Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: Janet McNally <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Question and a comment. Question... those who trace clip to allow their horses to dry out, I presume the horse must then be stabled or out of the wind? comment... regarding grooming for shows. One aspect to grooming that should be considered is breed character. If things like feathering on fetlocks are part of the fjord breed, they should be left untrimmed. Personally I like to stick to just the practical stuff, like the long hair in the throat, so it does not tangle in the bridle. Janet
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi.. i decided to fully body clip my fjord this winter... his fur was growing in back in august.. and he looked so scraggy and terrible.. i also show in the winter.. so he could look like that.. i also did it because after a 10 minute work out.. jumping and all.. he was drenched.. and i couldnt just leave him cold and wet like that.. i keep a turnout rug on all the time and when it gets colder.. i put on a stable rug and a turnout rug.. i live in washington state.. :)
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh? & Fjord Fun Day
This message is from: "Mike May, Registrar NFHR" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> At 09:36 AM 10/9/2002 -0700, you wrote: This message is from: Cynthia Madden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> BTW, I just got my Herald and see that NFHR has a grooming tape out for $20. Has anyone seen it yet? Please provide a review if you have. No it has not been seen by anyone other than the committee that has worked on it. The tapes are in the mail to the BOD members right now for their review & final edit if needed. They should be available for shipment very soon. Be aware that the $20 price is only good until the 1st of December. This is an introductory price. By the way the tape is about 90 minutes in length. Mike === Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry Mike May, Executive Director & Registrar PO Box 685 Webster, NY 14580-0685 Voice 585-872-4114 FAX 585-787-0497 http://www.nfhr.com mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh? & Fjord Fun Day
This message is from: Cynthia Madden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have already trace clipped Tank on his chest, shoulders, and where the harness saddle and girth go. I am thinking about clipping his flank area as he seems to sweat there. I have a picture of Tank trace clipped more thoroughly for the AZ CDE last March. It's at www.picturetrail.com - member name, cmadden. Look under the AZ CDE. It's the 3rd picture from the end. He already has a fairly woolly coat (his first winter coat, not his second longer coat)and the temps range from 50 at night to high 80's during the day right now. I clipped him as he was growing out with my dog clippers but I think I will have to invest in a set of heavier clippers or bug my neighbor again. I only scissor clip Tank's goat hairs and do a bridle path, plus trim his mane. Sometimes before a show, I will trim his ears on the outside to neaten them up a little but I never clip inside his ears. I do give his tail a dressage type trim which is allowed. I like the way it looks. I leave feathers as is, but may trim a little above the knees for a slightly improved look. The breed standard calls for leaving them pretty natural. I will clean his hooves, but I don't polish them. I know some people who show primarily in open carriage driving competition and other open shows, do somewhat fancier trim & polish jobs because they believe it makes them more competitive with the other breeds. I believe as Fjords have become more common in open competition that some judges are learning the breed standard and not being so critical. Linda, coming from the Morgan world, I can understand your shock, but Fjords are a little bit more au natural than Morgan show people can stand. It's all part of their charm. Welcome to Fjords!! BTW, I just got my Herald and see that NFHR has a grooming tape out for $20. Has anyone seen it yet? Please provide a review if you have. I attended Beth & Sandy's fun day and it was too much fun. Just look at my picture in jousting to see how much I was concentraing on keeping that d!!! coit from falling off my lance (aka noodle)! Thanks so much to Sue North for letting me monopolize Heidi all day. It was nice to meet so many Fjord people and their horses. Beth and Sandy are the best! Thanks also to Sue Clark-Sorger for providing me with the ride there from Albuquerque. Beth did a beautiful job in training Sue's mare, Heather, for driving. Kez looks great and is happily reunited with his Mom, Sue, again. = Cynthia Madden Las Cruces, NM [EMAIL PROTECTED] Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: Janine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi this Janine in Victoria, B.C. I have two fjords and I wouldn't dream of clipping their whiskers or eye lashes, only the "goat hairs" under the chin and throat, (I love the way that was put). I clip these so I can do up the nose band without pulling at the hair. I also clip a bridle path so my bridle will fit on, give them 3 weeks and they wouldn't. I don't show or event anymore so I prefer to leave well enough alone, the hair is there for a reason. My mare grows a very long coat every winter so I give her a modified trace clip that goes from under her throat, down her chest, and stops just behind the girth. It only goes 1/3 up the sides of her neck and 2 inches up from her elbows. I clipped her out on the 24th of Sept. and just did her again yesterday but I have yet to clip out my boy Lorens. I clip them in the winter so they don't sweat up too much, take so long to cool down and dry off, who wants to be wet and cold? I also clip so I can be sure that the girth area is kept clean, who wants girth galls? This is only my humble opinion. - Original Message - From: "Bossmare" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 7:20 AM Subject: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh? > This message is from: "Bossmare" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > I'd like some advice on this one. I have two Fjord mares here in New Jersey. > Both are growing thick coats but our temps are in the 70's. I took the new > mare on a half-mile walk around the farm (stopping on her part occasionally to > make sure the barn was still there) and was surprised to see how warm she was > from the walk. The other mare after a brief (successful, yea!) training > session was also very warm. In fact with the temps in the 60's overnight they > come in from pasture with sweaty patches on belly and neck. > > I do not believe in clipping and have never clipped a horse but neither have I > had any that seemed to sweat this easily with light work, or no work in > moderate temps. Last year I wound up clipping the one mare on her neck and > belly but hated the look as the difference in color was so noticeable and she > looked motheaten. Even with the trace clip she was warm during the mild > winter we had. > > So, what do you folks south of the arctic do with your horses in work or those > you'd like to put in work. I'm more concerned with the health risk of letting > wet long-haired horses dry out than with cosmetics. Is it possible that the > Fjords endure this better than other breeds? I should add that I don't see > any signs of heat distress in breathing or energy, just the damp to wet coat. > > Lois
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: "Bossmare" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Another question: How many times do you need to clip to keep the coat short? Also I've read somewhere (not being an expert at all on this subject) that there is an optimal time to clip, I believe after the winter coat is well established but it seems to me that problems could develop long before that. We had a Friesian mare with a coat similar to a Fjords (very dense) and she had to be clipped year round. She also had problems with heat and cooling out. Last year my Fjord mare grew not only a dense coat early on but longish like dog hair later in the winter. She smelled like one when wet too. Much as I like my horses natural I think if I want to use her she will need clipping. Lois - Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 3:33 PM Subject: Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh? > This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > I live in Southern, CA but it does not seem to stop Fjords from growing a > thick winter coat despite year around average temperatures of 70 degrees. It > can be 80 degrees in January. I find clipping a necessity rather than > cosmetic. A horse worked hard in a thick coat is miserable. They breath hard > from overheating and seem lethargic. I do a full body clip which looks just > like their summer coat after a few weeks. Then, I have to blanket on cold > nights. > > I learned the hard way. I didn't clip a Fjord once and he got so stressed and > dehydrated that he started to colic. It took 4 bags of IV fluids to get him > back on track.
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: bolinsj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> If I plan to do a lot of winter driving, I find I need to 'trace clip' Kilar. He just sweats too much otherwise. It is impossible to 'cool him out' after a good driving workout. I am afraid he will catch cold or something. Last year I did not clip because I planned to ride overwinter instead of drive. I wound up driving more than riding and really wished I had clipped him. This year I plan to do a moderate trace clip again. Other than that, I do not clip anything but his mane and the nasty tufts that stick out of his ears. I leave the goat hairs in place. I DO clip the few goat hairs that the mare, Frida gets because it looks more 'feminine'. Martie in MD - where the Fjordies are finally getting their winter coats. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I live in Southern, CA but it does not seem to stop Fjords from growing a thick winter coat despite year around average temperatures of 70 degrees. It can be 80 degrees in January. I find clipping a necessity rather than cosmetic. A horse worked hard in a thick coat is miserable. They breath hard from overheating and seem lethargic. I do a full body clip which looks just like their summer coat after a few weeks. Then, I have to blanket on cold nights.
Re: Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I live in Southern, CA but it does not seem to stop Fjords from growing a thick winter coat despite year around average temperatures of 70 degrees. It can be 80 degrees in January. I find clipping a necessity rather than cosmetic. A horse worked hard in a thick coat is miserable. They breath hard from overheating and seem lethargic. I do a full body clip which looks just like their summer coat after a few weeks. Then, I have to blanket on cold nights. I learned the hard way. I didn't clip a Fjord once and he got so stressed and dehydrated that he started to colic. It took 4 bags of IV fluids to get him back on track.
Clipping Fjords in work...yea or neigh?
This message is from: "Bossmare" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I'd like some advice on this one. I have two Fjord mares here in New Jersey. Both are growing thick coats but our temps are in the 70's. I took the new mare on a half-mile walk around the farm (stopping on her part occasionally to make sure the barn was still there) and was surprised to see how warm she was from the walk. The other mare after a brief (successful, yea!) training session was also very warm. In fact with the temps in the 60's overnight they come in from pasture with sweaty patches on belly and neck. I do not believe in clipping and have never clipped a horse but neither have I had any that seemed to sweat this easily with light work, or no work in moderate temps. Last year I wound up clipping the one mare on her neck and belly but hated the look as the difference in color was so noticeable and she looked motheaten. Even with the trace clip she was warm during the mild winter we had. So, what do you folks south of the arctic do with your horses in work or those you'd like to put in work. I'm more concerned with the health risk of letting wet long-haired horses dry out than with cosmetics. Is it possible that the Fjords endure this better than other breeds? I should add that I don't see any signs of heat distress in breathing or energy, just the damp to wet coat. Lois