Is it ever too late to clip? Breaking the myth of clipping seasons

When it comes to horses, there’s no one-size-fits-all, and summer clipping’s a choice that should come down to whatever’s best for your horse. Might yours benefit from a summer shave?

“Don’t clip your horse in the summer, you’ll ruin his coat.” That’s a phrase that gets thrown around as the days get warmer and longer. But, why? Is it because no horse has ever grown a summer coat that’s too thick to suit his workload demands? Or is it because all horses are the same and they can live by the so-called clipping season? Of course, not – and when you put it like that, it seems mad to assume one practice is suitable for all equines.

There are many reasons why someone may choose to clip through the summer. But, when asking yourself whether it’s worth clipping, you should consider the following reasons…

• does your horse have a thicker coat type? From cobs and Irish Drafts to Suffolk Punches, heavier breed horses tend to have thicker coats and that’s not just in the winter months
• is your horse in competition work?
• does your horse find it hard to shed his winter coat?

Could you imagine running with a coat on in the summer? That’s how a heavier horse can feel when being worked in the warmer months of the year. By removing excess coat, it can help to reduce the amount of sweat produced and minimise the risk of mites that can often burrow their way into thicker coats in the over the summer.

Then there’s the more active horses. Clipping a competition horse can help them to perform better. Even finer-coated horses benefit. Clipping can help aid recovery, too. Whether you’re competing every week or every month, your horse’s health is paramount, and this is one of the reasons why there’s a growing trend within eventing, showjumping and endurance for clipped horses year-round.

Like you would in the winter months, you need to bath your horse before clipping. From Oatmeal Shampoo to Dirty Beastie, Wahl has designed natural shampoos for every coat. Give him a scrub the night before and then you’re all set for clipping the next day.

Blades are a little different when it comes to summertime. Medium blades are advisable as they provide the best possible protection against sunburn. That said, horses who suffer with medical conditions such as Cushing’s struggle to shed their winter coat, so clipping away enough coat for them to feel the difference – but leaving on plenty for protection against the elements – can really help. That’s where blades like the Covercote blade come into their own.

Kitted out

For more than 100 years, Lister has led the way in high-performance equipment. For two years, Lister has been working on the Lister Eclipse – a revolution in clipping. Offering hours of power and supreme agility, the Lister Eclipse takes the hard work out of horse work. Compact and lightweight, the Eclipse will totally eclipse everything else that came before it.

For more information, visit lister-global.com