You’ve dedicated countless hours to riding and training, carefully managing your horse’s health and fitness – and now they’re in peak condition, ready to shine this summer. With show day fast approaching, it’s time to add the finishing touches that will truly turn heads in the ring.
From seamless leg blending and sleek tails to perfect manes and a natural-looking finish, our expert show grooming tips – paired with our top-rated professional grooming products – will help you achieve a flawless, polished look that makes an unforgettable impression.
Read on to discover our show grooming tips to give your horse that winning edge on competition day.
First Step For Show Prep
As some horses grow a surprisingly thick coat even in summer, clipping during the warmer months has become increasingly popular to help keep these equines cool and comfortable during work. Breeds such as cobs, draughts, and thick-coated ponies often benefit from being clipped all year round.
Our best-selling A2 coarse blades cut to a longer length of 4.5mm, similar to covercote blades, making them an excellent choice for summer clipping. Designed for use with heavy-duty clippers, these blades leave a smart, smooth finish that still looks natural, akin to a sleek summer coat. They’re particularly well-suited to thicker-coated breeds and horses with Cushing’s, helping them stay cool without leaving a harsh or overly short clip. Despite the name 'coarse', the result is tidy, subtle, and show-ring ready.
Eventers and horses in very fast, regular work over the warmer months may require a shorter clip to allow them to stay cool and reduce the loss of precious electrolytes through heavy sweating.
Our A2 medium clipper blades for lighter coloured coats, and A2 fine and superfine blades can be considered for these hard-working equines. However care must be taken not to clip the coat too short to ensure the remaining hair cover provides adequate protection from the sun’s powerful rays.
TOPTIP: If your horse or pony needs a trim before a show, aim to body clip at least 10-14 days before the big day.
Clipping at least a week in advance will give any clip lines time to even out, any clipping issues a chance to be resolved or skin reactions time to settle down. These issues are usually avoided by:
- Preparing the coat well before clipping by bathing the coat to remove all dust, dirt and grime.
- Ensuring your clipper is cleaned and serviced
- Using freshly sharpened or new clipper blades.
- Using the correct clipper oil and using the clipper with the correct tension.
- Washing off or hot clothing your horse after clipping.
Read our blog here for more tips for getting an professional, smooth finish your clip and how to avoid unsightly tram lines.
Seemless Leg Blending and Feather Clipping
Leg blending is becoming increasingly popular. This technique of fading the longer hair on the lower legs from above the knee into the shorter hair of the upper legs gives a seemless, natural look to really impress the judges.
Medium duty A5 horse clippers can be used with a variety of blades or combs to achieve the graded finish required for blended and reverse blended legs. Our Royale and MD Roamer clippers offer a compact clipping solution and will happily hog, keep on top of feathers and carry out all trimming duties too with a selection of wide and narrow blades available.
Above: A collection of seamless leg blends by professional grooms @Laura Rose Equine Services and @Smart Clip using Masterclip clippers
For breeds with fluffy legs and light to medium density hair, our Showmate II cordless trimmer can neaten up finer hair and when used with the supplied combs, is a great handy tool for intricate leg blending, trimming coronets and heels.
For full leg clipping, using a heavy-duty clipper is the most efficient way to remove coarse feathers. Opt for a selection of A2 blades to choose the clip length that best suits your horse. Our clipper and trimmer combo's offer a fantastic value for all over clipping and trimming, perfect for both show season and winter clipping too!
Trimming For Success
Careful trimming can really elevate your horse’s appearance, adding definition and polish that makes all the difference in the show ring. But before you get started, it’s essential to check the rules and guidelines for your chosen classes – some breed societies have specific regulations around trimming and turnout, so it’s worth being sure of what’s allowed.
For the best results, always begin with a clean coat. Not only does this allow you to see how the hair naturally lies and spot the areas that need attention, but it’s also much kinder to your trimmers and blades. Clipping or trimming a clean coat helps your tools glide more smoothly, resulting in a sharper, more professional finish.
Areas to trim:
- Mane
- Bridle path / top knots
- Tail
- Under the jaw
- Back of the knees and legs
- Fetlocks
- Mustaches
- Feathers
- Outside of the ears*
Trimming excess hair from the outside of your horses’ ears can help to provide definition. However, avoid clipping the hair on the inside of the ears as this provides protection from the sun, water and insects.
Trimming the sensory whiskers around the muzzle and eyes is a highly controversial subject. The practice of whisker trimming is banned in several European countries and is not accepted in the UK under the FEI rules. When trimming around the face, ensure to guard the sensory hairs from accidental removal.
A small cordless trimmer is the ideal handset to neaten up faces, jaw lines, ears, heels, legs and all the hard to reach areas for even the most sensitive of horses. Choose a powerful but compact trimmer with a quiet operation to carry out quick and delicate touch ups.
Watch Alice Fox-Pitt grooming Shetland pony Sir James with a fresh a trim ready for the SPGN racing season with the Showmate II horse trimmer in the video below.
Sleek Manes And Tails
Whether you prefer a straight cut, show jumper style mane or a more natural look, our coat rakes and grooming scissors combined can give you just the look you’re after with no pulling required.
Coat rakes gently thin out a thick mane to help it to lay over the correct side. Team with thinning scissors or a thinning knife to complete a pulled look to leave a natural finish without the discomfort.
Alternatively trim the mane and plait it using a comb and bull nose scissors and thinning scissors for a neat, elegant groom. The size of your plaits can make all the difference to enhance your horse’s neck.
A heavy-duty clipper will hog quickly but for a professional look, clipping with a medium duty clipper using a range of narrow blades or combs attachments allows you to blend the clipped mane seamlessly into the neck for a flawless, elegant finish.
Coat rakes are great tools for humanely thinning out and grooming the sides of the top of the tail to create a rounder looking rump, giving the back end the appearance of more strength and power! For a defined shape to the top of tail, our A5 clippers or Showmate II trimmer can be used with combs to give that perfect ‘v’ shape.
For a final finish, trim the end of the tail level at the bottom. For really thick tails, you can even use your clippers instead of scissors. Simply bunch the ends of the tail together and trim it level, then release it and neaten up any uneven stands with grooming scissors.
Last Minute Touch-Ups On Show Day
Even when you’ve arrived at the show you may still need a few last-minute grooming -
- Our compact Showmate IItrimmer with its own handy carry case is perfect for taking along in the car or lorry for quick, neat detailing so not a single hair is left out of place.
- Apply coat gloss or shine to your horse’s clean coat to enhance their natural colour, dark points, bring out dapples and enhance their muscles.
- Don’t forget to address their hooves too with a hoof shine product for a polished, clean look. Check your breed society rules whether to opt for natural or black colour dressings as part of their grooming.
- When you’re ready to head to the ring, don’t forget to give your horse a quick spritz with fly repellent to keep irritating flies at bay and avoid your horse ruining his outline trying to swat them away!
Horse Grooming Perfection with Masterclip
Thanks for reading our guide to horse grooming for a summer show or competition! Here’s a quick recap and a few extra tips to help you and your horse stand out in the ring:
Plan ahead – Clip at least 10–14 days before the show to allow any lines or skin irritation to settle.
Start with a clean coat for the best finish - A clean, dirt-free coat not only helps you see the natural hair pattern and delivers a smoother, more even clip. Prep your horse thoroughly before you start for optimal results.
Perfect your finish – Seamless leg blending, trimmed feathers and clean jawlines elevate your horse’s look.
Use the right tools – Choose the right blade length and trimmer to suit your horse’s coat and class rules.
Don’t forget the details – Tidy manes, tails, ears and heels, and add a final spritz of coat gloss and fly repellent before entering the ring.
Show day ready – Our cordless trimmers are ideal for quick touch-ups on the go, so every hair is in place.
For expert advice and the best selection of horse grooming clippers and tools, feel free to contact us below or browse our range today!
I need to clip my cob’s feathers – how can I achieve a reverse leg blend?
A: To achieve a reverse leg blend, start by removing the bulk of the feather using a heavy-duty clipper with coarse or medium A2 blades or a medium duty clipper with medium or longer blades, working from below the knee. If possible clip with the direction of hair, rather than against. This helps to avoid harsh lines and leaves a softer finish.
Once the feathers are removed, use an A5 medium duty clipper or a cordless trimmer with combs of different blade lengths to taper the hair as you move up the leg, creating a smooth transition into the body. Turn the clipper over and use light sweeping motions to blend the hair over the knee and hocks to crate a slight fade. Take your time and blend gradually in layers, stepping back regularly to assess symmetry.
For a more natural finish, always clip onto clean, dry legs. Our Royale clipper paired with a Showmate II trimmer is a great combo to achieve this precise, polished look – perfect for the show ring!
