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Brrrr, it's become cold and windy! This means that your horse is beginning to grow its winter coat, and it's time to decide whether to clip it. We from Malgré Tout spoke with Tine from hesteklip.dk and will pass on her best advice here.
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Tine explains that one cannot generalize about what kind of clip a horse should have. Individual considerations must be taken regarding the horse's stable conditions, how much it is ridden, and what type of horse it is. If Tine must mention a clip that she thinks works for many horses, it is the so-called "Bell clip," or what is also called an Irish clipping, where the entire horse's neck and chest are clipped in a soft arc over the shoulder. This leaves fur over the croup, where the horse can benefit from staying warm. Tine also shares, what may surprise some, that many horses actually do not need to wear a blanket if they just have a minor clipping. This applies, for example, to Icelandic horses or other horses with thick coats. After just a few days, the horse's undercoat has grown back, and it will not be cold, Tine says.
If you want to clip your horse yourself, you need to get a clipper machine that is adapted to the horse you are going to clip. The fur structure is significantly different on a thoroughbred horse than it is on, for example, an Icelandic horse. On top of that, there are differences in temperament that also need to be considered. It requires a bit of research, and it can be a bigger investment to buy good and stable equipment suitable for your horse. However, you can with advantage rent a clipper machine at many equestrian equipment stores. Common to all who clip themselves, you must remember plenty of clipping oil and an extra set of blades - this way you avoid being stuck with a half-clipped horse that you cannot finish. The girls behind hesteklip.dk also recommend that one should never skimp on the blades for the clipper machine - original brands of good quality cost 300 – 400 kr for a set with top and bottom blades, but the good and more expensive blades last much longer, tolerate sharpening, and provide a better clipping result.
Once you have the machine ready, it's time to focus on yourself. Clipped horse hair tends to find its way into every nook and cranny, so it's a good idea to find an old and worn-out riding jacket that you are not particularly fond of. Close it well at the sleeves so you don't get horse hair down your arms. Good clipping trousers are also ideal. Preferably ones that can be easily brushed clean afterwards. On your feet, you should wear robust footwear, preferably with steel toes, or good stable boots, to avoid too much pain if you should be stepped on the toes.
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When you start to clip your horse, you need an extension cord so you can reach all the way around the horse. Plug the extension cord into the socket and place it carefully along the wall, minimizing the risk of a horse stepping on it. Also consider that your stablemates should not trip over the cord if they need to go through a door or similar where your cord may cross. Always choose a place in the stable where there are as few people as possible who need to pass by. It's disturbing to the clipping process if feed carts and riders with saddles have to pass by while you are clipping. It's recommended that there should always be at least one other person nearby when you clip a horse. Should your horse get frightened and you get injured, it's nice to have someone who can step in.
Maybe you're lucky that your horse is not afraid of being clipped – this can be either because it has tried it many times before or because your horse just has a calm and good temperament. Regardless, the girls from hesteklip.dk recommend that you always start by showing the trimmer to the horse.
If it has gone well with getting the horse used to the clipper, you are ready for the job. It is recommended to start on the shoulder, where the horse can see what the clipper is doing but not kick out. When you are working with the clipper, take your time - there's no point in rushing through - so the clipping becomes sloppy. It takes just as little time to learn the clipper and know how it should lie in your hand and what angles are good. Take breaks at regular intervals, where you tell the horse that it's doing well. So you can also just lubricate the blades.
For most horses, it is not necessary to feed them in the stable aisle, but for the very tense horse, it can be a good idea to teach the horse that when it accepts the clipper machine and stands still while it is on, it gets a carrot stump, while you move away a bit with the clipper - thereby easing the pressure on the horse's nervous system. According to the girls from hesteklip.dk, most horses quickly learn to associate the desired behavior with getting some rest and a carrot. You gradually work towards the horse being able to stand longer and longer without getting a carrot. If the horse moves away from the clipper, you should quietly move with it, as the horse should not achieve that it can escape from the clipper – when it stands still, you should turn off the clipper and give a treat within the same second. The method is known from so-called clicker training – and in all its simplicity, it is about rewarding desired behavior immediately – and ignoring bad behavior.
For the very nervous horse, you can use homemade earplugs – which take away most of the sound from the clipper. For this, you need cotton and nylon stockings. Put the cotton into the nylon stocking and tuck the plug well into the horse's ear. They should fit snugly, as the horse will otherwise just shake them out. The advantage of using this method is that it's easy to get the cotton out of the horse's ears when you are done clipping.
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