A Guide to becoming a Clip Artist

Clipping is very useful and widely practised when bringing horses back into work after the coldest winter months or if worked throughout the cold season. It saves time after riding as the horse isn't likely to sweat too much and is easily cooled down and dried. Covering horses is practised in any country, be it to simply keep them clean during turnout times or because of the cold wet weather. Remember that if you decide to clip, a good waterproof cover is necessary!

I've seen and been requested to do countless clip styles over the years. Although it is advisable to clip to your needs without taking too much coat off, it comes down to your personal preference. My horse currently features a little star on his bum, as I was feeling girly at the time. I also left his entire belly furry as he's an outdoor horse and I couldn't bear the thought of him having to lie down on the cold ground with a "naked" tummy. Always ensure you clean, sharpen and oil your clippers and blades frequently during and after clipping! It increases the lifespan of your expensive gear and ensures your horse will have a good experience being clipped.

The pictures show you a variety of the most requested clips as a guide. If you only go for small slow hacks on the weekend, a bib clip would be the thing for you. If you have lots of stop and go but no overly strenuous work, a low or high trace clip will keep your horse warm when resting. A blanket clip is suitable for horses that tend to sweat a bit more. I liked to clip my horses with one of these three styles when out hunting. A full clip or saddle blanket clip is best done on horses worked moderately to hard in indoor arenas or sheltered areas. They can cool out quite quickly when left waiting with a full clip. It looks very tidy though and if you decide to clip half the face, they will not sweat underneath the bridle. Clip art can be fun but be prepared to call professional help or do a full clip if you get too elaborate with your blades and the outcome is not the desired one. I messed up quite a few clips and had to explain to the owner that he looks much better with a full clip as it enhances the elegant curve of his ears.

For those of you who are blessed with a horse that thinks clippers are going to eat him, here are a few tricks that might help him overcome his worst fears of becoming goulash. Take a more experienced, calm horse and tie them up next to each other. Even better if you have adjoining covered yards or loose boxes where the horses can see each other. Feed out you're usual hard feed and start clipping the experienced horse. Leave the clippers running as long as possible until your horse gets used to the noise and eats calmly. Ignore him if his world falls apart and keep clipping. He'll soon realise it's an absolute non event. Once he is settled and you clipped the other horse, feed out hay to the clipped one and leave him tied up. Grab some treats and move the clippers into your horse's area. Turn them on and off behind your back. Every time you turn them on, give him a treat and praise. Slowly move clippers around your body until in full view, keep repeating feed and praise until he can tolerate them next to his face (still keep a good foot space in between you both as he might turn his head into the clippers). Turn the clippers off and stroke his body, give him treats if he stays calm. Turn them on and hover over his back and shoulder, still giving him treats. If he accepts this, clip his shoulder in the same manner and turn him out. He'll be very full of treats and quite excited to see the clippers again. Stay away from tickly areas such as the belly, elbows and avoid going to close to the ears as he might find that scary. If you have the patience and time, your horse will be fully clipped within a two or three days. If you don't have the patience, get your vet to sedate him and get the job done.

Good luck clipping your horse and email us some pictures of your fancy clips for our next issues clip gallery, a prize will be given for the three best clips!

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