Why You Should Clip the Shedding Horse

Smooth the hair coat for the show ring

• Many horses don’t shed evenly, and you will have some long and short. A horse’s coat that is blotchy is not consistent or attractive for show horses. You will also reduce the volume of long hairs that tend to float everywhere and stick to you, your saddle, and your horse’s freshly painted hooves by body clipping that winter coat off.

• Even though the days start to get longer after the winter solstice in December, some horses take their time getting started with the shedding process. A horse’s brain will start the shedding process about six weeks after the solstice, usually before the end of February. If you are competing, doing clinics, or otherwise need to present a spotless horse, consider a full body clip.

Clipping is a hot knife through butter when your horse is clean and your clipper blades are sharp and oiled.

Clipping in Spring to Match Their Coat to the Weather

• You may also want to clip the shedding horse because the days have become too warm and your horse’s comfort needs some assistance! You don’t have to clip the entire horse, you can target areas with a bib clip, trace clip, blanket clip, hunter clip, or any combination of these.

• A smooth hair coat also makes post-exercise skin care easier. If your horse is in heavy work, warmer spring days can create excessive sweat and rub marks around tack and the girth, and it is more likely to create issues on your horse’s skin. Sweat plus dirt trapped in hair can lead to rain rot or other skin funk.

• The girth area is also prone to girth itch, another skin problem related to the petri dish that sweat and dirt create.

• Some horses are fine in the cooler evenings with a fuzzy coat, but it’s too much during the day. The sweat is worse when you ride, they take forever to dry, and your horse just isn’t comfortable.

Read more about skin conditions here.

The aftermath of a spring clipping.

Mud Management

• You may also want to clip a shedding horse because the weather is super muddy from spring rains, and it’s just horrible to deal with shedding hair and mud.

• Maybe it’s too warm for a blanket during turnout in the mud, and waiting for your long-haired horse to dry after a hose takes all day. Horse clipping in spring allows for a much faster grooming process, and if you do need to hit the wash stall, dry time is turbo-fast.

• Mud is also a contributing factor towards equine pastern dermatitis (EPD). This umbrella term for all sorts of skin conditions includes those brought on by mud-like scratches and mud fever. A dry coat and legs are less likely to cause your horse’s skin to trigger a vet bill.

• Fly boots may help keep your horse’s coat on their legs stay more mud-free than naked legs.

Pick your fave.

Blanketing and Horse Clipper Tips:

• You will still need to monitor the weather. This includes blanketing at night, during the rain, and maybe even some sun protection if you have a freshly clipped horse with pink skin.

• Blankets should be waterproof. This is also a good option for blanket maintenance, as you can hose off a waterproof blanket after a mud bath.

• You can re-waterproof your blankets with sprays or wash-in treatments.

• Your horse will still shed, but the hair will be much, much shorter. You may or may not be digging this.

• Fly sheets are great to protect a little bit if the cold weather is gone and there’s a ton of mud.

The best-clipped horses have super slick hair and fresh, sharp blades. For clipping tips, you can read this gem about preparing your horse for clipping.

Clip the shedding horse with a trimmer instead

If you want to remove less hair than you would body clipping, you can tidy up stray hairs with trimmers. These smaller, cordless horse clippers are good for bridle paths, lower legs, elbows, faces, and any wispy hairs. They are also good for trimming the edges of manes for a clean look.

When should the last clip be?

Try not to clip your horse on the basis of what the calendar says. Clip your horse when their comfort and skin health can be improved, regardless of the time of year, and this will vary according to your location, your horse’s training routine, and how much hair they grow in winter.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when clipping a shedding horse?

Avoid clipping a dirty horse, as this can cause the clipper to catch and pull the horse’s skin. Also, ensure you use the right clipper blades for the horse’s hair coat. Lastly, don’t rush the process; take time and use appropriate techniques to avoid uneven or patchy results, which will always smooth out.

What are the benefits of clipping a shedding horse?

Clipping a shedding horse helps prevent overheating during exercise, promotes quicker drying after bathing, and makes grooming easier. It also allows the horse’s coat to grow back more evenly and helps identify skin issues early on.

Will clipping a shedding horse ruin the summer coat? 

Horse clipping in spring may cut some of the new summer coat growing in.  But, it will smooth out and regain lots of shine as the rest of the coat grows in.  This is much better than letting your horse be uncomfortable.  Clip when they need it. 

Read Horse Clipping for Beginners

Read the Complete Guide to Clipping Your Horse 

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