Horse Guides – Ask the Expert

Firstly we need to establish how big your horse is firstly –if he doesn’t fit into any of the classification of height classes, then you may not want to hog him!? As a guide a cob would be 14.2 hh-15.1hh. If he is over 15.1hh he would be classed a maxi cob. If your horse is a true cob then it is more correct to show him hogged as oppose to plaiting him –so I would suggest getting the clippers out! Make sure that your horse is happy with the clippers and that his mane is clean and dry as a dirty mane will blunt and clog up your clippers. The best way to hog a horse’s mane is to start at the wither and move up the neck with smooth strokes. I find allowing them to eat off the floor from a bowl, helps stretch the neck out and allows me to get a smooth finish. When it comes to removing the forelock I would start at the front and move the clippers up between his ears and over the bridle path to meet the now mane free neck! I tend to use smaller clippers to tidy up the mane and would suggest that if you have never clipped out a horse before, that you get someone to do it for you or if this is not possible that you allow plenty of time to do it and hog him weeks before the show, so that if you do need to grow some of it out, because you haven’t done a truly professional job, then it will and you will have time to tidy it up!

LYNN RUSSELL –TOP SHOW RIDER AND PRODUCER

COURTESY OF NET-TEX LYNN RUSSELL COLLECTION