STABLE MANAGEMENT

By Eleanor Blazer

LESSON TEN

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES

This is a real ad taken from an online help wanted service. It is an example of what may be expected of a stable manager. We’ve covered most of the “hands-on” aspects of caring for horses, now we’ll look at some of the “extras”.

This lesson covers the care of the coat.

Horses naturally grow a thick winter coat. Many stables will allow the horses to stay natural, but others may not want the horses to “hair-up”.

In the past, the way to get rid of the thick coat was to clip the hair from the horse. Today, most show horses are never body clipped. Instead, they go “under the lights” to keep them from growing a thick coat in the first place.

Horses start to grow their winter coat toward the end of summer when it is still hot. Nature takes her cue for the amount of light during the day, not the temperature. The shorter the time of daylight, the more the coat grows. Most horses start growing their winter coat at the end of August or early in September when it is still quite warm in many areas.

Conversely, horses start to shed their winter coat as the days lengthen, toward the end of February and early in March when it is generally still cool. (The seasons and dates are just the opposite for horses in the Southern Hemisphere.)

The thickness of the coat depends to some degree on genetics—the horse’s breed. The coat condition is also influenced by whether the horse is stabled or turned out in pasture during colder weather.

The primary reason to clip a horse’s coat is to prevent overheating and sweating during exercise.

Excessive sweating can cause a horse to lose condition, even becoming mildly dehydrated. In cold weather is hard to “cool out” a horse with a heavy coat and the horse is in danger of becoming chilled while waiting to dry.

Horses are, of course, clipped to make their care easier and more convenient for their owners or grooms, and to make them “look good.”

There are many types of clips in which varying amounts of the horse’s coat are removed. Some clips are best for horses in light work and colder climates. Some clips are more suitable to horses being worked harder in warmer areas. Some clips are simply tradition for the competition discipline.

Before starting to clip any horse—old or young—it is imperative the horse goes through a “familiarization process.”

Start by showing the horse the clippers which are turned off. Let the horse see, smell, taste and feel the clippers sliding back and forth across his skin, around his nose, by his eye and on his ears. Only when the horse is completely relaxed and uninterested in the silent clippers can the next step be taken. Turn the clippers on and let the horse hear the noise. Make no attempt to clip the horse. Simply let the horse hear the noise. Turn the clippers on and off several times. Move into a different position and turn the clippers on again and off again. Turn the clippers on above the horse’s back and under his stomach. When the horse seemingly doesn’t care about the clipper noise, you are ready to approach actual clipping. If the horse is ignoring the sound of the clippers you may give him a carrot or apple so he associates something pleasant with the noise.

Put your hand on the horse’s neck, turn the clippers on and then rest the vibrating clippers against your arm, then against your hand. Let the horse get used to the vibrating sensation gradually and with you as his protector. Horses often do not like the sound or the feel of the vibrating clippers, particularly when sensitive areas are being touched. Pretend to clip nearby the ears, muzzle, eye and poll. Rub your hand on all those areas while keeping the clippers close.

Keep in mind that the blades of clippers may be cold when clipping first begins. The horse may not enjoy cold clipper blades along his nose and lips. Clipper blades get hot during clipping, so be careful not to put a hot blade against sensitive areas.

Being a prey animal, if the horse becomes frightened or feels threatened, he may try to escape the danger he perceives. If he can’t escape, he may begin to fight, kicking or striking at the clippers. Ignore that behavior…do not discipline the horse; instead start the training process from the beginning once more.

While difficulties may occur, the training of the horse to accept the clippers should have begun early enough that there is no need to get the job done today, or this week. Do not just quit the process, but regress to simply letting the horse hear the clippers and see them. Then turn them off and allow the horse to smell, touch and even taste the clippers. End the training session on a good note. Teaching a horse to accept clipping will take as long as it takes. There is no reason to use restraint on the young horse just learning about clipping.

Keep in mind, however, that clipping is not an everyday occurrence and re-schooling with the young horse may be necessary the first six to 10 times it is done.

On the other hand, some older horses have had bad experiences with clipping, and they will not tolerate being clipped without restraint. Approach such horses slowly, cautiously and try to get them to understand you are not going to hurt them. Then apply the appropriate restraint and try to make the process as pleasant as possible.

GOOD CLIPPERS

It is important to have your clippers in good working order. Some clippers make more noise than others. It is a good idea to purchase a quality pair of clippers which are as quiet as possible.

For full body clipping and clips which require major portions of the body hair to be removed, use a large set of clippers with a “general purpose blade.”

Most small clippers—which are usually fairly quiet—have interchangeable blades. Blades are numbered, with the lower numbers having a larger cutting surface. For example, a No. 10 blade works well to blend in hair adjacent to hair which has been clipped with the large clippers.

For fine clipping around the eyes, white markings on the face or legs, muzzle, ears, and poll a No. 40 blade is suggested.

Clipper blades must be sharp. A dull pair of blades will pull the hair which can be painful for the horse.

Be sure the clipper motor is well lubricated so the clippers do not overheat. Use a “coolant” spray to cool and reduce blade friction. Clipper blades should also be oiled periodically with blade oil.

Before the clipping begins, be sure the horse is clean – if weather permits a bath is best. Clean hair is much easier to clip, clips closer and more evenly, and doesn’t leave dirt in the clipper blades which dulls them and creates friction heat. Be sure the horse is completely dry before clipping.

CLIPPING WITH THE HAIR

Clip in the direction of hair growth when clipping small delicate areas of the horse such as the muzzle and throatlatch, or when trying to “blend in” hair around joints or large bones.

For example, when clipping the fetlock joint and pastern, clip with the hair. To clip the back of the pastern, hold the cannon bone just above the fetlock joint so the foot hangs down, exposing the back of the pastern. Then clip downward, with the hair growth, toward the hoof.

CLIPPING AGAINST THE HAIR

Clip against the direction of hair growth when clipping large smooth areas of the body.

Clip against the hair growth at the coronet band and when clipping white markings.

CHOOSE A “SAFE” AREA

While it seems to be a popular idea for magazines to show horses being clipped without a halter in an open field, it is an extremely foolish and irresponsible idea. You must assume the herd “alpha role” each time you work with a horse; the horse is dependent on your for his safety and well being. Do not place your horse in dangerous or unsafe situations.

When you are ready to clip, take the horse to a “familiar area.” An area where the horse is usually groomed is ideal. You want the horse to be relaxed and confident, and you want the horse to be comfortable with the equipment being used. Use the horse’s everyday halter, and have other familiar horses within sight.

Horses are very sensitive to changes in human behavior and are good at detecting nervousness, to which they respond. By not making the clipping job a big deal, you’ll be relaxed and so with the horse. If you make tiny progress each day for several weeks, the job will be of no consequence to you or the horse.

DO’S AND DON’T’S

1. Never clip a wet horse.

2. Never clip a horse standing in water or on wet ground.

3. Don’t you stand in water or on wet ground.

4. Check the clipper cord to be sure it isn’t frayed or damaged. Mend any suspicious spots with electrical tape.

5. Do not allow the horse to get the electrical cord in his mouth while you are busy clipping. With young, inexperienced horses it is a good idea to have an assistant to watch the horse at all times.

6. Tie the electrical cord to something solid a foot or two from the electrical outlet so that as you move about, there is never tension on the cord at the plug.

7. Inspect all equipment before and after every use. Service the equipment prior to storing it for the next use.

8. Do not body-clip a horse after he starts to shed the winter hair. Clipping at this time will remove the incoming summer hair and leave a dull looking coat that will remain all year.

TYPES OF HORSE CLIPS

When choosing a clip for a horse, the determining factor should always be: the work the horse is expected to do in the expected weather conditions. (If you are clipping to make the horse look in “show condition”, then you are probably going to do a full body clip. Keep in mind full body clipped horses will need to be blanketed to keep them warm when not working.)

Give careful consideration to the clip chosen prior to beginning the project.

Neck and belly clip: This is a good clip for horses which will “live out” during the winter months, yet may be used occasionally for trail and recreational riding. It is also a good clip for the stabled horse which is used for light riding.

*Colored area is clipped

A. Bib clip: Generally for stabled horses getting light work. The clip makes it easy to sponge off sweat along the next and between the front legs.

A. and B. Apron clip: This clip begins with the bib clip, and then has additional coat taken off to the girth line, between the front legs and the top of the forelegs. This is a good clip for horses which wear martingales and for western horses with wide cinches and breast collars. *Colored areas are clipped

A. Low trace clip: This clip originates with the harness horse, getting its name because the clip parallels the path of the “traces.” It is a good clip for field kept and stabled horses which sweat a lot while being exercised. Once bathed, excess water is easily removed and the horse will dry much more quickly.

The coat is removed the underside of the neck and belly, between the forelegs and the upper part of the hind legs. A good guide is to saddle the horse, then begin the clip about 12 inches below the saddle skirt.

B. and C. Medium and high trace clips: As the name suggests, these clips are the same as the trace clip, only they move farther up the side of the horse and in most cases have the lower portion of the head clipped. These clips are not suggested for horses which will be left out during the winter. When clipping the lower half of the head, keep in mind this is an area of very thin skin which allows considerable loss of body heat. *Colored areas are clipped

Blanket clip: This clip is for stabled horses which are engaged in relatively hard work on a consistent basis. All the hair is removed except for the “blanket over the hindquarters and saddle area. The horse’s head is normally “clipped out,” but you can choose to clip only half the head as shown. *Colored area is clipped

Hunter clip: This is a clip only for horses which are stabled, working hard on a daily basis, and being shown on a regular basis. With this clip all the hair comes off except for the saddle area, the legs and a small “V” shape left above the tail.

Horses with a hunter clip and horses with full body clips must be given special attention to their needs for warmth. They should be stabled, well fed and turned out without blankets sparingly during cold weather. *Black area is left un-clipped

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS DUE TO CLIPPING

In addition to keeping a horse warm, his hair plays other important roles, so when it is clipped; it creates other considerations for the stable manager.

The long hairs of the muzzle and above and below the eye act as feelers, telling the horse he is getting close to an object. When those hairs are gone, horses tend to get a few extra bumps, lumps and scratches. Check the horse daily for any tiny wounds which need attention.

The hair within the ears protects the horse from insects, so when it is gone, it becomes the handler’s responsibility to be sure the inner ear gets caressed with insect repellant.

A horse’s skin feels the softest of pats, the pressure of the lower leg, the sting of a crop and the discomfort of an itch, sunburn and a variety of rashes as well at the irritation of a fly, a tick or the bite of an ant. And when the hair has been clipped from the skin, the skin is much more susceptible to all of those things.

It is always a good idea to view skin problems as a signal there may be other health concerns. Internal disorders can cause skin eruptions and skin disease can cause internal problems. In addition, a visible disorder of the skin can point to a particular fault in diet, to an injudicious use of cold water on an overheated horse, to a fault in the stable’s drainage, ventilation or lighting.

Give consideration to all those possibilities before jumping to the conclusion the horse with strange lumps and bumps has “mosquito bites.” Of course, that could be the case.

Parasitic skin diseases can be caused by flies, leeches, lice, ticks, poultry mites, mange or ringworm. Or it could be simple eczema. Or it could be an allergic reaction to fly sprays, the use of certain drugs or a fungus.

Because the horse has been clipped, all of the above have a better chance of occurring; be prepared.

Click Here to Take Quiz (There is no assignment for this lesson.)

If your duties as a stable manager require you to prepare a horse for competition please take the online course “Preparation for Competition”.