# Horse Clip Types Explained - **URL:** https://piaffehorse.com/types-of-horse-clips/ Ever seen a horse with a short, neat coat in the middle of winter? It got that way with clippers. Horses, just like us, grow thicker coats when it turns cold. The thick coat helps them stay warm, but it can be too much, especially for horses that work hard or live in warmer stables. That’s where horse clipping comes in. Clipping means carefully trimming a horse’s long winter coat with special clippers, much like getting a haircut. The aim isn’t to make a horse cold. It’s to keep the horse comfortable, healthy and clean, particularly when it exercises. This guide walks through the different ways to clip a horse and why so many owners find the practice helpful. ## Why Clip a Horse? It’s All About Comfort and Health People clip horses to keep them comfortable and healthy. You might ask, “Why would anyone cut a horse’s natural coat?” It’s a fair question. A thick coat is perfect for a wild horse living outside all the time, but many horses today have jobs or live in places where a heavy coat can cause real problems. These are the main reasons people clip: - Faster Drying After Exercise: Imagine running around and getting soaked in sweat inside a big, fluffy winter coat. It would take ages to dry. For a horse, staying wet and cold after sweating can lead to illness. Clipping helps the coat dry much faster, which keeps the horse cozy and healthy. - Preventing Overheating: A horse exercising in a thick coat can overheat very quickly, a bit like wearing a winter jacket to play soccer. Clipping removes some of that extra insulation, so the horse stays cooler and more comfortable during work. - Easier Grooming: A short coat is much easier to brush and keep clean, because mud, dirt and sweat don’t get stuck in it as easily. Grooming time gets quicker and more enjoyable for you and your horse. A clean coat also helps prevent skin issues. You’ll find excellent tools and products for keeping the coat clean and shiny on our [coat and body care page](/product-category/coat-body-care/). - Preventing Skin Problems: A thick, sweaty coat that stays wet too long can become a perfect home for bacteria or fungi, which leads to skin problems like rain rot. A clipped coat dries faster and lets air reach the skin, which helps prevent these issues. - Looking Neat and Tidy: Let’s be honest: a well-clipped horse often looks very smart and professional. That can matter for horses that compete in shows. ## Important Things to Think About Before Clipping Clipping isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, so it pays to think through a few things before you or anyone else clips your horse: ### Your Horse’s Lifestyle and Workload Workload is the first thing to weigh. A horse that just walks around gently a few times a week might not need much clipping, if any. A horse that trains almost every day and works up a sweat will benefit a lot more from a clip. ### The Weather Where You Live Is it super cold where you live in winter, or are your winters milder? In very cold weather, you might do only a small clip, or make sure your horse has plenty of warm blankets (rugs) to wear. ### Do You Have Enough Blankets (Rugs)? You need enough blankets before you clip, because removing the natural coat also removes the horse’s built-in warmth. If you clip your horse, you must be ready to provide warm blankets (often called “rugs” in the horse world). These rugs replace the warmth of the natural coat and keep the horse cozy. You’ll need different thicknesses for different temperatures. ### The Right Tools and Aftercare Clipping takes special clippers and knowing how to use them safely. After clipping, your horse’s skin might be a little sensitive, and the coat will need extra care to stay healthy. Gentle shampoos and conditioners are key. Explore our [full range of products](/shop-2/) to help with post-clipping care. ## Different Types of Horse Clips: Finding the Perfect Style Just as people have different haircuts, horses get different “clips” depending on their needs. These are the most common types: ### The Full Clip: A Complete Makeover The full clip is exactly what it sounds like: almost all of the horse’s coat comes off. Only a small patch of hair might stay under the saddle area to protect the skin, and sometimes the legs and head are left unclipped for warmth and protection. - What it looks like: The horse looks sleek and smooth all over, almost as if it wore a summer coat. - Who it’s for: This clip is usually for horses in very hard work, often competing in demanding sports throughout the winter. They sweat a lot, so taking off all the hair helps them cool down and dry very fast. - Extra care needed: A horse with a full clip needs many warm rugs, sometimes even two or three layers, especially when it’s cold. The skin may also need extra attention to stay moisturized. Our [specialized care products](/product-category/specialized-care-protection/) can be very helpful here. ### The Hunter Clip: Smart and Practical The hunter clip is very popular for horses that do a lot of energetic work, like hunting, jumping or eventing. It removes most of the body hair but strategically leaves hair on the legs and a saddle patch. - What it looks like: The body, neck and sometimes head are clipped, but the legs stay hairy from the knee/hock down. A saddle-shaped patch of hair also stays on the back where the saddle sits. - Why it’s chosen: Hair on the legs protects them from scrapes and keeps them warm, as legs don’t sweat as much. The saddle patch stops the saddle rubbing on clipped skin, which can be sensitive. The result is a great balance between keeping the horse warm where needed and letting it cool down quickly. - Extra care needed: As with the full clip, a horse with a hunter clip needs warm rugs. The legs still need good cleaning after muddy rides, but the extra hair offers some natural protection. ### The Blanket Clip: Like Wearing a Built-in Blanket The blanket clip is a fantastic choice for horses in medium to hard work. It gets its name because the hair left on the horse looks like a blanket draped over the back and hindquarters. - What it looks like: The hair is clipped from the neck, belly and flanks, but a large area stays over the back and loins and extends down over the hindquarters. The legs and often the head stay unclipped too. - Why it’s chosen: This clip removes hair from the areas where horses sweat the most (neck, chest, belly) while keeping the most important muscle groups warm. It’s ideal for horses that do regular work but might not be in super strenuous competition every day. It gives good warmth without needing as many heavy rugs as a full or hunter clip. - Extra care needed: Rugging still matters, especially in very cold weather, but it’s less intense than for a full clip. Keeping the clipped areas clean helps maintain skin health. For coat maintenance, consider our [wide range of grooming products](/product-category/all-products/). ### The Trace Clip: Just the Sweaty Parts The trace clip is one of the most popular clips for horses in lighter to medium work. It’s named after the “trace lines” that used to be drawn on horses for pulling carriages. It comes in different variations, so you can tailor it exactly to your horse’s needs. - What it looks like: Hair comes off the underside of the neck, chest and belly, which are basically the areas where a horse sweats the most during typical exercise. The back, loins, hindquarters and legs are usually left unclipped. - Why it’s chosen: It’s perfect for horses that do regular, moderate work. It helps them dry faster where they sweat most without removing too much of their natural warmth. - Variations: Low Trace Clip: A low trace clip removes only a small strip from the underside of the neck and belly, and it’s great for light work. - Medium Trace Clip: A medium trace clip removes a bit more hair, extending higher up the neck and flanks, and it’s good for medium work. - High Trace Clip: A high trace clip removes even more and reaches higher on the body, similar to a very shallow blanket clip, and it suits slightly harder work. - Extra care needed: Rugging matters, but a trace-clipped horse generally needs fewer or lighter rugs than a fully clipped one. Regular brushing helps keep both clipped and unclipped areas healthy. ### The Bib Clip (or Stripe Clip): A Small Helping Hand The bib clip is the smallest type of body clip, and it’s designed for horses in very light work. - What it looks like: Only a small area of hair comes off the underside of the neck and chest, forming a “bib” shape. Sometimes a thin stripe extends along the belly. - Who it’s for: It’s ideal for horses that get a little sweaty on the chest and neck but don’t do enough work to warrant a larger clip. It helps them dry a bit faster without losing much warmth at all. It’s also a good starting point if you’re new to clipping. - Extra care needed: A bib-clipped horse often doesn’t need extra rugging unless the weather is very cold, since it keeps most of its natural coat. ### The Irish Clip (or Chaser Clip): Simple and Effective The Irish clip is a simple, quick clip that removes hair from the most common sweat spots. - What it looks like: Hair comes off a triangular area that covers the underside of the neck, chest and belly and extends up to a point behind the saddle area. The legs and the majority of the back and hindquarters stay unclipped. - Why it’s chosen: It’s a good compromise for horses in moderate work. It removes hair from the key sweat areas but leaves a lot of natural warmth, especially over the main back muscles. It’s also quicker to do than a blanket or trace clip. - Extra care needed: Rugging is needed, but as with the trace clip, it can be less intense than for a full or hunter clip. ### Other Small Clips: For Tidiness and Comfort Besides the main body clips, smaller clips also serve specific purposes: - Bridle Path Clip: This clip takes a small strip of hair from under the bridle on the poll (behind the ears), which helps the bridle sit comfortably and neatly. - Muzzle and Jaw Clip: This clip removes the longer hairs around the muzzle and jaw for a tidier appearance. - Ear Clip: This clip trims the hair inside and around the ears. It’s often done for looks, but do it carefully, because the hair offers some protection from insects and dirt. ## After the Clip: Keeping Your Horse Healthy and Happy Your horse’s care routine changes a little once it’s clipped. It’s very important to keep the horse comfortable and its skin healthy. ### Rugging Up! Rugging up is probably the most important part of aftercare, because your horse has lost its natural warmth and needs blankets. You’ll need different weights of rugs for different temperatures, lighter ones for mild days and heavier ones for very cold nights. Always check your horse under its rug to make sure it isn’t too hot or too cold. ### Grooming Their New Coat Grooming stays key even though the coat is shorter. Clipped coats can still get dirty, and brushing keeps the skin healthy by bringing natural oils to the surface. It feels good for your horse too. For a thorough clean and shine, check out our selection of [coat and body care products](/product-category/coat-body-care/). ### Bathing and Conditioning Use gentle shampoos when you bathe a clipped horse, to avoid irritating the skin. We have wonderful options like [Reluxe Maintail Shampoo](/product/reluxe-maintail-shampoo/) or [Revive Shampoo](/product/revive-shampoorevive-shampoo/). After shampooing, a good conditioner can keep the skin moisturized and the new coat soft and shiny. Consider [Release Spray Conditioner](/product/release-spray-conditioner/) or [Release Spray Conditioner](/product/release-spray-conditioner-2/) (a second link for variety) or [Refresh Maintail Cream](/product/refresh-maintail-cream/). If you’re looking for a special treatment for the skin, [Repair Cream](/product/repair-cream/) is an excellent choice. Don’t forget the mane and tail either. Products like [our mane and tail treatments](/product-category/mane-tail-treatment/) can keep them in top condition. ### Checking Their Skin Keep an eye on your horse’s skin after clipping. Make sure there are no rubs, irritation or dry patches. If you notice any, talk to your vet and use appropriate soothing products. ## Quick Look at Popular Horse Clips This handy table compares some of the main clips at a glance: Clip Type What’s Clipped? What’s Left? Best For (Workload) Rugging Needs Full Clip Almost the entire body (sometimes not the legs or head) Minimal hair (sometimes a saddle patch, legs and head) Very hard, intense work Heavy rugs (multiple layers in cold weather) Hunter Clip Body and neck, sometimes the head Legs and a saddle patch Hard, energetic work (e.g., hunting, eventing) Heavy to medium rugs Blanket Clip Neck, belly and flanks Back, loins, hindquarters and legs, often the head Medium to hard work Medium rugs Trace Clip Underside of the neck, chest and belly (varies in height) Back, loins, hindquarters, legs and most of the head Light to medium work Light to medium rugs Bib Clip A small area under the neck and chest Almost the entire body Very light work, or horses that sweat only a little on the chest Minimal (maybe a light rug in very cold weather) Irish Clip A triangular area from the neck and chest to behind the saddle Most of the back, hindquarters and legs Moderate work Medium rugs ## Choosing the Right Clip for Your Horse Choosing a clip is a lot like choosing the right clothes for yourself. You think about how much you’ll move, what the weather is like and what feels most comfortable. Horses need the same thinking. Always consider your horse’s individual needs, its exercise routine and how well it handles the cold. If you’re unsure, chat with an experienced horse person or your vet. The goal is always a happy, healthy, comfortable horse, whatever the season. And remember that keeping the coat and skin in top condition matters just as much, clipped or unclipped. Find all the care products you need at [our shop](/shop-2/).