>>>> What I did last year that worked well for me, is every other week from March 1 until mid April, I just keep expanding her trace clip until in Mid April she has a whole body clip. I am doing the same this year and is keeping her comfortable during the day with something left for the cool nights. I never clip her belly or her head or tail head - I let those shed out naturally because it just gives her a little extra time with more protection from the flies and no-see-ums. I think she would have been totally miserable this weekend with this heat if she hadn't been mostly clipped.
I will send a picture of how I clipped Eitill in a minute. Gosh, we hit 86 this weekend! I'm glad he was born in eastern Canada, so he probably doesn't have much/any risk of SE. Poor Doppa - I hadn't thought to be thankful for that in Eitill. Loftur, my SE-risk, sheds pretty normally. No signs of him itching...yet...knock on wood... Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
