Clipping Horses: Equipment, Timing, and Interesting Facts
Clipping in summer or winter? Which clipper do I need? Does my horse need to be clipped? Horse owners ask themselves all these questions when their horse mutates into a fluff ball. But is clipping horses always necessary?
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The nights are getting longer, the days are getting shorter, and so is the coat of our furry friends. Now many horse owners are faced with the annual question: should I shear my horse or not? As soon as the question is asked, the first discussion usually begins with other horse owners who never shear their horses. But why actually? Many use the argument of the horse's thermoregulation, because this is disturbed by clipping horses.
Thermoregulation? How does it work in horses? Thermoregulation is the horse's natural protective mechanism against temperature fluctuations.
They can keep warm by increasing their metabolic activity and controlling their blood circulation and heart rate: When it is cold, the heartbeat slows down and the blood vessels contract. As a result, less blood reaches the surface of the body and less heat is lost. If the horse has a thick winter coat, it can also put up its top and undercoat, creating an insulating air cushion. The hairline and a natural greasy film also ensure that moisture drains away and the wool coat stays nice and dry.
At high temperatures, the horse can cool itself down via its sweat glands, release up to 20% of its body temperature through the air it breathes and even transport heat around the body through its tissues (conduction). This ingenious mechanism is called thermoregulation.
The comfort temperature for horses is between -15 and +25 degrees Celsius, with the optimum being 5 degrees - well below the temperatures that we humans still find comfortable.
You Should Know This Before You Clip Your Horse:
Why do we shear horses?
If you go for a leisurely ride, do some light dressage work or take the occasional jumping lesson, you generally don't need to shear your horse in winter. Because a bit of sweating is part of it and if you look closely, the coat is dry at the hairline and only the tips are a little wet. Horses that are not in good condition or are exercised a lot can work up quite a sweat during regular work and will not dry out again within 30 minutes under the solarium or with a sweat blanket. And that can be quite dangerous, back pain is the lesser evil, your horse can catch a cold or even colic if it doesn't come back to its box completely dry.
When should horses be sheared?
There is a good example to explain when horses should be clipped. A few years ago, I worked at a stable that trained horses. At the end of summer, beginning of fall, a new riding horse came into the stable, let's call him Max. Max was 1.70 m tall, 7 years old and came from northern Germany. Until he came to this stable to be trained further, Max stood outside in all weathers. At first, the big teddy bear was not clipped and was easily accustomed to the work, which was continuously increased so that he could build up enough stamina. After about 8 weeks, he was training well and we were able to do a few jumps with him. One Saturday in November it was time to jump a course and Max was jumped first, around 12 noon. After a very good training round, Max was soaking wet. Well, bridle off, saddle off and put under the solarium, after two hours under the solarium, the teddy bear came into his box with two sweat blankets. Even at 6 p.m. Max was still wet and not getting dry. At around 10 p.m., Max was reasonably dry so that he could be uncovered with a clear conscience.
However, not every horse owner has the time to wait 4-8 hours for the horse to dry. Max was also clipped this week, not only to make life easier for the rider, but also for the horse. After all, standing in the box for hours on end with two sweat rugs and a wet coat is not particularly pleasant for the horse.
Shearing horses in summer
In principle, clipping is not necessary in summer. However, there are exceptions to this rule, especially in the case of old horses that are no longer able to shed their coats so well, shearing can be a good measure to maintain the horse's important functions in summer. This is because in summer, thermoregulation is mainly aimed at keeping the horse's temperature constant. In contrast to winter, the horse does not have to keep warm through its thick coat, but has to fight against the high temperatures and then cools itself through the sweat on the coat. However, if an old or sick horse does not get through the coat change, it is similar to us humans walking around in the warm weather with a thick down jacket. We humans can simply take off the thick winter jacket, but unfortunately not the horses. This is where you can help the horses by clipping them.
Nordic horses, such as Icelanders, can also be clipped in summer to help if the coat is particularly thick. Thinning out the thick coat can also help. In this case, the thick coat is not clipped against the direction of growth, but with the direction of growth, making it a little thinner. The ideal time for clipping in summer depends on the horse and can be defined sporadically. There are important points to consider: Is it already May/June and your horse still has the thick winter coat? Does your horse sweat with its thick coat without moving much or does it stand apathetically in the corner without any clinical cause? If you are unsure whether you should shear your horse in summer, you can also ask your vet, many advise their patients to shear their horses due to illness or age and poor shedding.
When do you shear horses in winter?
Horses are usually only sheared in winter when the winter coat is fully developed. Depending on the horse, this can be as early as the end of October. The best time to shear horses is usually from the end of October to the middle/end of November. However, competition horses are often clipped later, as good coat management can also delay the time of clipping, if not make it completely unnecessary.
But again, every horse is individual, as a horse owner you should know your horse and decide for yourself whether it is necessary to shear your horse or whether there are other options for light work so that the horse does not have to be shorn.
Shearing in spring and fall
Horses are often clipped in spring. Some need this because they were not clipped in winter and have difficulties with their thick coat when the temperatures rise. Others, especially older horses, cannot manage the shedding process on their own and need assistance. Delayed shedding can also be due to a hormonal disorder called Cushing's caused by a disease of the pituitary gland.
There are two main reasons why horses are clipped in spring: Firstly, to take the strain off them when exercising in higher temperatures, and secondly, to help older horses with shedding problems. Some horses, especially in high performance sport, are clipped regularly to optimize their performance.
March and April are popular months for clipping in anticipation of the change of coat. Some horses are clipped completely, while others are only partially clipped, depending on how quickly their coat change is progressing. Horses with Cushing's disease are often clipped regularly.
Although clipping in the fall and winter is controversial, it is becoming increasingly accepted. In spring and summer, however, clipping can help protect horses from excessive heat stress and improve their well-being. Many owners and vets recommend spring clipping for affected horses.
Shearing horses: Advantages and Disadvantages
Clipping horses has both advantages and disadvantages. We have summarized the disadvantages and advantages in this table. This will help you personally decide whether clipping your horse makes sense for you or whether you could perhaps find a different solution.
Methods and Techniques of Horse Clipping
When clipping horses, there are various techniques, cuts or even patterns that can be clipped into the horse. Where one pattern is a cute or funny eye-catcher, the right cut is important in order not to endanger the health and well-being of the horse. After all, a horse that is kept in an open stable benefits from a different shearing cut than a horse that is only stabled in winter and occasionally goes to the paddock.
Various Clipping Patterns and Cuts
The right clipping pattern for the horse depends heavily on the volume of training and the way the horse is kept. For a high-performance sport horse that goes to a show every weekend and performs medium to heavy work, the hunter full clipping is usually used, but these are usually horses that are in full training and are in no comparison to a horse that is shown at a show every few weeks and otherwise has a more relaxed training. Horses that are kept in open stables can also be clipped. Contrary to the superstition that only leisure horses are kept in open stables, this type of stabling is also popular with many sporty riders and these horses can also work up quite a sweat in winter and clipping these horses can also be an advantage.
The Bib Clip (Bib Shearing)
For horses that spend a lot of time grazing, are kept in open stables or only do light work, it is advisable to leave a large part of their warming winter coat on. Bib clipping is an option where only the front of the neck, the chest and, if necessary, a part of the girth area are clipped, as these are the main areas where horses can sweat a lot. This targeted clipping prevents the horse from becoming too cold, while still allowing it to sweat efficiently and release excess heat. This helps to ensure the horse's well-being and health even during the winter months.
The Stripe Shearing: Lower Neck and Belly
Similar to bib clipping, the belly is also clipped here and is the preliminary stage to Irish clipping, whereby most of the horse's neck is left standing and only the underside of the neck, the chest and part of the belly are clipped. This type of clipping is also suitable for horses that do light work and are kept in an open stable, but a light winter blanket can still be an advantage.
The Irish Shearing: Irish Clip
Irish clipping offers a practical way of removing the coat in key areas, while at the same time sparing the cold-sensitive areas. With the Irish cut, the coat is clipped on the neck, front legs and behind the front legs, which reduces sweating in these areas. The coat remains on the cold-sensitive back area, allowing the horse to be let out to pasture without hesitation even at lower temperatures.
The advantage of this clipping method lies not only in its efficiency, but also in its simplicity and speed. This makes it particularly suitable for young horses that need to get used to clipping slowly. Horses that are only lightly worked also benefit from this cut, as they do not cool down too much due to the targeted clipping and still retain sufficient warmth in the important areas. All in all, Irish clipping offers a balanced solution for horses that spend a lot of time in the pasture during the day and still need to be worked and groomed appropriately.
Low Trace or Rally Shearing for Horses
Low-trace clipping is a variation of trace or rally clipping and is particularly suitable for horses that are regularly out on pasture, possibly even kept in an open stable, and for which different blankets are rather unfavorable. The lower neck and elbows are clipped, while the coat remains in a narrow line on the belly, flanks and hindquarters. Low-trace clipping offers a balanced solution to keep the muscles on the upper neck and back warm, while at the same time providing the horse with sufficient protection for its outdoor activities.
This type of clipping is particularly suitable for horses that are only lightly to moderately exercised and mainly graze on pasture. As the coat remains completely on the legs, low-trace clipping also offers a certain degree of protection against the cold and other environmental influences. Overall, it provides appropriate care and protection for horses that spend a lot of time outdoors and still need to be supported during training.
The Chaser Shearing: A Popular Blanket Cut
The chaser cut is a variation of the hunter cut in which the hair along the horse's back is left standing, while only the areas where the horse sweats heavily are clipped. In this way, the dense winter coat is retained on the back and kidneys, which are sensitive to the cold, to serve as thermal insulation. This shearing is particularly suitable for horses that are exercised moderately and intensively and do not sweat daily. The coat left standing can be trimmed superficially for a visually adapted appearance. The chaser cut helps to keep the muscles on the upper neck warm and is ideal for horses that are put under moderate strain and are out in the pasture during the day. In contrast to blanket clipping, the chaser cut leaves the coat on the upper neck, legs and entire back area unshorn.
The Normal Blanket Shearing
Blanket clipping is a clipping technique that leaves the coat on the back, kidneys and legs intact. It is often used on horses that are intensively trained but also spend a lot of time outdoors. The horse is usually covered with a light horse blanket.
During this shearing process, enough coat is removed so that the horse does not sweat heavily while riding, but is still kept warm enough by the winter coat. The coat is left on the areas where the horse sweats less, such as the legs, head, back and croup, while the rest of the body is clipped in a strip on the side. Blanket clipping is suitable for sport and leisure horses that are moderately active in winter and frequently graze in the paddock.
As horses can cool down quickly in the kidney area, blanket shearing is a good choice for horses that exercise a lot but still need to enjoy regular extensive grazing, provided that blanket management is adapted accordingly. This type of clipping is ideal for horses that are exercised moderately and spend the day outside in the pasture, weather permitting. By leaving the coat on the less actively sweating areas, the horse is kept warm without sweating profusely during exercise.
For horses that are moderately exercised in winter, but still come into the paddock during the day or are kept in an open stable, blanket clipping is ideal. This removes enough fur to prevent excessive sweating, while the neck, chest, lower belly and croup are clipped. Blanket shearing enables training without excessive sweating, but still offers protection for sensitive parts of the body.
The Hunter shearing (hunting cut)
Hunting clipping is very popular as it allows the majority of the coat to be clipped while keeping the area under the saddle and the legs warm. This is important to prevent skin irritation caused by saddle pressure, especially in horses that undergo intensive training.
The hunting cut, also known as hunter clipping, is similar to full clipping, but the legs and the area under the saddle remain unshorn to protect them from chafing. A saddle pad can be used as a clipping aid to ensure an even cut. This clipping is well suited to horses that have a lot of movement and work.
It is particularly suitable for horses that perform medium to heavy work, as it still offers protection in the saddle area and warm legs despite the clipped coat. It is important to ensure that the horse is kept sufficiently warm after shearing, similar to a full shearing. Open stabling or grazing in all weather conditions are less suitable for horses with this type of clipping, as they often undergo intensive training and are dependent on an appropriate blanket.
The hunting cut is mainly used on hunting horses, which are often used for hunting in the fall. Only the coat on the legs and under the saddle is left on, while the rest of the body is clipped. These horses need a blanket after work, as most of their body is unprotected, although the legs and the area under the saddle are still covered with hair. A kidney blanket is particularly important to protect the sensitive area from the cold as there is no winter coat.
The Full Shearing with Saddle Layer
The full clipping with preservation of the saddle area allows a combination of both, but here the saddle area is left in place to avoid skin irritation or chafing in the sensitive saddle area. This type of clipping is often seen on sport horses in national and international competitions.
The Full Shearing
Full clipping is a common method that is particularly recommended for high-performance horses that train intensively all year round and regularly take part in competitions. With this type of clipping, the entire coat of the horse is removed, including the legs and head. As a result, the horse loses its natural thermal insulation and therefore needs constant protection from the cold.
It should be noted that certain areas such as the ears must not be clipped for animal welfare reasons in order to protect the animal from injuries and infections. After full clipping, the horse must be covered around the clock to prevent hypothermia. In cold weather in particular, it is advisable to use a light blanket under a warmer outdoor rug to provide the horse with optimum protection against the cold.
Full shearing is particularly suitable for sport horses, as it enables better regulation of body temperature during training by preventing overheating due to excess coat. Nevertheless, full shearing requires more care, as the horse is more susceptible to skin irritations and injuries without its coat. It is therefore important to check the horse regularly and, if necessary, use additional blankets to protect it from the cold and wind.
Instructions and Tips for Clipping Horses
Clipping horses for the first time: How do I get my horse used to the clipper?
Horses can react very differently to the clipper during the first clipping. While some horses are deeply relaxed and even enjoy clipping, other horses are afraid of the clipper, the noise it makes and the vibration of the clipper blades on their skin. But this can also be remedied by getting your horse used to the clipper. Simply leave the machine running in the background and use it when grooming without the machine being on. But this can also be trained, similar to the desensitization of spray bottles, you can also get your horse used to the clipper. Dr. Vivian Gabor will show you how this works:
Step-by-Step Instructions for Clipping Horses
There are important points to consider before clipping a horse. For example, the horse should not be clipped directly after work or with wet, sticky fur, otherwise the clipping will be very difficult and the horse will look like it has been plucked, as the clipper blades cannot get through the sticky fur. Furthermore, this also dulls the clipper blades and you cannot shear the whole horse with them. When your horse is dry and clean, the clipper should glide through the coat like a knife through soft butter. Below we have put together a step-by-step guide to make clipping a complete success:
- Brush the horse thoroughly so that there is no dirt, sweat or sand in the coat.
- Consider shearing pattern or cut.
- Roughly mark the pattern with chalk (for dark horses) or a piece of charcoal (for light-colored horses). Experienced horse shearers usually don't do this anymore, as their eye is already trained.
- Depending on the clipping, put the mane up in plaits if necessary, as it is easier to shave it off by mistake than you think.
- Switch on the clipper and apply oil to the clipper blades and the holes provided (see operating instructions for the respective clipper). Wait a few seconds to allow the oil to spread.
- Now you can start clipping against the direction of growth of the coat.
- Always start clipping from the point furthest away from the horse's head. This way you can glide the machine along your mark and get a clean and even clipping.
- When all the coat you wanted to shear is off, put the clipper aside and give the horse another good brushing, as a lot of hair and dirt will come off the horse again.
- Now there are probably still a few spots, you can shear over them again in different directions so that everything is really shorn and your horse doesn't look like a plucked chicken.
- Brush once more and clean the clipper and the horse is ready to be clipped.
- Some horses like to roll around after clipping, as the smallest hairs are still on the skin and can tickle. If possible, let your horse roll without a blanket.
- If you have the opportunity to wash your horse after clipping, it is advisable to wash the horse with a derma shampoo, which is available from various brands such as Cavalor, Bense & Eicke and many other brands. This shampoo supports the slightly irritated skin and contributes to a good clipping result.
Tips for Sensitive Areas of the Body:
If you also want to shear the legs, here are a few tips, as many horses are particularly ticklish on their legs:
- When you are clipping the right front leg, you can have a second person lift the left leg to allow the right leg to be clipped in peace and vice versa.
- For the hind legs, you can also have the other leg passed under the belly and hold it with one hand while you clip the other. However, you should already have some experience in handling the clippers, as this can be a little difficult at first.
Areas such as the folds on the chest or the girth area can also be difficult due to the skin folds. Someone can also help you here:
- Here too, an assistant can take the horse's front leg forward so that the skin on the girth is taut and you can clip the coat there.
- You can stretch the skin on your chest yourself by pulling the skin fold in the direction where you want to stretch it.
Costs and Accessories for Horse Clipping
Clipping horses yourself is the cheapest option in the long run, as you can find a good clipper for as little as €120, and if you want to make things a little easier, there are also battery-powered clippers from €190. The size also varies, there are normal clippers that are mainly used for clipping the body, but there are also small machines with a cable or battery that are suitable for clipping the horse's head and legs.
Sometimes you can also borrow a clipper from a stable colleague or from some equestrian stores; depending on the clipper, this costs 30-50 € at an equestrian store.
Accessorycosts for clipping horses:
- Clipper 120-400 €
- Clipping machine oil 4-20 €
- Clippingblades per piece 20-50 €
- Have clipper blades sharpened 10-20 €
- Protective suit for shearing 2 €
Prices for Professional Clipping by a Clipping Service
Many experienced clippers or grooms offer a shearing service where they come to your yard and clip the horse, which can also be an advantage if you are unsure of yourself or want to learn how to clip your horse. It can also be a good idea to let an experienced person do the clipping for horses that are not yet familiar with clipping. The costs vary from region to region. In general, however, the following costs can be determined, which vary depending on the cut and the amount of work involved:
- Journey: the service normally quotes a rate per km here
- Bib-Clip shearing: 15-20 €
- Low Trace Clip: 20-25 €
- Irish-Clip: 30-40 €
- Trace-Clip: 40-50 €
- Rug-Clip without legs: 50-60 €
- Rug-Clip with legs: 70-85 €
- Hunter shearing: 70-80 €
- Full-Body Clip: 90-95 €
- Head clipping depending on service: 10 € surcharge
- Patterns depending on difficulty: 10-35 €
Frequently Asked Questions about Horse Clipping
1. How long does it take to clip a horse?
The duration of clipping can vary depending on the type of clipping. A strip clipping usually takes 30 minutes if the horse is standing still and not fidgeting. A full body clip, on the other hand, can take up to 3 hours. Other factors such as a restless horse can also delay the duration of horse clipping.
2. Should a horse with Cushing's be clipped?
Yes, but this topic is also very complex and you should weigh up the pros and cons of whether clipping will help a horse with Cushing's disease. You can find out more about this here.
3. How many millimeters (mm) should be used for clipping horses?
Clipper blades are available in a wide range of millimeter sizes:
- 4mm
- 3mm
- 2mm
- 1mm
The standard blades of the clippers are usually 2-4 mm.
Normally the horses' coats are clipped to 3-4 millimeters. For sport horses, a slightly shorter blade of 1 to 2 millimeters is chosen in order to achieve a clean end result. In the end, these few millimeters do not make a big difference, but for horses that are not used to being clipped, a slightly longer clipper blade is usually chosen as it helps the horse's skin to adjust to the irritations.
4 Should the horse be washed before or after clipping?
If you have the opportunity to wash your horse before clipping, you should do it the day before in order to loosen and wash out sand, dirt and sticky fur. This is because sand, dirt and sticky fur dull the clipper blades and the clipping result can look very untidy. But it is not a must, it is usually enough to clean the horse properly and if rain is forecasted, put a raincoat on the horse the day before, because you don't shear through wet fur.
It is also advisable to wash the horse after clipping to wash out small hairs that are still on the horse's skin. Derma shampoos can be used here, as clipped coats can itch sometimes and can cause irritation. With a good shampoo you can prevent these skin irritations after clipping and many horses even enjoy washing after clipping. You will find out what we mean when you take a shower after clipping your horse.