Winter time at the barn gives you one of two grooming challenges – the fuzzy horse, or the clipped horse! Then there’s the horse that’s partially clipped…. so when you think about a clipped horse, his hair is really shorter than even a summer coat! Which means you might want to make a few adjustments to your grooming routine.

Do you need to find some softer brushes for that short coat? For your grooming gloves, just vary the pressure that you use. But even a stiff brush used gently can be too much, so perhaps switch to softer brushes.

Watch out for rubs that can become sores. You will start to see broken hairs and maybe even hairless patches. This means you should add padding to blankets, change blanket brands, or protect tack with sheepskin fuzzies.

Keep your eyes peeled for sunburn. True white hairs have pink skin, which even the winter sun can burn. Use fly masks or fly boots for noses and chrome legs, and sheets for covering big surfaces of pink skin!

Clipped horses are definitely easier to keep clean – and stains can easily be swiped away with a barely damp and hot washcloth. You can also add dry shampoo and spot removers into the mix!

Happy grooming this winter!