Tips for a trace clip?

[eponacowgirl]

(Just editing to say this is an old question- I feel quite competent with clippers now! Sch1star reopened this thread with a question in post #17!)

My friend is letting me borrow her body clippers so I can trace clip my leased mare...:eek:

Any tips for making this actually turn out looking like a trace clip and not some weird design on bowling shoes?

Also, blanketing- she has a medium weight high neck and a light weight high neck... I've been keeping her in her mid-weight at around 40 and below. We're supposed to get into single digits this week- do I need to dig out my heavy weight?

[IrishDeclan]

My best piece of advice is to use some white tape. Tape the pattern onto your horse and then step back and look at it. Make sure to compare both sides thoroughly.... I've seen way too many trace clips that are higher on one side than on the other:lol:. The tape is great because you can move it around until you get it just right. I don't suggest firing up the clippers until this happens :winkgrin:.

As far as the blanketing goes, the nice thing about a trace clip is that you're really not taking off that much hair. I'm all the way down in south Alabama, so I don't even own a heavy blanket. My general rule is 50 and below- lightweight sheet, 40 and below- medium weight blanket. If it gets super cold I just layer the two. Hopefully someone can answer the blanketing question better than me!!!!

[RiverBendPol]

Try this: http://www.horsehero.com/1295/stable-management/5703
Personally, I prefer a full hunter clip. That way, you don't get any sweaty places, you only have easy lines to make and you can put on a heavy rug and forget about mediums, changing in mid-day, etc. etc.

[eponacowgirl]

Try this: http://www.horsehero.com/1295/stable-management/5703
Personally, I prefer a full hunter clip. That way, you don't get any sweaty places, you only have easy lines to make and you can put on a heavy rug and forget about mediums, changing in mid-day, etc. etc.

Thanks for the video! I downloaded it for reference!

My mare lives out 24/7 with limited shelter- I'm worried about taking it all off. I think a low trace is a much better idea!

[flypony74]

I think you need to clip flames down the side of her. Sorry, was inspired by the bowling shoe comment...

My advice (since I'm a bad friend and can't come out and help you), is just do it. So what if it isn't perfect the first time? It's hair, it grows back, and no shows for a few months. I've never had much luck with the tape method, but do decide beforehand where you want to clip, and kind of pick waypoints on the horse as to where you'll be clipping. Have you seen this?
http://www.peasridge.co.uk/clipper-advice/clippers-clipping-advice-horses-types-of-horse-clips.shtml

Usually with a trace clipped horse, I'll do a sheet 35 and up, and a mid weight 35 and under. But I know you....you'll be digging out the heavy later this week regardless. :)

[WeDoItAll]

I think you need to clip flames down the side of her. Sorry, was inspired by the bowling shoe comment...

My advice (since I'm a bad friend and can't come out and help you), is just do it. So what if it isn't perfect the first time? It's hair, it grows back, and no shows for a few months. I've never had much luck with the tape method, but do decide beforehand where you want to clip, and kind of pick waypoints on the horse as to where you'll be clipping. Have you seen this?
http://www.peasridge.co.uk/clipper-advice/clippers-clipping-advice-horses-types-of-horse-clips.shtml

Usually with a trace clipped horse, I'll do a sheet 35 and up, and a mid weight 35 and under. But I know you....you'll be digging out the heavy later this week regardless. :)

New hairy horse .... really want to clip ... riding seriously 3-4 x a week -- hairy horse sweats a lot. Already blanketed and stabled at night ... normally in lower 30's at night.

So.... is it really too late to clip? Some schooling shows this winter; first big show late April.

[mandalea]

I would go ahead with it.

I would put whatever rug I feel necessary on, and if you put the heavy one on, and she starts to sweat up, don't put it back on, because she is more likely to get sick.

I watched that video; I thought the chalk was a tampon at first! :lol: i had to tun the volume up so I could hear that he said chalk, to re-assure myself :lol:

And I love the horse in the background, who keeps yawning when he's explaining the blanket clip :lol:

But will definitely download it, so I can refer to it when I clip :D

[yellowbritches]

Try this: http://www.horsehero.com/1295/stable-management/5703
Personally, I prefer a full hunter clip. That way, you don't get any sweaty places, you only have easy lines to make and you can put on a heavy rug and forget about mediums, changing in mid-day, etc. etc.
Agreed. I trace clipped one of my guys this year, but only because I had to battle with his weight a bit and wanted the extra bit of warmth (and he doesn't usually work terribly hard). Every body else is nekkid except for their legs, and Paco and the hunter ponies are nekkid all over!

[leakyb]

My friend is letting me borrow her body clippers so I can trace clip my leased mare...:eek:

Any tips for making this actually turn out looking like a trace clip and not some weird design on bowling shoes?

Also, blanketing- she has a medium weight high neck and a light weight high neck... I've been keeping her in her mid-weight at around 40 and below. We're supposed to get into single digits this week- do I need to dig out my heavy weight?


I use duct tape for the lines and it works great for trace clips. I tried the lightweight tape and it peels off when you are about 1/2 way done.


I'm in the Atlanta area.....I use medium weight and layer a lightweight over it for wind/rain on storm days. Ours come into stalls at night though. I have a heavy that I only use for 1-2 weeks per year here in winter.

[GiGi]

Just do it. Hell we are eventers and never have stood on pomp and circumstance, right? I doubt an uneven trace clip will affect your dressage score. That said I live in the mountains of Georgia. I will trace clip my mare in about two weeks for our first HT the first weekend in Feb. Yesterday it was 45 wind chill of 40 and after 30 min trot work she was sweaty. If going into the single digits even with ALL her hair I put on a heavy. I would layer the med with the heavy because outside wind chill is also a big factor. Oh and LOTS of hay.

[Bobthehorse]

I use chalk instead of tape. No one will really notice if its not perfect, it'll be mostly grown in by the start of the season.

[Little Valkyrie]

I use dry erase markers (green or black works well) or chalk on my black mare. I've found that some horses hate having the tape pulled off. Just make sure that when you use the markers on a grey horse, clip those hairs off too...otherwise you wind up with an outlined horse :lol:
Another tip that someone told me...no one can see both sides of the horse at once, so as long as they are both neat, it doesn't matter if they match perfectly.

[eponacowgirl]

Between you guys and my BO, I've been told I'm obsessing and to just shut up and do it! I'll take pictures so y'all can see WHY I'm being so paraniod... Wish me luck!!

[asterix]

While everyone who knows me would laugh until they fell over at the notion of me giving advice on a clipping thread...

if you are worried about blanketing, do a bib clip. I do mine -- underside of neck, chest, between the legs and across the lower shoulders, belly to JUST behind the girth. Leave the rest of their flanks and bellies furry. It REALLY helps with sweating during work, and seems to not make much of a dent in their ability to keep warm. I do NOT blanket at all for warmth and they are fine out 24/7 this way -- although they are easy keepers in good weight with lots of hay. I only do sheets for cold/freezing rain.

So I do not think he will keel over without a lot of blankets, if you leave his hair mostly intact and do a modest clip.

[r.matey]

Make sure, also, that you clip in a bum design afterwards, such as (http://www.flickr.com/photos/r_matey/3971888813/).

[sch1star]

Okay, first, yay for the search function.

However you with public FB links - they have expired!

And the Horsehero site requires registration with payment to watch videos. Boo. It looked like there were some good videos, but hmm.

Trying to determine appropriate clip for pony to get back into work in freezing-here, then down to mid-60s/mid-40s south, then back here to mid-40s/mid-20s.

I think I will start with a bib and maybe go to a trace in Aiken? I do want to be able to put him back in full t/o at home without freezing. Suggestions welcome!

[eponacowgirl]

I did a modified trace on my gelding this year. I could go a little higher on his neck but he is dry in all the right places after a hard work out. It ends right behind his girth.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=34132934&l=de255f1834&id=51801315

I guess it would be an Irish clip.
http://www.peasridge.co.uk/clipper-advice/clippers-clipping-advice-horses-types-of-horse-clips.shtml

[mcorbett]

or you could ask me to do it and I could make a video of it like I did at MTPC. ooo, I could be one of those "experts."

[CookiePony]

I used lipstick last year but it made Taco greasy in spots. I was going to use livestock chalk this year but when I opened the package it was ancient and would not write. So I eyeballed it. He looks ok.

I would take mc up on her offer, personally. Maybe she and Brandy can be on Expert Village. :D

[goeslikestink]

My friend is letting me borrow her body clippers so I can trace clip my leased mare...:eek:

Any tips for making this actually turn out looking like a trace clip and not some weird design on bowling shoes?

Also, blanketing- she has a medium weight high neck and a light weight high neck... I've been keeping her in her mid-weight at around 40 and below. We're supposed to get into single digits this week- do I need to dig out my heavy weight?


get some blue plumbing chalk then mark out on the horse your trace clip
if its still colder then dont do to high,
clip in one straight line alone the blue plumb line then clip th horse out to finish to adjust any tiny weany bits if wonky then simple turn the clippers upwards and just trim the edges evenly as in dinky trims tiny weany snips

also some horses and ponies have the odd long hairs comming out of there coats looka bit like a beard as in a lone lone hair then another, these need to trimed with scissors or the clipper as in alight clip over the entire body

then also on helpful links is how to pull a main and tail
no point doing a lcip if the name and tail isnt tidy either

also if the horse has feathers on his legs and you to trim them up then start at the top near where the chestnut is and trim downwards this way it will look neat and no lines showing trim around th coronet with sciossors to finish the foot of nicely

check out my helpful links pages and go towards the bottom and click on horsesheros they have a full video of how to the horse

http://chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178116

and perhaps turn the clippers on so the horse can used to the noise, if however she plays up see if anyone else has a good horse that stands still then do that horse outside her stable so the horse can see what going on
then run our clippers over the horse on the off position a few times
then turn them on, and stand close to the horse but dont touch the horse
just so she can used to the noise then do a couple of dry runs over the horses back and sides with out clipping just to assocaite the horse with the noise over his body, then start at a simple place i like to start at the chest as its straight upwards to the thoart and thats done and out the way, then straight down between the front legs whilse we at it here
dont forget to stretch the skin between the front legs as there are folds of skin that need to be clipped in that area if your keeping the legs on

[r.matey]

Do you blanket? I'm in MN and keep my guy on full-time turn-out. The past two years I gave my draft-cross a low trace clip (including taking off the belly and underside of the neck), and kept a heavyweight blanket on. They have a run-in for shelter, and on really bitter nights (I don't know the exact temp -- windchill -10F maybe, -20F?) they're left out all night to munch on the round bale.

This week I gave my new guy (Holsteiner) an Irish clip. I'll take the rest of the back off later if needed, but he seems comfortable. Same turn-out situation as above, and keeping him blanketed. He does have his whole belly taken off, and up under his back legs. I always feel a little bad taking off the belly, but a much wiser horsewoman than I recommends it, and they've never been chilled.

Especially assuming you're doing the clipping yourself and not having to pay someone else twice if you want to have more done -- I'd say you're right on starting with less and taking more later if you need to. If the pony sweats a lot under his girth you might be happier starting with something more like the apron clip shown in eponacowgirl's second link.

[Hilary]

Yes, as with any haircut, horse or human, you can always take off a little more later.

And for the most part, you can't see both sides of the horse at the same time, so if you waver or wobble a little? Don't worry.

Since it IS so cold up here, I leave the belly fur, even when I clip more than a trace because I think it makes them more prone to being tense while working if they are getting splashed with cold wet stuff every step.

If I was putting her back to full work every day right now, I'd trace clip and see how sweaty she got. Adjust as necessary.

Come March, when it's warmer and I expect work will increase I'll do a modified full clip - I'll leave the belly 'til it really warms up, but do the body, neck and maybe the legs if my clippers hold out. As much to get shedding season over with in 90 minutes as anything else!

As for drawing the lines? I tried the tape, and the chalk, and finally realized that if you take your time, eye-balling it, and maybe drawing a line in the hair with your finger to raise the dust, works just fine. :)

[akumal987]

Trace clipping is what I prefered the best when I was clipping my horse. One year we did a hunter clip (so furry legs, face, saddle area) and he just got to dang cold! He is a TB and is cold all the time so never again will I body clip him. The next year we trace clipped him and it worked wonderfully.

As far as "tape" goes, doesnt that hurt to rip it off? My trainer uses chalk to draw the lines. It works pretty well but shes also a master with the clippers.

Blanketing, heres my rule of thumb (with a trace clipped horse, but if your horse is like my silly boy he would live in his heavy and then when it got really cold heavy and medium)
45-55 sheet
45-32 medium
32-10 heavy
10 and below- heavy and sheet

I am in northern MD but grew up riding in MA and if I recall right most of those horses were trace clipped but lived in baker blankets with sheets over? Maybe not...I dont remember--I was young then!