Do I need to clip?

Clipping is subjective.

• is it essential to clip?
• will my horse benefit from being clipped?
• will it make my life easier?

These are often questions that you may be asking yourself to justify making a clipper purchase or before asking a clipper professional to come and clip for you.

There are so many reasons to clip, but generally it will depend on how much riding you will be doing during the coat growing, winter months.

If you intend to ride most days, you will find a horse that is kept unclipped, will start to get hot and sweaty quickly when in faster work.  It then can become hard to cool them off efficiently due to the length of coat, which in turn can lead to chills if not dried and cooled off thoroughly.

Horses that are not in work or on walking exercise, are often best left with their natural coat, so that they have protection from the elements.

In answer to question number one, it isn’t essential to clip, but most horse riders that continue through the winter months, may want to clip to some degree or other. 

In answer to question number two and three, - it will certainly benefit you and your horse if this is the case, as it will make grooming and washing off and drying so much quicker when the coat is clipped back to the summer length of around 2mm.

Your horse will also feel the benefit of a shorter coat, and not having to use up energy by sweating unnecessarily. 

As is always the case, consider your own requirements and that of your horse, before making a decision, and if you do decide to clip, then you will need to think about what type of clip to choose to suit your horse’s workload.