Re: Wooley Boogers (clipping)

["Angela C. McGhee" <rides2far@juno.com>]

 Do you have to shave your horse before racing if he is haired 
>up?  Or do you condition him accordingly??  Hope that is not too dumb 
>a question

This is something I struggle with every Fall and Spring.  I'm hoping to
do 100 on Feb. 26.  Yesterday I rode Kaboot up a mountain and it was 70
degrees.  He was panting like nobody's business and I had this big urge
to clip.  Then, this morning we had snow and freezing rain.

I think everybody has to think over all the possibilities and
ramifications. How fast do you plan to go?  Will it be possible to
sponge?  (Yes I have sponged when it was 40 degrees and the horse
appreciated it, but it was on the trail, not in camp)  Wet long hair
isn't nearly as bad as dry.  

On a hot day if you had to take off your coat, would you take it off if
it meant you couldn't put it back on for the rest of the winter?

I TRY hard not to clip until March (even here in GA.)  Sometimes on my
old horse who was heavy coated, I cut a little at a time. Aesthetics mean
nothing. First ride we'd clip just the neck.  Next ride as it got closer
to Spring chest & belly. One thing I've considered on Kaboot is clipping
the side of his neck that's under his mane.  He has a thick heavy LONG
mane which I braid during competition.  The mane would help keep that
side warm.  What use is a blanket, when we always clip the parts it
doesn't cover?  I thought 1/2 a neck might be like rolling up your
sleeves or opening your collar at least.

Since Isaiah's coat was so heavy (Shetland Ponyish), I learned to wait
until Sept. when he had as much hair as most horses get, then clip him. 
After that he'd grow back about the amount normal horses had.  Made it
much easier to clean him up, etc. and he still had a normal coat.  Kaboot
has a light coat and has done competitions with his full coat.  

I can understand front runners clipping early, but if you just plan to
complete, I'd sponge and slow down until late Spring.

Angie

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