IT is that time of year again where horse owners will have to start getting ready for clipping season, the most dreaded job around the yard for many of us. While some owners opt to keep their horses clipped year round, the majority of owners will only clip their horses during the autumn and winter months.

Even though we are still enjoying the summer months, it is worthwhile getting yourself organised now. Ideally you would have had your blades sharpened and your clippers serviced after your last clip but if not, now if the time to dig them out and send them away to be serviced.

Put your clippers together, make sure you do not over-tighten the blades as this will put extra pressure on the machine and also shorten the lifespan of the blades. A good rule of thumb is to tighten the blades as tight as you can then unscrew them for two whole rotations.

Things to consider

Rugs: Do you have an appropriate rug ready to put on your horse once they are clipped?

If you didn’t wash, repair and store your rugs away when you took them off earlier this year, make sure they are ready to put on once you start clipping.

Shelter: Does your horses field or paddock have appropriate shelter to protect your horse from adverse weather?

Age: An older horse may benefit from a rug on top of their winter coat and may find it difficult to battle the elements if they are clipped.

Type of clip: This will depend on the amount of work you plan on doing with your horse, where you plan on keeping your horse during the winter, their weight (underweight horses would benefit from a trace clip or no clip at all), their age, breed, etc.

When to clip

For the average horse, the ideal time to clip is October, as this gives enough time for the winter coat to come through. Depending on how fast your horses coat grows, you may need to clip them every few weeks until Christmas to keep on top of hair growth.

Clipping tips

1. Mark where you are going to clip using chalk before you start.

2. Pull the horse’s skin tight with your free hand when clipping and do not attempt to clip folds or wrinkled skin.

3. Don’t forget to keep applying oil to the blades when clipping.

4. If possible have two machines going at once so you can keep clipping when one machine is cooling down.

5. Use long, overlapping strokes going against the direction of the hair growth.

6. Do don’t force the clippers through the coat, check if they need sharpening or tensioning if clipping becomes difficult.

7. Don’t leave tricky areas until the end, because by this time, your horse may be fed up of standing and may start fidgeting. If your horse becomes unsettled when clipping areas like the face or ears, move on to a different area and then go back to it.

8. Plait your horse’s mane and tail to keep it out of the way and avoid clipping into the mane hair.