The Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is one of the most prestigious events in the equestrian calendar, showcasing the crème de la crème of horses and ponies across various disciplines. As a competitor, you'll want your horse to look their absolute best, and a perfect clip can make all the difference.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time competitor, here are some top tips for achieving a flawless glossy coat to make your horse stand out in the ring.
Timing Your Clip For HOYS
Our recommended clippers for HOYS
- Aim to clip your horse at least 7-10 days before HOYS. This allows time for the coat to grow just enough to give a more natural appearance.
- Monitor how quickly your horse's coat grows and adjust the timing of your clip accordingly. Horses with heavier coats tend to grow their hair back faster. If you’ve clipped them before, you’ll likely have an idea of what to expect with their coat changes to ensure you retain their original colouring and achieve that natural summer coat for the big event.
Choosing the Right Blades
- A medium cut blade is ideal for most horses to achieve a smooth finish. This blade type is especially suitable for greys, coloureds, and lighter coloured horses to prevent clip lines from showing
- Avoid clipping white horses with fine blades as white coats are more prone to showing clip marks. Medium or longer cutting blades will also prevent their pink skin from showing through coat.
- For a medium finish, our A2 medium clipper blades for heavy duty clippers leave a smart 2.5mm clip length. For medium duty clippers, our A5 7FW cut blades leave a medium clip length of 3.2mm or the A5 8.5W 2.4mm which perfectly matches the A2 medium.
- Longer cutting blades are perfect for show clipping with ‘covercoat’ blades becoming increasingly popular. Longer blades are the ones to choose for a natural looking clip akin to your horse’s natural summer coat and retaining their natural colour as much as possible. Our Masterclip A2 coarse blades are our equivalent of covercoat/covercote clipper blades, leaving a longer 4.5mm clip and producing a smooth finish, without marks.
- Need an even longer finish? For A5 clippers, there are two longer cutting blades to choose from. The 6FW and 5FW that cut to 4.8mm and 6.4mm, ideal for body clipping and blending the legs.
"I spoke to Masterclip last week regarding the best clippers for clipping a show horse for Horse of the Year Show.... l enquired as to whether there was anything that would leave the coat slightly longer (to enable me to get quarter marks on) but still give a very good finish? My thoroughbred horse doesn't have that much coat but I wasn't sure we'd be able to keep it another two weeks!....I decided to go ahead and try the Royale Medium Duty clippers with a 3mm blade and just wanted to report that these were brilliant at achieving the desired finish. I am so so pleased as I was a little apprehensive! I will definitely recommend these to anyone wanting to clip show horses for HOYS. Normally we would clip about 2 weeks before but I think you could probably clip up to a week before with these and still have enough hair for quarter marks. Thank you for an excellent service and taking the time to advise."
Full Clip and Blending Techniques
- For showing, it's best to carry out a full body clip to avoid obvious lines.
- Where longer hair is needed, such as the feathers of traditional and native breeds, clever blending will give a seamless and natural looking flow of hair, grading the clipped coat of the body into the longer hair on the legs.
- To blend using a medium duty clipper with A5 snap-on blades, choose a medium cut blade (7FW or 7F) and turn the clipper over. Then clip in a light brushing motion going downwards with the lay of the hair to blend the hair by eye above the knee and above the hock. This can be tricky and requires a bit of practise but really is worth the extra time and patience!
- Alternatively, you can use our Showmate II cordless horse trimmers in the same way to blend clipped and unclipped areas seamlessly, including the head into a clipped neck. They're also perfect for blending a hogged mane into the crest too ands any other small, delicate tidying up jobs such as trimming around fetlocks, ears and bridle paths.
- There are many professional grooms that can offer blending as part of their clipping services and may teach you how to achieve this useful technique.
Above seamless blending by Laura Pritchard @Smart Clip
Post-Clip Care
- After clipping, wash your horse with warm water and a mild shampoo or coat wash to remove any clipped hair, lift any excess grease from the coat and soothe the skin.
- Then hot cloth with a solution of hot water and a specialist coat shine oil for a glossy finish.
- Use a fleece mitt for a final polish before rugging. Our Microfibre mittens and small hot clothing towel are perfect for hot clothing to give that super shine.
- Find out more tips on our blog with our step-by-step hot clothing guide here.
Maintain Coat Shine and Cleanliness
- Rug your horse with thin liners or lightweight rugs to keep the coat clean and maintain shine. Wash these rugs regularly.
- After exercise, rinse off any sweat thoroughly using a mild wash to keep the coat in top condition.
Pro Grooming Tips
- Practice your clipping technique well before the show to perfect your skills and ensure your horse gets used to the process.
- Keep your clippers and trimmers in good condition but cleaning them after every clip, using clipper oil regularly, storing them properly and servicing them when needed.
- Ensure you prep your horse’s coat thoroughly before clipping by bathing them the day before you plan to clip to remove grease and dirt.
- Use freshly sharpened blades to achieve the best results.
Final Preparations
You’ve done all the hard work clipping and prepping, but remember – show day is all about those last-minute touch-ups! Make sure you pack your grooming kit essentials to keep your horse looking flawless right before you enter the ring. Here's what you shouldn't leave behind:
- Trimmers and scissors just in case of any last-minute tweaks.
- Soft brushes for a final polish
- Microfibre mitten or towel for an extra shine and to wipe away dust from the coat.
- Hoof oil or polish for that perfect finishing touch
- Detangler spray to keep manes and tails tangle-free and sleek
Be sure to pack smart and have everything ready for that final pre-show polish. Our large and sturdy grooming holdall is the ideal travel companion to keep all your show grooming gear organised in one place.
Ready to Clip Like a Pro? We’ve Got Your Back!
Preparing for HOYS is exciting – and a little nerve-wracking! But with these essential tips, you'll have your horse looking their very best and ready to steal the spotlight. If you need advice on choosing the best clippers or blades for HOYS prep, we're here to help you make sure you’ve got everything you need for that flawless finish.
