Body Clipping
A good clip for horses and ponies, which are living out through the winter but which may be used for the odd hack at weekends or during an occasional light evening. Useful for the stabled horse that feels the cold or is involved in light work. It is still necessary to rugged up field kept or stabled horses.
Consists of removing the coat from the underside of the neck down in front of the chest
Similar to the neck and belly clip, but more of the hair on the chest, belly and shoulders is removed to leave a "triangle" effect. A good type of clip for those horses which are required to do more work than as described in the "neck and belly" clip, but which are not worked to a point, requiring a more severe clip. This clip may include the removal of hair from the lower part of the face, but would normally finish at the jowl to become Irish Clip + half head removed
A very similar style to the low trace clip except that more of the coat is removed (a higher bodyline is clipped) and half of the head is often clipped as well. Caution should be used with this clip if it is intended that the horse should live outside (in which case leave the head unclipped) and some type of field shelter must be provided. If stabled, clip the whole or half of the head out, as it will give a neater appearance. If electing for a half head clip your line should follow the path of the cheek pieces down the face. When clipping off heads remember this is an area, which exposes the horse to a considerable loss of heat because of the thin skin covering over the bone structure. Not really advisable unless your stabling is sheltered and certainly not suitable for those in really exposed parts of the Country. As a guide your clip height line should be around a point just below the bottom of the saddle.
Popular clip for use on the steeplechasers, as the name implies. A clip for those horse which are active in competition work or racing. Pretty much the same as the blanket clip except that you don't remove hair from the upper part of the neck, and clipping stops just behind the ears, as this will help to keep warmth in the muscles of this area. Clip out the coat from the head, lower parts of the neck, chest, belly and upper portions of the rear legs. The usual finishing line is normally just above that of the blanket clip. Keep a keen eye on condition; a warm stable with plenty of rugs and blankets to combat bad weather periods is essential.
Away with the lot! Keep only the mane, forelock and tail. Some horse are given a full clip in the autumn with a different style being adopted at the point of the second clip (hunter or trace clip for example) The idea is that this will give added insulation compared to a full clip but leave a shorter coat length. Stable bandages are needed to protect the legs from cold. This clip is intended for horses in hard fast competition work, racing and hunting regularly. Turn out should be restricted to short periods on fine and mild days during the better daylight hours and they should be well covered with several warm rugs and the added use of a neck cover. An exercise rug is needed when out exercising. Could be a useful clip for those considering some of the early spring events and shows in order to get a nice short coat
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Same Clip as image number one, but in addition the hair on the top of the front legs is removed
Here additional coat is taken off to the girth line between the front legs and the top of the forelegs.
As the name suggests this type of clip originates from the old harness horses. Popular clip for many riding horses. Very good type of clip for field kept and stabled horses who have a tendency to sweat when exercised, but which are not really doing any hard hacking work, hunting or competing. The coat is removed from the underside of the neck and belly, between the forelegs and the upper part of the hind legs. If required the lower portion of the face can be clipped off. (A good guide to your line off the belly is to put the saddle on and measure about 16/18cm from the bottom of the saddle flap) Always rug up to compensate for loss of coat.
The clip for horses that are fully stabled and are just turned out for a few hours daily. Selected for those horses that are in steady work with the occasional requirement to undertake some fast work or for those entered incompetitions through the winter months. As a guide your clip height line should be set to a point about 12cm above the bottom of the saddle. Rugs are the order of the day with extra rugs or blankets if the weather get bad. Heads, well you can follow the medium trace clip, but subject to conditions as previously discussed
A clip suitable only for horses which are stabled and involved in an active degree of medium to hard work and or competition work. The coat is all but removed except for a "blanket" area over the hind quarters and saddle area. As a guide the clip line is normally judged to be the level of the bottom of the saddle flaps but this can vary. Heads are normally clipped out, but you can opt for half the face or even leave the entire head complete. Whatever you elect to do, you should take into account conditions as previously mentioned in the "Medium trace clip" If you turn out during the day a neck cover might be appreciated by your horse, - this is an area which suffers a fair amount of heat loss. As always a keen eye on condition, a warm stable with plenty of rugs and blankets to combat bad weather periods is essential.
A smart clip, but only for the horse who is really working hard, competing and hunting regularly. It's all off! Except for a small area of mane, the saddle area, the legs (all four) and a small "v" shape is often left above the tail. Horse which have undergone this degree of clipping need a warm stable, good food, and suitably rugged. Daily turnout for a few hours but only with a NZ on and an extra blanket underneath and neck cover is really necessary even in mild,conditions. Use an exercise rug when out exercising
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