Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Here Goes

A very strange thing happened when I curried Courage Monday: I got covered in long, sweaty, gross winter horse hair. I hadn't had that sort of experience in several years, because I've been at show barns where we rode through the winter and body clipped all the horses.

By the time I put the saddle on, I was covered in hair and itchy and Courage still looked gross.

bare naked pony
I had time to run out to the barn early Tuesday morning, so we just went ahead and took care of that problem.

I debated a few different clips, but decided to just go ahead and take it all off. Spring is on the way and riding weather is here again. It's time to get rid of that nasty long hair that just holds in dirt and funk and get ready to be beautiful again. :-)





That mane. Has to go.
I'm a little bummed that I took his stars off, but I was worried that he'd shed out awkwardly and look bad. Well that, and it was taking forever and I didn't want to take the time to clip around them.

Obviously, the next project is his mane, yikes! He's sensitive, so I only pull it when he's warm after work. I'm hoping to get it done soon, since you know, I can actually ride now!

I know a lot of people don't like to clip into the new year for fear of screwing up the incoming spring coat. To that I say I show clipped a bright bay gelding at the end of March (or was it early April?) and his coat was great.

See? All at once
And yes, I know that clipped horses still shed. It's just less overwhelming and disgusting when they do it.

Now bring on the sun!!

14 comments:

  1. I had heard the spring clipping thing too, and so far the only thing I've noticed is that the lines haven't disappeared the way they do with a winter clip. Guess that just means I need to get better at clipping, because I am in love with the idea of not dealing with Welsh Cob/Woolly (not) Mammoth shedding season.

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  2. My horses haven't even started to think about shedding yet.... come on spring hurry up!!

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  3. So cute! What kind of clippers do you use?

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  4. Naked Pony alert - he is looking smashing SB!
    So glad you can get back to regular scheduling of horseback riding now that weather is warming up...long may it last i say!

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  5. Yeah... Miles isn't shedding yet, even though I'm ready for it!!

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  6. Mine is shedding too and it's driving me nuts!

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  7. Mine still isn't shedding either but my trainer just clipped her two. I've never clipped before and we aren't doing any kind of showing until April so I might just wait it out. But Courage looks super cute all nekkid!

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  8. I didn't clip this year because Gatsby is rehabbing but now that we are trotting for significant amounts I am seriously considering it. It is just so darn difficult to get him to look nice when he is all furry!

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  9. I think you're on the wintery side of spring as far as a spring clip, so should be fine. If I owned clippers I'd do Simon again, he's gross right now.

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  10. Lex never grew a winter coat so I don't think I have to clip her. Just another thing to love about her. We'll see if I change my mind and trace clip her now that we're starting to get into real work and she might break a sweat...

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  11. Ah i love a freshly clipped horse!!

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  12. Spoke to my vet one time a while ago about clipping's ruining the spring coat, and she said it's not an issue. Then again, your clip job looks a heck of a lot better than some I've done in the past.

    Courage looks great!

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  13. I've been needing to do this for like 2 weeks...

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