Off with his hair

What type of clip is best for your horse? We put four horses of different ages, breeds and workloads under the spotlight and investigate how much hair is the right amount to be taken off

THE DAYS ARE getting shorter and our horse’s coats are getting longer. This means they are more likely to become hot and sweaty, in turn making it hard to dry them off after a workout. Clipping can help, but which clip is best for your horse?

“The simple answer is that it depends on the work you are doing with your horse and how you manage him during the winter — for example, is he kept out 24/7, or brought in at night?” says clipping pro Sue Hurford, a BHS yard manager and senior college lecturer.

“Does the owner have appropriate rugs for the horse or are they willing to buy suitable rugs to keep the horse warm?”

As well as workload (see box, p78), your horse’s type and breed also play a big part in the decision making.

“Cold-blooded breeds, typically your heavier cobby types, are hairier and more problematic to work in the winter if they are not clipped,” explains Sue. “On the flip side, hot-blooded horses like Thoroughbreds are finer coated and generally need less of a clip.”

Other reasons to clip include for aesthetic purposes, such as with show horses who are shown over the winter circuit, and horses with health conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disease, which cause the horse to grow a particularly thick winter coat.

“These horses need clipping all year round as they get too hot and find it hard to regulate their body temperature,” says Sue. “Another consideration is whether the horse is good to clip or not. Some horses hate being clipped and it makes them stressed, so you want to clip as little as possible, particularly if you are having to get the vet to sedate them.”