Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The clipping balancing act

Let's keep this short, sweet, and simple.

Here's my weather for the next ten days:

Whaaaat the hell, Mother Nature.

Theo is overdue for a clip and really looking like a yak.  Like hair that is a solid inch thick where he was last clipped. 
This whole area was completely clipped not too long ago

He will sweat and pant in the 50* weather, even trotting him will be a challenge.  He's going to need the fuzz for the 4* nights.  What do?

I'm currently thinking I will abandon his aggressive blanket clip and swap for an Irish clip to leave more fuzz on him while still making work a possibility.

But with fuzzy ears

Keeping in mind this poor horse lives out 24/7 but with blankets (including a neck rug) and a shed.  And he's worked 5 - 6 times a week.  I need to get him clipped so he doesn't sweat himself to death when worked, but I feel terrible stripping his defenses when temps are running 20* below normal.  Yes I own a full wardrobe of lovely turn outs plus underlayers if needed, but Pony-noia is a thing.

Irish?  Blanket?  Fuzzy wuzzy was a horse until the next cold snap passes?

3 comments:

  1. Weather is feeling a bit bipolar no? lol

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  2. Midge has a sort of Irish clip - I left her head alone (besides a quick trim of her lady beard) but the rest is the same. I love it as an easy compromise.

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  3. Our weather is doing the same thing out here. I settled for an Irish clip so I wouldn't feel too guilty when the next obscenely cold spell comes. You can definitely pile enough blankets on him to keep him toasty even with 24/7 t/o.

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