Horse Illustrated Magazine

Autumn has arrived and your horse’s coat is probably telling you that. As daylight hours grow shorter your horse’s hair is growing longer. You’re no doubt already noticing that it takes longer to cool out your horse after a ride, or that his coat tends to dry in a slight wavy pattern after a bath. In a few weeks or maybe a month, you’ll need to make a decision whether body shaving your horse is a good option. Although clipping off a winter coat will make maintaining your horse’s grooming and cooling off regimen much more expedient, it also requires some planning. Will you have the time to blanket him daily? You cannot simply strip away the cozy protection of a winter’s hair growth without replacing it with a heavy turnout rug or stable blanket. Also, if you’re going shave your horse, you’ll need a set of heavy-duty clippers. Those nifty little lightweight clippers you use to trim your horse’s fetlocks simply won’t do the job. Finally, if you’re the barber, make sure you’ve mastered the craft of handling the big clippers before going to work on your horse’s coat. The bigger motor and bigger blades make them somewhat unwieldy. Whether or not to body shave your horse is a decision worth contemplating.

Not sure? Read: To Clip or Not to Clip? >>

Want options? How about: Partial Clips: The Best of Both Worlds >>

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Blanket Technology
Check out the latest blanket technology to ensure your horse isn’t left out in the cold this winter. Read more >>

A Fitting Solution
Blanket experts offer advice to get the perfect fit for your horse. Read more >>