# My boy Rusty



## Rebecca (Nov 11, 2010)

I gave Rusty a trace clip today because he'll be working hard this winter, and I wanted to give him time to adjust before my school's equestrian team practices start up in a month.

Here are a few pictures I liked, I think he is just so handsome, even with his goofy haircut!











Not the best shot but it shows his head & neck, even though he's covered in fuzz I still think he looks pretty darn good.











My favorite. He's resting his lips on my nose.










Thanks for letting me share my little man.





Rebecca


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## CCC (Nov 11, 2010)

haha he looks pretty spiffy!



I was wondering what "trace" clip meant.. but then when I seen the pictures I figured it out


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## fourluckyhorseshoes (Nov 11, 2010)

Hi- He looks great. Could you tell me the purpose of clipping like that? Why are certain areas shaved and not other for the trace clip? Thanks


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## Rebecca (Nov 11, 2010)

fourluckyhorseshoes said:


> Hi- He looks great. Could you tell me the purpose of clipping like that? Why are certain areas shaved and not other for the trace clip? Thanks



Thanks! Many of the horses at the barn I ride at are trace clipped for the winter. It allows the horse to cool down faster as it removes hair from the areas that sweat the most. A trace clip typically starts at the throat latch, removes the hair on the underside of the neck, chest, armpits, belly, flank, stifle, and between the back legs. I did a minimal trace clip- other people may choose to clip the entire head/neck, or up over the tail, etc.

If it weren't for the amount of work we'll be doing this winter, I wouldn't clip at all, as it gets snowy and chilly here! But Rusty's trace clip will prevent us from walking for an hour to dry off after a workout while still allowing him to stay warm when turned out. I anticipate that he'll need to be blanketed as it cools down here, but overall he should be much happier with a bit less hair!

Rebecca


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## rimmerpaints (Nov 11, 2010)

pretty mini


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## topnotchminis (Nov 11, 2010)

Handsome Boy he is so cute.


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## AnnaC (Nov 12, 2010)

He looks great Rebecca, and I love that last picture of the pair of you both.





The 'trace' clip for horses came into being years back when the cart/working horses were clipped to the level of the cart traces then up across the shoulders and neck to the base of the ears. This provided a 'warm blanket' of their natural coat over their backs and the top half of their necks - very useful in colder weather when waiting for goods to be loaded/unloaded from their carts, and saved the need for a blanket to be thrown over their backs on short stops.

Years ago when I had a few ponies kept for childrens lessons, I used to trace clip them - usually to the level of the shafts of a cart. It did indeed help to keep them cool/make it easier for them to dry off during the winter months, and although I always blanketed them overnight in their stables, it did mean that on dry crisp days they could enjoy time out in the fields without the need for weatherproof rugs!

Rebecca, can I just make one small suggestion? When I trace clipped I also ran the clippers up under the jaw, taking off the long hair. Made the head look smarter and sort of finished off the clip line up the neck. I did this after I had one pony who still sweated a bit after some work sessions, and used to get the hair under his chin all sticky, and found that I liked the 'tidy' look so much, I did it to all my 'tracers' from then on!

Anna


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## hobbyhorse23 (Nov 12, 2010)

AnnaC said:


> When I trace clipped I also ran the clippers up under the jaw, taking off the long hair. Made the head look smarter and sort of finished off the clip line up the neck. I did this after I had one pony who still sweated a bit after some work sessions, and used to get the hair under his chin all sticky, and found that I liked the 'tidy' look so much, I did it to all my 'tracers' from then on!


Anna has some sound advice and it's got the dual benefits of uncovering some large arteries under there for further cooling and making the cavesson fit better and be easier to fasten. On the other hand, I tried to do that the first year I trace clipped Kody and was horrified to find that with the amount of long hair he has growing up the sides of his jaws, he went from looking like a goat to looking like he had the mumps!






Ever since then if I'm going to clip him under the jaws I also do up his jaw to the line of the cheekbone. It looks dumb for a few days but you don't notice it in the bridle and once the color comes back a bit it looks fine. I don't think Turbo will need that but part of good clipping is knowing how to customize it to look good for each horse.

I start out the conditioning season in late January/early February doing a tiny, tiny trace clip that only clears the inside of the upper hind legs and groin area, inside of the elbow and girth area and one strip up between the forelegs and ending at the bottom of the neck. This looks stupid, of course, but does help with the sweating while it's still snowy. I use a long blade like an 8 or 7F as then the horse has a bit more protection in the clipped areas and doesn't freeze until it regrows.

Then a month later (say early March or so) I'll do a bit more. I'll take that same 7F and clip out between the hind legs, the bottom of the belly, the girth in a T-shape up to the girth buckle area, the inside of the elbows, the pectorals, all the way up the esophagus and under the jaw. Still looks stupid, but hey. Not as bad at least.

Then FINALLY, when it begins actually feeling like winter might someday end and I can do a REAL trace clip, I get to do the one that looks good! Invisible clipping between the hind legs, the entire groin and belly and a sort of ascending "Nike swoop" up over the outside of the shoulders, up half the outside of the neck ending at the poll behind the ears and the entire head, minus neatened ears. If you're good with clippers you can make this clip look really sporty!





This is my preferred clip now and looks great on just about any horse while leaving their hindquarters nicely warmed to prevent tying up. I don't find they sweat much back there with so much of the rest of their coat taken off and the sweat areas inside the hind legs and stifles cleared.

If you are going to clip the hindquarters in a traditional trace clip as you did, the trick to blending the top of the legs is to clip following the natural lines or indentations of the body. On the forelegs this means going upward from the elbow to where the muscle at the front of the leg ties into the chest, on the hindquarters you mark the stifle and pick a line back and down that looks good and flatters your horse. Then lightly clip the top of the fluffy areas downward _with_ the grain of the hair until it blends better.

Rusty is adorable Rebecca, thank you for sharing the pictures of him! It's really hard to make a trace clip look good on 4" of fur and you did a good job.

Leia


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## AnnaC (Nov 12, 2010)

Leia you just reminded me of how I used to clip my hunters/working horses/liveries (big horses) during the winter - taking off the face hair to the bridle cheek line, it made the head look really smart and as you say, it didn't really show once the bridle was on (also these horse were mostly part thoroughbreds and therefore didn't have long furry coats in the first place!) Also when doing a full body clip but leaving the legs on we used to clip from just below the elbow up in a sweep to the front top muscle line and on the back legs from about halfway between the hock and the start of the buttock, up in a sweep to the stifle. Leaving the legs 'on' and the front of the face 'hairy' offered some protection against the mud when hunting or competing.

Rebecca's post and picture of her cute Rusty have certainly bought back some memories!!





Anna


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## Jill (Nov 12, 2010)

Very nice looking boy


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