I body clip very well. I cannot do a trace clip well…at all. I’d like to do a trace clip to leave hair on his back/rump to protect from flies. Does anyone have a tip…or tips… to get a nice straight line where the hair grows diagonally?
If hes bay/dark, use chalk and draw a straight line. Start the line lower than you want it and try to do it in one go or point to point
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Nothing earth shattering…the more I’ve done it the better I get at it. I need to reclip this weekend before we start seeing temps in the 90’s plus gross humidity and need to decide full or touch up his trace 
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Perfect straight lines are very hard! Follow the curves of the musculature and/or the hair growth pattern. It looks really nice when they move!
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Horses are lucky because the other horses will not make fun of them if their hair cut is less than perfect.
I have seen people use masking tape to mark the line they want to use.
I admit that every time I do a trace clip, I am amused at how not even it is on both sides. No matter how much I try, it ends up like each side is on a different horse.
So far both the horse and I have lived through the embarrassment of it all.
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I just did a blanket clip on mine and I was fighting for my lines 
it came out decent though. Just have to use the clipper at different angles all while trying to make a straight line…which is fun. I got the clip done and then went back later to touch it up.
I haven’t decided on if I want to clip my horses head. I just did the underside.
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So…to do the barrel between front and hind legs, do you just go straight across (and hope for the best) or do you do a series of short strokes upward???
Against the way that the hair grows. I go from back (hindend) to front, mainly. The longest strokes possible.
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That’s how I clip, too, when I do full body clipping.
Leave a strip along the midline of the belly 6-8" wide to leave a little bug protection. It’s pretty much invisible unless you’re actually looking under the horse.
I left most of the belly, but less than I do in the winter, when I did this clip.
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This is SO cool! I’d love to do this …. I think you posted somewhere how you did it.
I’m not sure why you think leaving his coat on in places would protect from flies.
They have no problem biting through a Summer coat.
My poor TWH is showslick & still bothered by flies. He reacts at bites on his neck & under his jaw that must itch by rubbing them raw.
Topical stuff - currently using a triple ABX ointment does the best job of keeping flies off these spots.
If I could, I’d coat him in the stuff.
@RedHorses 
Awesome clip!
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True, but removing the coat makes things even easier for the flies, plus there is no hair to hold repellent. The belly midline is already a prime target for flies. Leaving even summer hair helps a little bit.
Thanks. I always liked how he looked with zebra stripes, but it was a lot of work!
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Chalk or whiteboard marker to draw the stripes. I found it easier to work back to front. And I left a dorsal stripe unclipped because my horse didn’t like the clippers on his spine.
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You are right … but the hair does leave a bit of protection compared to naked skin. I use fly sheets, but when it’s really hot, those can be uncomfortable, too. I’m looking for alternatives to keep my horse as comfortable as possible.
He’s PPID and doesn’t shed completely.
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I dunno. I did a blanket clip because I wasn’t sure if this horse would get rubs from the saddle/pad with a full clip. He’s also out in sun, rain, and bugs, so I felt like leaving his summer coat over his back might not be a bad idea. No idea if it’s truly beneficial
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I once did a reverse blanket clip so the clipped area was protected by the fly sheet (no neck on that sheet).
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I can’t use a fly sheet. It’s far too hot and humid. I know that some say their horse is cooler in them, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with mine.
I think getting the neck, shoulder, and some of the hindquarters is a huge help since that’s where mine primarily sweats.
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This is my plan.
