Nov 27, 2019

Top 10 Tips for Body Clipping with Maddie Hogan

USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

It’s getting to be that season again! As the days get shorter the coats inevitably get longer and thicker. Some of you will be breaking out those clippers very soon, or maybe you already have. Here are a few key tips that can make the difference between an okay clip job and a great clip job.

  1. First off, you should start with a VERY clean horse! Before you even turn on the clippers, your horse should be squeaky clean, meaning no dirt in the coat from root to tip. A clean coat means less of those pesky lines.
  2. Using a good curry when shampooing will help lift and remove dirt from stubborn places, especially the top of the haunches and the back, which are usually the most overlooked parts.
  3. You should also make sure you have clean, sharp clipper blades. Not only does this give you a cleaner clip, but it will also help your clippers last longer and will prevent them from heating up as fast.
  4. Having one or two back-up blades is a good idea, just in case you run into trouble with your first set. There is nothing more annoying than not being able to finish a clip because of a blade.
  5. When you do start to clip, keep an eye on the blade temperature. The hotter the blades, the unhappier the horse. I will usually stop every 15 minutes or so to brush the blades out and apply coolant and oil.
  6. Think about what part of the body you are clipping and adjust the size of your clippers accordingly. Using very small clippers on the barrel, neck, and haunches will take you ages, and your horse may not have the patience for that. Using bigger body clippers will make the process go much quicker.
  7. Using those big body clippers on the legs might not be the easiest to maneuver or give you the best clip. Smaller clippers will allow you to navigate the tricky spots of the lower leg and there will be less vibration, making it much more comfortable for your horse.
  8. The type of clip you give your horse should depend on the amount of work they will be doing this coming fall and winter. If they are going to be working and sweating all winter you may want to opt for a full body clip. But if they are only in mild work or rehabbing a trace clip will keep them a bit warmer, and hopefully not so terribly wild!
  9. If you happen to opt for the trace clip this season, it’s often helpful to clip the lines in first. Then all you have to worry about is clipping what’s left.
  10. Remember if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world . . . hair will always grow back!
Jun 09, 2023 Emerging Athletes U21

Fast Facts: 2023 USEA EA21 Regional Clinics

Tomorrow, the first of five regional clinics for the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) Program kicks off in the central region of the country in Benton, Louisiana, at Holly Hill Farm. Throughout the summer, the remaining clinics on the East and West Coast will follow. At each clinic, 12 hand-selected riders will participate in a two-day clinic led by USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) coaches. The purpose of the EA21 program is to create a pipeline for potential team riders by identifying and developing young talent, improving horsemanship and riding skills, and training and improving skills and consistency. The intention is to provide young athletes with access to an added level of horsemanship and riding skills to further their training and skill development with greater consistency.

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Local Canadian Olympian Colleen Loach Tops International Leaderboard Following Day 1 at MARS Bromont CCI4*-L

After the first day of competition, Canadian Olympian Colleen Loach and her horse FE Golden Eye lead an international field in the CCI4*-L division of the MARS Bromont CCI.

Jun 08, 2023 Eventing News

Stone Gate Farm Cancels Fall Recognized Horse Trials

Stone Gate Farm Horse Trials, located in Hanoverton, Ohio, announced they would cancel their fall horse trials, which were scheduled for Sept. 23-24.

Jun 08, 2023 Eventing News

Wildfires Create a Fluid Situation for Event Organizers

Morgan Rowsell had just wrapped up organizing a successful Essex H.T. in Far Hills, New Jersey, on June 4, but as he turned his attention to his next show two weeks later, he was faced with challenges presented by the effects that wildfires from Canada are now having on equestrian sports in the Northeast. “The very next day, the smoke came in,” he said. “It looks like a warm, humid, hazy day, but it’s not humid, it’s not warm, it’s actually quite cool. There’s no air. There’s very little breeze. There’s a northeast wind coming out of Canada that is bringing all the Novia Scotia and Quebec smoke to us, and it smells like smoke.”

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