As with many areas, endurance riders like to be a little alternative with their clipping style. Instead of the traditional english clip ‘templates’ you see in other disciplines endurance horses have taken a more functional route to their haircuts! It would be interesting to know what everyone’s favourite clip is and the top tips you have to get the perfect clip.
I think I first saw the clip I now prefer for my horses in winter on Georgina Hirst’s (a GBR FEI Endurance rider and Vet) horse at an early ride in the British season called Haywood oaks. The concept is simple, keep the big muscles warm, get rid of the rest. We see much more variation in clips in the UK from Winter to Summer. In the winter it’s all about minimising sweat but not getting too chilly, in summer it’s all about keeping as cool as possible and getting those big blood vessels free of fluff for optimum cooling down.
My top tips for clipping (although I’m by no way a professional or even a skilled amature) would be:
- Practice first! Clippers are loud, they feel funny and it takes a while to do a whole clip. So in the weeks running up to when I want to clip my horses I like to switch the clippers on so they get used to the sound and just make sure they’re totally comfortable with the sensation before I go and chop any hair off.
- Make sure the horse is super clean. A clean pony makes clipping so much easier, the blades just glide through. I also like to use some conditioning spray and groom it in just before I start.
- Oil the clippers ALL.THE.TIME. Literally every few minutes, it keeps them cooler and it keeps the blades cutting smoothly.
- Wear slippy clothes that hair won’t stick to and cover as much of your body as possible. I even go one geeky step further and wear goggles.
- Don’t moisturise your face or apply lip balm before clipping….. you will regret it!
- I like to make my edge outline first and then clip off the hair in the middle so that I don’t accidentally take too much off or go the wrong way.
- If I get clip lines then going over the line again or going across the line makes them disappear or at least they’re less obvious.
- Make sure the clip is level from the bum and from the front view but don’t stress too much about the sides, no one can see both sides at the same time. But a wonky clip from the back or front can sometimes make a horse look uneven.
- Hot cloth your horse after so get all the little hairs off and soothe their skin, it also makes the clipped hair really shine.
Beth Endurance 