Winter comes with big steps and as so often you can hear the whirring of the clippers in the stable alley soon again. But why do you shear a horse at all and with which horses does it make sense?
In itself a horse has a summer and a winter coat. The change of coat happens automatically. The cooler it gets the denser the winter coat becomes. Not everyone should shear their horse, because some horses have hardly any winter coat or it does not bother them. Because clipping does not only have advantages.Shearing in autumn/winter:
So in which cases should you shear your horse?
Usually you only shear a horse if it does not dry out very well or quickly after work in cool temperatures. This means that you ride your horse normally and it sweats a lot due to its longer coat. If you then put him under a solarium or in the box with the sweat blanket, it takes a felt eternity until the coat is dry again. Why can this be a problem?
Let us compare it quite simply: You wash your hair and do not blow-dry it. Then you go out into the cool (in winter even icy) fresh air with the wet and wet hair. A cold is virtually pre-programmed.
Your horse can feel the same way. The sweat cools your horse down normally. However, if your horse sweats just because he has such a dense coat, it is possible that he will even freeze after work and get a cold pull on his back with the damp coat, which can even make him tense.
If this is the case and your horse's coat does not dry well after work, a partial or full shearing can definitely help.
However, do not shear too early, otherwise you may have to shear more often during the season. Just make sure that you choose a suitable blanket so that your horse does not freeze completely without coat.
Clipping in summer:
As such, shearing is rarely the case in summer. It usually only makes sense if the sweating is not only caused by the temperature but also by a clearly "too long" and dense coat. Because your horse can have a luxuriant coat even in summer and suffer from it.
In summer, however, every horse sweats more easily. Sweat alone should not then be the basis for clipping. Rather, you should check whether, for example, your horse's circulation has problems due to excessive sweating caused by a long coat.
Normally you know your horse best. So always weigh up for yourself whether it makes sense or not.
Short and concise:
Reason for clipping ?
When the coat does not dry properly anymore
If there is a risk of other diseases (cold, circulation problems)
If your horse suffers visibly because of the long coat
When in the year ?
basically depending on the coat length
Frequently in autumn Winter from October/November
in summer only as needed
If your horse has never been clipped before, the clipper can be scary with its loud noises. It is best to find a professional clipper who helps you at the beginning and knows what to look for.
Some horses can also be kept happy with a few treats like https://www.equifinity.de/collections/pflege/products/premium-apfel-pur-getreidefreie-leckerlis-1kg
In some cases, however, a horse cannot overcome its fear. Sedating a horse for clipping should be considered very carefully, because even a light anaesthetic carries its risks and is a strain on the body.
After clipping the coat is sometimes a bit dusty and bristly. You can groom it with a good coat spray like https://www.equifinity.de/collections/pflege/products/lovely-rose-mahnenspray