[Rachelconley]

I have an OTTB that I am showing in hunter jumper this month. I live in Ohio and I want to full body clip him. Would this effect the shine of his coat? Also would I HAVE to pull his mane? I would hate to be because it's so beautiful! Also any grooming tips you have please share! P

 

[waresbear]

Is he shiny right now? If so, don't clip him, he will be dull, and the clip will look too "fresh", most peops like to clip at least a month before an event. His name should be short, you don't need to pull though, you can cheat & cut & razor.

 

[Rachelconley]

His coat is so dull now & so shaggy.
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[waresbear]

Then clip him right away so it has the most time to grow out. Everyday helps make it look better.

 

[Wallaby]

I've always heard that you shouldn't clip a horse at all after about January because it'll end up effecting how good the summer coat looks since the summer coat is growing in under the winter coat starting around late December/early January.

I've never tried it though because I'm nervous about ruining the coat for an entire season. However, you could definitely try it if you were feeling brave...
Also, just so you know (maybe you know this), a clipped horse isn't really shiny at all. So he'll still look pretty dull if you clip him, just his hair will be shorter and less shaggy.

Have you tried brushing him a ton to get his hair shinier? That generally works for me, lotsa elbow grease.

 

[waresbear]

Yes, Wallaby, I have heard this too. You are clipping off the tips of the new hairs, but it doesn't affect it a whole pile, not like you are clipping once all the summer coat is in. It's only going to affect what is underneath and some of those will be shed out & replaced during the course of the summer.

 

[Wallaby]

Thanks wares, that's good to know!

 

[minihorse927]

Please keep in mind with miniature horses that are being shown, we do full body clips on most horses 7 to 10 days before a show and they always shine when they go in the ring. It is not because we oil them either. I feed certain supplements to all the horses and when they are clipped and the hair is moisturized properly after a clip, they shine like new within 7 to 10 days. The stuff I feed makes a clipped horse feel like velvet too.

Their coats are constantly growing year round. If you give them plenty of time before the show, clipping is not going to hurt the way their coat will look.

 

[countercanter]

Clip him and pull his mane. The mane should be around 4 inches long. For the hunter ring your horse should be impeccably clean and neat.

 

[Rachelconley]

Do you clip yours?
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[equiniphile]

For a shinier coat, feed a cup of corn oil a day with his grain. An article recently came out about the cons of feeding corn oil, but it has always worked for me. I don't clip my hunter/eventer, but I do blanket him so his winter coat isn't as obnoxious for late winter shows. His mane is pulled around this time of year and maintained throughout the show season. If you really don't want to pull his mane, you might be able to get away with a neat running braid, but it depends on what association you're showing with.

 

[countercanter]

Yes mine is clipped. I clipped him last month and he gets blanketed according to the weather.
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[Rachelconley]

How does his coat come in?
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[Rachelconley]

I LOVE running braids and the hunter braids
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[countercanter]

I've never had a problem, even when I clipped him late last year. And with the running braid, if its anything but a local schooling unrated or 4H type show it is not acceptable and will be very out of place. If you are going to be showing in the hunters you need to have the mane pulled.
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[Rachelconley]

Does his cost still grow in shiny?
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[countercanter]

Yes but its because he is appropriately blanketed, groomed regularly, and is on a nutritionally sound diet.
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[Rachelconley]

Do you feed any supplements?
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[countercanter]

Just biotin. During show season he gets a little bit of oil but that's it.
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