Help pls! Need someone to clip my horse before he heads to Ga

[SBT]

Just like the title says, I need to get my horse clipped before moving him to Ga at the end of March. He is quite wooly! I don't have the big clippers and even if I did, I'm afraid he'd look horrendous if I tried a DIY job. :lol: I need a professional. Of course I'm willing to pay said professional. ;) Horse is located in Orange County, NY.

Recommendations, please!

[War Admiral]

You might actually want to wait until he gets down here and see how it goes.

We have been having an *extraordinarily* cold winter, with lots of cold weather still coming. Quattro, my New Kid, was living out 24/7 in upper NY state, and like you, I assumed I would have to body clip him the minute he got here. I haven't yet; I'm finding there are still far more cold days than hot ones and he hasn't overheated himself unduly on the hot ones. He is also shedding quite a lot now, so doesn't really have too much more coat than the Georgia-bred horses do.

[HydroPHILE]

I would wait. Georgia always has a cold snap at the middle of March - beginning of April.


(P.S. I lived in Orange County, NY - Warwick)

[rabicon]

Yep, hold off on the clipping. We were at 69 last week and low of 50 and this week the high is 50 and the low is 24. We also tend to get a mid-late march freeze for a week or so where the high will be in the 30's. Just hold off, two of my guys are really wooly and they do just fine when we get the warmer days. I don't shave them until April, usually mid.

[TwoDreamRides]

My horse & I commute between NJ and GA. He is in GA May-Sept and Dec/Jan. The rest of the year he is in NJ. Usually, I clip in early November and then evaluate again in April. Last year, I didn't clip in April. The year before, I did. It all depends on your blanketing regime and weather.

That being said, My barn is ab 20 min away from Warick. I'd be happy to bodyclip if you wanted. Or, I'll be home in ATL for SB around the 10-15 of March if your horse will be down there then.

[relocatedTXjumpr]

My filly came down from NY and is doing fine with her coat. Its going to be down in the upper teens here tonight.

Id wait....just like everyone else has said!

[SBT]

Hmm. Interesting to hear that I should wait. I'm not sure if I should, because my horse sweats up easily and I'm afraid of that happening when he ships down. Also, I plan on putting him back in work as soon as we get down there, and he notoriously gets a "second sweat" after working in his winter coat. He takes FOREVER to cool down.

What do y'all think about a high trace clip as a compromise? I could do that myself and not have it look too terrible...I think... ;)

[TwoDreamRides]

I dont think it would hurt to clip now -- but ONLY if the barn you are going to has reliable blanketing procedures and he won't be pasture boarded.

He has survived much cooler weather in Warwick than temps in GA!

As for shipping, my horse shipped body clipped in just a cotton sheet from GA to NJ. He arrived a little chilly, I would have preferred that he had a cotton and a waterproof sheet on, but he def. wasn't freezing.

[SBT]

For the record...he's not in Warwick, but close. ;) I'm really torn as to whether I should clip now or wait. He's going to a nice barn in Ga with a stall soooo...he should be ok. I got him a wool dress sheet to travel in, so I don't think he'd be chilly en route if he were clipped.

Ugh, to clip or not to clip!!!

[Green Acres]

SBT, has he started shedding at all? If not, I would consider a trace or full clip if he's going to be in work and in a good barn situation with blanketing.

By the end of March, the temps will be not be as volatile here in Ga. Yes, we are having big swings in tempertures right now but in another month that shouldn't be as bad. Yesterday was mid 40's for highs, today s/b near 60, then tomorrow back in the low 40's. Lows have been in the 20's for the last few days.

I rode my guy yesterday who isn'g clipped for 30 minutes and he was a little sweaty on his neck. If I could find someone to clip him, I would have him done in a heartbeat!!!! (I've got to learn how but not right before a show)!!!;)

[ThoroughbredFancy]

I'd consider doing a trace clip or a full clip if he has a stall at night and can be blanketed.

We have a pony at my barn who sweats when he is ridden and sometimes takes 2-3 coolers to cool off. Now that he is body clipped he only takes about one. :D

But we live in MA and we have had some single digit nights here and weren't above freezing for awhile. He just wears a blanket then another high neck heavy weight over it when it's below freezing like that. He's lived all winter and not been cold. I think your horse would be fine if you trace clipped him or full clipped him. We have a few clipped horses here and they're all fine with proper clothing.

Plus, he'd be a lot easier to cool off with less hair! We also have one woolly guy with a trace clip that lives outside with a turn out blanket on and he's happy.

[HydroPHILE]

For the record...he's not in Warwick, but close. ;)

Though I had been to the Trotter Museum on more than one occasion living up there, when I was back in NY for Mem-Day weekend, I dragged my [non-horsey] parents with me to the Trotter Museum. After all, they dragged me to the Orange County Choppers new shop.

MY how it has changed! I love the virtual reality trotter thing! I swore to my mother if I got married, I wanted my reception to be held in their special events room (the one with the gorgeous HUGE oil paintings of trotter stallions on the walls).

[relocatedTXjumpr]

Well, its supposed to be 19 here tonight, with a chance of snow and colder tomorrow night. Mine has a winter coat and will be in blanketed tonight.

If you are really thinking of clipping, I agree with the poster who mentioned a trace clip.

[SBT]

A trace clip it will be, if I can get someone to do it. :yes:

HydroPHILE, I used to WORK at the Harness Racing Museum. Ran their education department for a while. Operated the 3-D simulator on a daily basis, and sometimes coordinated the special events. Teeny bit of insider info: the sewer does NOT handle large parties well! :uhoh: