clip.

 

[dannigirl]

We have a very open barn--a roof with wood stalls--that keep about 75 to 90% of the winds out. We also have 7 rows of stalls. We will start clipping the ones on the innermost stalls when it will still be around 30 at night. If it is no warmer than 65 during the day, they will have a light blanket on all day and night with another blanket during the night. We are pretty dilligent about taking the extra one off in the morning as soon as it starts to warm up and put it back on when it starts to cool off. We have had good luck with this for several years now. We are clipping about 30 this year so have to get started because we can only do one or two a day and don't have time every day.

 

[Basketmiss]

Yes they both are stalled at night with the barn closed with the current temps. I didnt know if it outa be like 50's at night before I clip. We have had some of those but not consistent yet.. I am not rushing on clipping, just want to do it when the time is right. They are wooly mammoths!!

 

[chandab]

Due to our weather, I don't usually clip very early, not before mid-April at the earliest, and usually later than that. But, last year, my newest little stallion was so woolie and he was just throwing himself at the fence posts and anything else that wouldn't move, he was so itchy with the warming weather, so I did clip him (he also wears a blanket in cold weather, so had his blanket should he need it). I try not to clip too early, but sometimes, I do end up head and neck clipping them if we have on and off warm weather, as they get so miserable in their thick winter coats.

 

[mgranch]

If we waited until it was warm enough to clip we would have hairy horses year around!! I clip in April!! Period!! Just have to pick a day and do it. If its too cold I blanket. We start heavy showing around May so no choice. I have just run in shelters. No indoor barns though I wish I did!! I have on hand blankets, blanket liners, sleezys, heavy winter hoods, and enough blankets to double blanket everyone if I have too just to be safe!! I remove horsey clothes on nice days and re-blanket at night. Kind of a pain but I don't see any other way. In fall we will repeat as it will be too cold again then and horses are still naked!! Works for us!! Course I only have three minis, would hate to try that with a whole bunch!!

 

[PMMinis]

My rule of thumb is if it is too cold to give them a bath, it is too cold to clip.