The Art of Grooming - Part 2, Clipping, Trimming, and Braiding

We hope you found Part 1 of our Grooming article to be informative.
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Clipping and Trimming Clipping is hard work and can be quite dangerous. You should never attempt to clip a horse alone. If you have never clipped a horse, it is best to watch a few experts first. If possible, have someone who is experienced clip your horse and show you what they are doing and why. This will also give you an idea of how your horse will behave. With judicious use of clippers, you can improve and enhance your horse’s natural attributes. Clipping is an art and those who are experienced are always in high demand. With a little patience and practice, you too can easily learn the art of clipping. The number one rule is, it’s not what you take off, it’s what you leave on that counts!

The Blades
Get to know your blades before you try to clip your horse. The higher the number, the smaller and finer the blade is. Finer blades cut more hair and cut deeper than larger blades. The smallest blade is the #40 and will take the hair all the way down to skin, leaving just peach fuzz. If you wish to blend clipped areas to non-clipped areas, or deeper cuts to light cuts, use the coarser blades, #10 to #15. You will be taking less hair off and therefore have more control.

How much pressure to use is most likely the hardest thing for a beginner to learn. If you are blending or getting those long goat hairs use light pressure and clip with the growth of the hair. Full pressure against the grain would be used when the full effect of the blade is needed such as, clipping off white socks. But until you become familiar with your blades and pressure use a light touch because you can always go back and clip more, but once the hair has been removed only time will bring it back.

The number two rule is, avoid clipper marks at all costs!

Nothing is worse than having your elegant steed look like a ragamuffin because of clipper trails! Pros recommend washing all areas to be clipped first, especially socks. This will remove dirt and oils leaving a nice smooth surface to work with. Practice proper pressure well before show time and always use freshly sharpened blades. Make sure your clippers are in tip top shape - you wouldn’t want to have a burned-out motor the day before a show! Clippers are costly and many people are reluctant to loan their clippers or blades.

The Head: Start with the muzzle. Clean the area with a damp cloth and then follow-up with an alcohol dampened cloth. It is preferable to leave some length to the whiskers as these are used as sensors and are important to the horse. If you do need to remove all of the whiskers, use #30 to #40 blades and shave against the whiskers, using a slight pressure as you follow along with the contours of the muzzle. Use your other hand to stretch the skin taut so you don’t catch any skin in the clippers. And don’t forget the nostrils. Again, the hair in the nostrils is there for a reason so just achieve a neat and tidy appearance.

Then on to the chin and jaw line. Use a #10 blade and clip with the growth of the hair. Remove all those long goat hairs. Then remove the long hairs above the upper eyelid as well as the long hairs below the horse’s eye. Be careful not to lop off the eyelashes!

Legs: Using a #10 blade and clipping in the direction of the hair growth, begin to clip the long hair growing at the back of the cannon blending as you go. Then working against the grain, clip up the back of the pastern and also the coronet band. Never clip the upper leg because the colour will then be different from the rest of the body.

Manes and Tails: Manes are kept neat by means of “pulling”, which involves plucking out strands of hair until the mane is the desired length and thickness. You begin by laying the mane over to the wrong side and combing the underside to remove any knots. By combing the underside you ensure that any hair broken by combing will be on the underside and no broken ends will show once the mane is laid back over to the correct side. Now lay the mane back to it’s correct side and carefully brush through to remove any remaining knots. Begin with the longest hair, with your fingers take hold of some of the long hairs and backcomb the hair until a few strands are left. With a sharp tug remove the hair. Work along the mane taking out the longest hairs. It is best to take your time and pull only a small section of mane at a time and spread the job out over a few days. Whenever possible, pull the hair from the underside of the mane. This will encourage it to lay flat. If pulling is too uncomfortable for your horse, a thinning comb can be used. Comb the mane through as described above, and assess what needs to be trimmed. With your fingers hold some of the hair, and backcomb until just a few strands are left. Cut the hair with the blade of the comb; repeat this process until the mane is level and tidy, remembering to check the length often as you work.
*Tip* Pull the mane and tail when the horse is warm. The hair will come out more easily while the pores are open.

The appearance of the tail can be improved by pulling out some of the hair at the dock. The hair should be pulled from the sides and just slightly from the center. A pulled tail will need regular pulling to keep its tidy appearance. A horse that is on pasture 24/7 or a horse that is out regularly throughout the winter should not have a pulled tail. The hair at the top of the dock is there for protection from rain and snow. The end of the tail should be parallel with the ground when the horse is moving. To trim the end, raise the dock to the position the tail is in when the horse is moving. Then cut off the hair to your desired length.

Body Clips: During the cold months horses grow a thick coat to protect them from the weather. If your horse is doing anything other than light work, excessive sweat will be uncomfortable and your horse may lose condition and be at risk of catching a chill if not carefully dried off after exercise. It would then be a good idea to give your horse a body clip. A clipped horse will need to be kept warm and dry with a good breathable, waterproof blanket.

There are various types of clips and your choice would depend on the type and amount of work your horse will be doing.

A Full Clip removes the coat from the entire body and the legs. This clip is usually used on horses in full work, such as racing horses or show horses that are shown or prepared for show during the winter months.

The Hunter Clip is the most usual clip for horses in heavy work. This clip removes the coat leaving only hair on the legs and the area under the saddle. Leaving hair on the legs and saddle area will provide protection, but the saddle area must be dried thoroughly after work.

The Blanket Clip is just as its name suggests. The horse is clipped leaving an area of the back, loins and quarters unclipped as well as the legs. The hair is removed from the neck, shoulders, belly, and all or part of the head. This clip is suitable for horses in medium to hard work.

The Trace Clip removes the hair from the underside of the neck, between the forelegs, the belly and the upper part of the hind legs. This clip would be used for horses that are kept out or for horses that are not in heavy work.

The Chaser Clip involves removing the hair from the head, the lower part of the neck, the chest, the belly and the upper part of the hind legs. This clip is used for horses in medium work.

The Bib Clip is suitable for pastured horses or horses in very light work. The coat is removed only from the jowl and the underside of the neck down to and including the front of the chest.

The Apron Clip is the Bib Clip with additional removal of hair from the area above the forelegs and extending back under the girth area.

The Irish Clip is a good clip for horses in light to medium work that spend much of the day outdoors. This clip involves removing the hair on the underside of the neck, the chest, belly and shoulders which leaves a “Triangle” effect when looked at from the side. This clip may include removing the hair from the lower part of the face and would normally stop at the jowl.

When clipping the hair from the horse’s hindquarters, always leave an inverted V at the top of the tail. The unclipped leg hair should be sloped at the top from front to back. The horse’s head may remain unclipped or it may be simply clipped at the sweatiest part, that being the jowl. Always bathe your horse prior to clipping and be sure your clippers are up to the task. Also have a rug ready to put on your horse as you are clipping, he will soon notice the difference in his environment.

Final Touches for Super Turnout
Braiding or plaiting the mane and tail makes a horse or pony look neat and smart. Braiding can do wonders for a top line and to make an untidy tail look stunning.

Mane Braiding: Let’s start with the mane. It is far easier to braid a mane that has been pulled – a thick or uneven mane will result in untidy, ugly braids. Divide the mane hair into equal sections, each of which will be dampened, braided and turned under being secured close to the crest of the neck with either sewing thread or rubber bands. Braids that are sewn will be more secure, tighter and neater. Be careful not to braid too tightly as to be uncomfortable for your horse.
Clever braiding will help you improve your horse’s appearance. Making your braids larger in the dip of a neck will help disguise a ewe neck. If your horse has a long neck, try making a small number of braids along the neck to give the neck a shorter appearance. If your horse has a short neck, it will look longer if you make lots of small braids. If your horse has an entirely untidy mane you can try hogging or clipping off the mane. A hogged mane looks best on a horse with a rather heavy build.

Manes - Step One	Manes - Step Two
*Quick Tip* Stay organized by wearing a braiding belt. Braiding belts have multiple pockets where you can keep your tools handy.

Tail Braiding: Now on to the tail. Braiding the tail may look complicated, but is not so difficult with a little practice. The tail must have long hair at the top – it is impossible to successfully braid a tail that’s been pulled. The tail must be clean, brushed and dampened. Beginning as close to the top as possible, use a small bunch from each side and one from the centre. Continue this braiding down to the end of the dock. Once you reach the end of the dock, stop adding the side bunches and just continue to braid the long hair down the centre of the tail. Once you reach the bottom, loop the braid up and tuck under the lowest portion that included the side bunches. Secure it by sewing with thread and Voila! A beautiful tail! This is a show braid, but you can also do a simple braid and wrap up the tail to keep it free from mud or burrs. Always be sure to re-braid it and wrap it every couple of days.

Tail Braiding - Step One	Tail Braiding - Step Three   Tail Completed
Tail Braiding - Step Two

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Lastly, for special occasions, you may wish to decorate your horses coat with Quarter Marks. These are applied on the hindquarters and are either drawn on with a comb or brush, or be made by brushing over a stencil. The quarter marks are made by brushing patches of dampened hair in different directions.   The well-groomed horse with Quarter Marks

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More Quick Tips for a Happy, Healthy, Beautiful Horse

1. If you ever have a problem getting your horse to drink (sometimes a problem at shows) try adding a little apple juice to the water.
    

2. Some say that adding apple cider vinegar to your horse’s water will help prevent colic. Use a cup of vinegar to every 25 gallons of water.
    

3. A tip for tack. Rub a bit of mayonnaise into the scratches to remove them from the leather. Always test first on a small area to be sure it is safe for your particular piece of equipment.
    

4. Ever have a headstall break on the trail? Next time, just pull a couple of horse tail hairs to tie it together. The hair is strong and should get you home safely.
    

5. Always keep twist ties on hand. They work great for any saddle, bridle or stirrup mishaps.
    

6. When clipping, feel the underside of the blades every several minutes to see if they are becoming hot. If so, turn the clippers off and resume once they have cooled down. Also remember to oil the blades frequently during a lengthy clipping session.
    

7. Use a proper grooming halter when clipping your horse. A grooming halter is fitted with extra snaps under the face which can be undone for safe and easy clipping while your horse can remain tied securely in the cross ties.
    

8. If you show, but do not have your own trailer and must tack up in the middle of a field full of bustling activity, or if you are too short to bridle your tall steed, you will see the benefit of this tip! Use a PeelAway halter. These halters are made with durable Velcro closures which enable you keep your horse secure while bridling. Bridle up - undo the Velcro and remove the halter. Voila!

Hogged Manes

Have a look at our new Burwash Grooming and PeelAway Halters. There are always risks involved when we are working with our beloved partners and safety is the number one priority. Having equipment which can help keep ourselves and our horses safe and secure will make every moment together a special one! To ensure you don't miss out on next month's feature article click here to sign up for our Newsletter now.

Burwash PeelAway Halter

written by Donna Nearing

Link to Part 1 - The Art of Grooming