Horse Notes - PocketBook

Horse Clippings

Before clipping your horse, you must consider the following aspects. Will your horse be stabled? Will your horse be turned out during the day? How much work is your horse under? What rugs do you have, or are prepared to buy? How much does your horse sweat? What is the extent to which your horse feels the cold? Has your horse been clipped before?
Once these aspects have been thoroughly thought through, you can then begin selecting which clip will best suit your horse's needs.

(For pictures: lighter color = clipped --- darker color = un-clipped)

· Full Clip: all of the coat is removed, including the head, legs and ears. This clip leaves the horse virtually unprotected with no warmth, so they then will require careful stable management to ensure the horse does not get cold or suffer other ailments, such as rain scald or mud fever. The full clip should only ever be considered for horses in hard competition work with no turnout throughout the cold seasons.

· Hunter clip: a clip usually used for horses with medium to hard workloads. Although most of the coat is removed, the hunter clip gives the horse protection from the saddle and warmth and protection in the legs. Many riders lightly trim the longer hairs running down the back of the leg to give a neat finish and some choose to leave half of the head un-clipped to provide extra warmth and protection. As with the full clip, the hunter clip requires careful stable management throughout the winter months to make sure the horse isn't cold.

· Blanket clip: this clip is well-suited for horses under medium work that can be turned out during the day whenever the weather permits it. By leaving some hair in an area not prone to sweating, the horse gets their extra warmth but without the excessive sweating whilst working. Many riders again, can lightly trim the longer hairs on the backs of the legs to give a neat finish to the clip. 

· Chaser clip: this clip is very similar to the blanket clip, however it keeps the hair on the neck muscles to provide them with warmth and protection. The chaser clip is ideal for horses under medium work and that can be turned out during the day, again, when the weather allows it. Many riders lightly trim the longer hairs on the backs of the legs to give a neat finish.

· Trace clip: the trace clip is very similar to the chaser clip but only half the neck hair is removed, and the head hair is either left on completely or only partially removed. This gives the horse more warmth and protection than the previously mentioned clips. The trace clip is ideal for horses under moderate work and that can be turned out during the day.

· Irish clip: this clip is fairly quick and simple to do, making it ideal for young horses and those in light work. By removing hair from the areas on the horse that are prone to sweating profusely (around the neck and armpits), the sweat can be reduced but the horse still has the warmth it needs in the areas where it matters most. The Irish clip is suitable for horses who can be turned out during the day.

· Bib clip: the most basic type of clip. The bib clip only removes a small amount of hair around the front of the neck and chest. Some people also choose to continue clipping so that the line runs partially underneath the belly too (around where the girth goes), which is why this clip is so often called the 'neck and belly' clip. This clip is perfect for horses under light work, and can be turned out during the winter, provided that they have the necessary rugs and access to field shelter. This clip is also suitable for young horses (or old) that are new to clipping, so the scheduled clippings can gradually increase in size by starting from the smallest clip to thus build their confidence around the blades.