Okay, I have a championship show for my local dressage association’s schooling series coming up at the end of the month. I want to clip my horse. What type of clip would you recommend (full body, trace, etc.)? He will be ridden probably only 3 days a week over winter. He’ll be turned our during the day and in at night, weather permitting. I’m in TN, so not too cold here. I want to be sure we look our best, but I am new to showing dressage.
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I would do a trace clip, I usually do a modified trace that is a bit more expansive and then a smaller one the second time over the winter
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Thanks!
Over the years I’ve become more partial to an Irish clip, but a trace is a good choice too
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I assume “end of this month” is Oct. Unless your horse has become a hairy yak by now, I would not clip since he will be turned out rest of winter. Clipping is done to help with cooling down when the horse gets wet with sweat. I have never seen a dressage test create enough sweat to require clipping.
I am in the same boat - schooling show championship in early Nov, first year doing dressage. My boy is already pretty hairy so I am going to do a full body clip about 10 days out. I’m sure he’ll be a furry beast again before long!
In my hunter/jumper days, I’d clip for indoors and then let my horse grow a coat after that since the rest of my barn went to FL but I stayed home and didn’t show in the winter. She’d still grow plenty of coat for the winter even being blanketed.
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Don’t clip unless it’s going to be hot and he usually sweats a lot. It’s one schooling show.
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I wouldn’t clip. A good bath and grooming, bang the tail, braid the mane, clean up any extra long hairs along the jaw and call it good
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Thanks, all! A lot to think about. 
I like my version of a modified trace clip.
I like to leave their belly with hair so they can comfortably nap outside on the cold ground (which likely does not bother them at all even if I clip it, but it looks cold to me).
I have found with a trace clip nothing I own requires additional blanketing (compared to what I would use if riding and not clipped).
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