Text: Amelia Campbell-Horne

Winter is well on its way, and fluffy winter coats are out in force. You might be one of the lucky ones with a horse or pony that doesn’t grow a hugely thick coat at this time of year, but for the rest of us, clipping of our woolly mammoths has already started or is at least being planned! If you know you’ll need to clip, read on for our top tips.

Benefits of clipping

Every year, horses grow thick winter coats as natural protection against the elements. However, when they are stabled, rugged and exercised, it is often more practical and beneficial to their well-being to clip all or part of their coat.

One of the most significant benefits of clipping is that it assists with keeping horses cool while exercising and prevents the excessive sweating that can occur with a thick winter coat that traps the heat. When horses become wet from sweating, they are not only at risk of overheating, but excessive sweat can cause discomfort and loss of condition, and there is an increased risk of them catching a chill as their winter coats take time to dry out. Several studies have proven that clipped horses can regulate their body temperature better than their unclipped counterparts and, therefore, exercise more without overheating.

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Monitor your horse’s heart rate, breathing and sweat levels before and after exercise to track their recovery and establish whether they need to be clipped.

A further benefit of clipping is that it makes grooming much easier and more effective. With a shorter coat, hygiene is more easily maintained. Furthermore, a short coat aids in monitoring skin conditions and allows you to easily spot any lumps or bumps that need attention.

REMEMBER

A clipped horse will need thicker rugs to replace his lost coat!

When not to clip

1. If your horse does little to no exercise throughout the winter, it is usually unnecessary to clip them.
2. Senior horses can struggle with regulating their body temperature and can, therefore, be more susceptible to the cold. In these cases, it is worth chatting with your vet before clipping your horse.
3. Once your horse has started growing his summer coat again, you should avoid clipping. As the daylight hours begin to increase at the end of winter, your horse will naturally start shedding and growing their lighter summer coat; if you continue clipping at this time it can affect the quality of the horse’s summer coat.

HQ clipping tips and tricks

Before you start

BATH-TIME: Give your horse or pony a good bath to remove dirt and dust. This will help prevent your blades from becoming blunt quickly and prevent lines when clipping. But remember to ensure your horse is completely dry before you start clipping. If it is not possible to bathe your horse in advance of clipping, at least make sure that they are thoroughly groomed.

SHARPEN THE BLADES: Make sure your blades are sharp, and having a spare pair of blades on hand is always helpful.

FIND THE PERFECT SETTING: Choose a bright, tidy and spacious area for clipping. Lots of light is vital to ensure you pay attention to important areas. A portable LED comes in handy here. Try to steer clear of dusty and drafty areas when clipping, as this could irritate your horse (and you!) and disrupt the process.

KIT: It’s often helpful to use a halter with a clip so you can detach the throatlash and don’t have to try to clip around the headcollar.

Clipping

DESENSITISE YOUR HORSE: A bad experience can remain in your horse’s memory for a long time, so make sure that every clipping experience is a good one to prevent hassle and vet callouts in the future. Gradually introduce your horse to the clippers to acclimatise them to the sound, vibration and sensation. Let your horse smell, sniff and feel them before turning them on, and only then gently touch your horse’s body with them (without clipping) to familiarise them with the sensation. You can also consider keeping some treats on hand for positive reinforcement of good clipping behaviour. Make sure your horse is relaxed and comfortable before you start clipping. Once you and your horse are ready, begin with a less sensitive area, such as the neck or shoulder, and then work your way towards more sensitive areas (face and legs) as they get used to the clippers.

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Always start with a discrete area, such as under the saddle, just in case anything doesn’t go to plan…

CLIP CAREFULLY: Clipper lines or uneven hair markings can result from various things, including dull blades, an unclean coat, and inconsistent pressure when clipping. Clip in long, flat strokes in the direction of hair growth, with the clippers lying flat against the skin. Slightly overlap your clipping paths and maintain constant gentle pressure to avoid lines. If lines do appear, you can clip over them in an ‘X’ pattern to even out the hair.

NOTE

If you use the clippers at an angle, you run the risk of cutting your horse as the clipper teeth and their skin can come in contact.

For a smooth clip in the creases of your horse’s elbow without risking any nicks, enlist the help of an assistant to hold their foreleg forward. They should maintain a secure hold just below the knee in case the horse tries to move suddenly. Having an assistant hold up a foreleg can also stop the horse from kicking out and injuring you when clipping sensitive areas.  If your horse reacts badly to the clippers, both you and your assistant should consider wearing riding hats for added safety.

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Make sure you set aside enough time for clipping, as it is not a job that should be rushed. Attempting to get the job done quickly with rushed, harsh strokes will not only give your horse an uneven clip but also an unpleasant experience and cause issues in the future.

SHOCK-FREE CLIPPING: During the winter months, there is a lot more static electricity, and as you clip, you might ‘shock’ your horse. To reduce static and prevent this, wipe over newly clipped areas with a warm, damp cloth, but don’t wet the hair too much, as you can’t resume clipping until it is completely dry.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLIP: Due to the milder winters in Southern Africa compared to Europe and the hotter days that can still be experienced, the most common clips you will see are the full clip and the hunter clip.

1. FULL CLIP This involves removing all the horse’s hair, giving a smart and smooth show-ready finish. This clip is ideal for horses in heavy work and those in warmer climates.
2. HUNTER CLIP This involves removing the hair from everywhere except the legs and the saddle area. The clip provides protection from the saddle, and the leg hair provides warmth and protection. It is also used for horses in heavier work and warmer climates.
3. BLANKET/TRACE/IRISH CLIP Despite slight differences in the details of these clips, all of them remove hair from the underside of the areas that sweat the most, i.e., the neck, chest, and belly. This type of clip is beneficial for horses in medium work who need to stay warm during exercise in very cold weather and require protection from the elements.

If your horse is young, nervous, or struggles to stand still for a full clip, start with a clip design that covers a smaller area of the body, making it a more manageable and pleasant experience.

After care considerations

1. Use a warm cloth with some antimicrobial cleanser to wipe over your horse after clipping to remove loose hair, lift any leftover dirt and remove any grease.
2. Once your horse is clipped his skin is more vulnerable to wind, rain and fly irritation. Be sure to apply the necessary blankets and fly control measures.
3. Monitor your horse and the weather closely to ensure you choose an appropriate blanket and adjust the blankets used accordingly.
4. You may need to consider adjusting their diet (forage and/or feed), as they may expend more calories maintaining their body temperature.
5. Keep grooming your horse regularly using a soft brush. This will keep him clean, stimulate natural oil production, and promote a healthy coat.

Maintaining your clippers

Barry Steenkamp, a clipping maestro, gave HQ the following tips:

1. Don’t turn your clippers off: Once you have started clipping, don’t turn your clippers off until you are done. Clippers have a fan inside them that is designed to cool them down, so if they start feeling hot, keep them on, hold them in some clean air for a while and let the fan work its magic before continuing to clip!
2. Oiling your clippers: Depending on what you are clipping, your clippers should be oiled at least every 10 minutes with a drop of oil.
3. Make sure your clipper blades are set correctly:If you are setting your clipper blades for the first time and they do not cut at all, tighten them by small fractions until they do start clipping.NOTE: The clippers should never be tightened more than one and a quarter turns. Alternatively, if the clippers cut like butter, reduce the tension slightly until they stop clipping, then tighten again, as you want to be right on the edge of the friction limit. This will prevent the clipper blades from overheating and getting blunt too quickly.
4. Clipper maintenance is key: Your clippers need to be consistently maintained to prevent them from burning out and increase their longevity. If your clipper body is getting excessively hot, it most likely means they are clogged, and need to be serviced to prevent them burning out. Barry’s general rule (depending on who is clipping) is to have your clippers serviced at least every 15 horses.

KNOW YOUR FEI CLIPPING RULES:

1. Horses are not permitted to compete in FEI events if their “sensory hairs have been clipped and/or shaven or in any other way removed (unless individual sensory hairs have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse).” These sensory hairs include the whiskers around the muzzle and eyes, as well as the hairs inside the horse’s ears.
2. Horses competing under FEI rules can no longer have their legs clipped while on-siteat a competition.
3. Horses’ limbs may be clipped up to three days before an FEI Horse Inspection using a blade that cuts the hairs no shorter than 2mm.

Breach of these rules will result in immediate disqualification from the event.