Paradigm Farms Horse Retirement: Round . . . I've Lost Count

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Round . . . I've Lost Count

The last couple of weeks have found us back in action with the body clippers. We had one horse, Renatta, get her third clip a few weeks ago in July. She'll be heading for her fourth clip soon. King had his fourth clip on Sunday. Most of the horses in the line-up were having their third clips, and one had his first clip. I have lost track at this point of how many body clips we've done this year, but I just did some quick math and came up with 43. That is a lot of hair. Hair that gets all over you, on your clothes, in your mouth, and in your hair.

Given the population of horses we live with we find ourselves adding horses to the clipping line-up each year. Sometimes they start out only needing one clip a year and stay there for a few years. Others go straight to needing 3 or 4 clips per year. Not clipping isn't an option. Aside from making sure our residents are as comfortable as possible, the risk of over heating is possible. We've never had any issues, but we clip the hairy horses.

I typically don't clip later than early to mid September unless a horse has really crazy hair growth. I'm not trying to prevent them from having a winter coat, I'm just trying to keep them from having a winter coat during the spring, summer and early fall. I expect I still have one, possibly two more body clips to go, and then that will be the end of body clipping for the year. I think 45 body clips is more than enough for one year and I'll be happy to give the clippers a rest for a few months.

Cuffie and Norman after their baths; Cuffie is making no secret of the fact that he is looking for a way out. Right after I took this picture Norman walked to the gate and just stood there hoping it would magically open. They were both getting their third clips of the year.

Cuffie showing his unhappy pony expression at having his regularly scheduled life interrupted

but he still stood like a statue because he is a perfect pony

Two unhappy pony expressions; "you clipped us so return us to our pasture NOW."

Gus was also getting his third clip of the year

Gus after his clip; he also wanted to skip the picture and be returned to his pasture pronto

Bruno at the start of his third clip

Bruno also had an unhappy expression and didn't want to waste time posing for after pictures

Bruno was much happier to pose after he was back in his pasture

Maisie getting her third clip

Maisie is such a sweet girl she put one ear forward for an after picture

Lily getting her third clip along with Maisie

Lily put no ears forward for her after picture

she grudgingly put her ears forward for me once she was back in her pasture

Apollo getting his first body clip, he was just diagnosed with PPID/Cushing's a couple of months ago; Hemi is on the right serving as the "friend"

Apollo had way too much hair for late August

in keeping with the trend, Apollo was uninterested in participating in an after picture

Hemi and Apollo galloped off like they were breaking the gate at the start of a race when we put them back outside; I think they were making sure we didn't have a chance to change our minds and detain them further.