Body Clipping a Horse: Which Clip to Choose, When to Clip and How to Do It

By Gayle Woods Editors Updated 5 min read

A horse's winter coat is great for standing in a field in January and terrible for working in. A horse in a thick coat sweats heavily during a ride and can take hours to dry, standing cold and damp in the meantime. Clipping removes part of that coat so the horse stays cooler during work and dries quickly afterward.

Should you clip your horse?

Clipping makes sense if your horse:

  • Works regularly through the winter and sweats heavily
  • Takes a long time to dry after rides
  • Is shown in winter
  • Has PPID (Cushing's disease) and grows a heavy coat that doesn't shed, even in summer. See senior horse care.

Clipping probably isn't worth it if your horse:

  • Is ridden lightly or not at all in winter
  • Lives outside without shelter and you don't want to manage blankets

Any clip means the horse needs blankets to replace the coat you removed. See the blanketing guide.

The main clip patterns

Clips range from removing a small strip to removing everything.

Clip What's removed Best for Blanketing
Bib clip Front of the neck and chest Light work, horses living out Often a sheet or light blanket
Irish clip Bib area plus a diagonal from poll to stifle, below that line Light to moderate work, horses that dislike clipping Light to medium blanket
Trace clip (low, medium, high) Underside of the neck and belly, up the sides to varying heights Moderate work; the most popular all-round clip Medium blanket, more for a high trace
Chaser clip Below a line from the poll to the stifle Moderate to hard work Medium to heavy
Blanket clip Neck and belly, leaving a "blanket" of hair over the back and loins Hard work, hunting Medium to heavy
Hunter clip Everything except the legs and a saddle-shaped patch Hard work in winter, foxhunting Heavy, plus a neck cover
Full clip Everything, including the legs Show horses, very hard work, horses kept stabled Heavy, plus neck cover and careful management

The trace clip takes its name from the traces, the straps that ran along a harness horse's sides. Leaving hair on the back keeps the loins warm, and leaving hair on the legs protects them from mud, cold and scratches.

When to clip

  • First clip: in fall, once the winter coat has grown in, usually October or November in most of the US.
  • Repeat clips: every three to six weeks through winter, as the coat grows back.
  • Last clip: many owners stop by late January or February, so the spring coat comes in normally. Some keep clipping horses that work through winter.
  • Summer clipping: horses with PPID or very heavy coats may need clipping in spring and summer to stay cool.

Clippers and blades

  • Body clippers are larger, with powerful motors for big areas. Corded clippers usually have more power for long sessions.
  • Cordless clippers are lighter and quieter, good for the head, legs and nervous horses, and for barns without convenient outlets.
  • Small trimmers handle bridle paths, ears and fine detail.

See our picks for cordless clippers, corded clippers and trimmers.

Blade sizes: most clippers use numbered blades. A #10 is the standard body blade, leaving a short, even coat. Higher numbers, such as #30 or #40, cut closer and are used for trimming or surgical prep, not for a winter body clip on a horse that lives in the cold. Coarse blades leave more hair.

Sharp blades matter. Dull blades pull hair, overheat and make the job slower and uncomfortable for the horse. Have them sharpened regularly.

How to clip a horse, step by step

Before you start

  • Bathe the horse a day or two before, and make sure it's completely dry. Clippers struggle with dirty, damp or oily coats, and blades dull faster.
  • Pick a calm, well-lit spot with non-slip footing and a safe place to tie or have a helper hold the horse.
  • Mark your lines with chalk or a strip of masking tape so both sides match. Saddle soap rubbed on the coat also makes a visible line.
  • Introduce the clippers to a nervous horse gradually: let it hear them running, then feel the vibration on the shoulder before you start.

While clipping

  1. Start at the shoulder or neck, where most horses are least sensitive.
  2. Clip against the direction of hair growth, in long, smooth, overlapping strokes.
  3. Keep the blade flat against the skin. Tilting the edge into the skin can cut or leave lines.
  4. Stretch loose skin around the elbows, flanks and girth area with your free hand so it doesn't get caught.
  5. Check blade temperature every few minutes by touching it to the inside of your wrist. If it's hot to you, it's hot to the horse. Use coolant spray and let the blades rest.
  6. Oil the blades often, following the clipper maker's instructions.
  7. Brush away loose hair frequently so you can see where you've been.
  8. Leave a triangle of hair at the top of the tail to keep it neat and warm.

Tricky areas

  • Head: clip only if needed, with smaller, quieter clippers. Many owners leave the head alone or clip just half.
  • Whiskers: whiskers are sensory hairs that help horses feel objects near the muzzle. Many people now leave them on, and some competition rules no longer allow them to be removed.
  • Legs: most clips leave legs unclipped. If you do clip them, go carefully around tendons and bony areas.

Sedation from your vet is a reasonable option for horses that are truly frightened of clipping.

After clipping

  • Brush off loose hair and wipe the horse down with a warm, damp cloth to remove scurf and oil.
  • Blanket right away, using the weight appropriate for the clip and weather. See the blanketing guide.
  • Use a cooler after rides until the horse is dry.
  • Watch the skin for rubs from blankets and sensitivity where the skin is newly exposed.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions