To clip or not to clip? That is the question!

Do you look forward to clipping and having an easy grooming life for the winter? Or do you dread the clipping procedure and the rugging that comes with it?

I'm kind of in between....... I hate the actual clipping, my fella is a hairy monster and it takes forever. But it's great when they're clipped and don't sweat up and it's brilliant come spring when their coats are changing. I also hate the what weight rug should I put on them dilemma?

Cu Chulainn won't be clipped until January. He's on holiday and I want him to feel like he's on holiday, even though he is rugged, and it's a medium weight. But that is to try and keep condition on him, I took it off him last night for a gawk at him and he looks brilliant, nice belly and lovely and shiny!! Fred is still a bit on the fat side, lol.

 I got my blades sharpened to clip Fred, but I haven't done it yet. Last weekend, I was away in Dublin to catch up with friends and soak up the Christmas atmosphere. I have to try and set aside a time to clean him and then clip him. Next week I'm over in London, and hoping to go to Olympia - very excited about that!! So clipping him in the next few days would be pointless, because I'll be away and he'll be out 24/7 while I'm gone. So fingers crossed the week after I'll get it done.

The next question then is what clip to do? For me it'll be purely functional, so I think I'll only do his neck and his girth area. Then in January I'll give him a proper clip. And Cu Chulainn as well. Fred isn't that great for clipping, I can do him myself, but I think years ago the blades were a bit blunt when I clipped him and that's left a bad memory. So it'll be interesting to see what I'll manage with him!! I reckon Cu Chulainn will be grand with clipping. He takes most things in his stride. I had no heavyweight rug for him, I only have one for Fred and one stable rug that I could put a lightweight over. But thankfully, Fred won a heavyweight in his dressage, so that'll do Cu Chulainn. I think with Fred, he'll make do with a mediumweight. The weather is currently 15 degrees.......last week it was -2. How are you supposed to manage that as a human, never mind for your horse!! I haven't had a chance yet to change CC back to a lightweight rug, but I'll be doing that ASAP.

Does anyone else have the issue of mane rubbing? What do you do? I've tried the whole mane & tail
on the mane. Today I put it on the rug, to see if that will help. Fred currently has one inch of mane in a spot, I need to hold on to that if I can!! I've had different rugs on him and it happens with most of them. They're all horseware. But I've had other brands and they tend to rub him on his shoulders. He loves his rugs too. He'll easily stand still in a field for you to put it on, he's taught CC that at least!