JULY/AUGUST 2024 THE RIDER /27


from the chin to the jaw. Blend and thin the hairs on the side of the face from the muzzle to the jaw. Clip close under the jaw. Blend the side of the jaw and any long hairs on the throat latch. This will make the horse’s head look more refined and make the jaw look bigger.


EYES Palm Partnership Training™


Building A Partnership With Your Horse The Art of Clipping


by Lynn Palm Clipping is one of my least


favorite tasks with horse. How- ever, I make it fun and view it as though my horse is in the beauty parlor! And in addition to making your horse look more tidy and at- tractive, clipping can actually en- hance the appearance of your horse’s conformation. Most European countries


only allow the bridle path to be clipped. This is also honored by USDF Dressage in the USA. However, like dog grooming for the show ring, horses can look beautiful with clipping. I have a DVD that will


teach your horse to accept clip- pers and clipping. This is espe- cially important for clipping sensitive ears. Please review this if your horse in any way resists clipping! You have to spend time with anything your horse doesn’t accept. Consistent handling is important, as is touching with the back of your hand before you clip to avoid pricking the horse with the clipper blades. If you prick the horse with the clippers on an ear, you are in trouble! Horses es- pecially dislike pricking with the clippers on the ears or muzzle.


GOLDEN RULE When you clip against the


Review: The Horse Who Wanted To Fly


By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson Illustrated by Melissa Bailey Hardcover $24.95 ISBN: 9780228104858 www.fireflybooks.com


tells the story of Charlie, a determined and speedy horse who, with the help of some human friends, proves once and for all that horses can indeed fly. After years of toiling away as a work horse, Char- lie is finally recognized for his incredible speed and ends up as a prize racehorse belonging to an important man (the future Governor of California). A photographer is hired to take high-speed photos of Charlie as he runs and runs and runs. The pho- tographer snaps pictures of Charlie with all four hooves off the ground as he gallops by a row of cameras, proving once and for all that Charlie can fly!


internationally acclaimed animation veteran (she was a production manager on The Simpsons and an ink and paint supervisor on Paramount’s ani- mated feature Bebe’s Kids). She is also a popular speaker at colleges, film festivals and entertain- ment industry conferences around the world. She has worked with clients around the world, such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Technicolor, Framestore and Lucasfilm Animation. She has written for over 80 publications, including Media History Digest, Art Business News and Animation World Network. Melissa Bailey is an award-winning illus-


portant message of resilience and self-confidence, telling young readers, “Believe in yourself, give it a try! How else will you prove that you can fly?” Author Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is an


Conveyed through Charlie’s story is an im-


an ordinary ranch. But Charlie was no ordinary horse. Charlie knew he could fly This beautifully illustrated children’s book


Charlie had an ordinary name and lived on


hair, you are going to get a close cut. When you clip consistent with the way the hair grows, you will thin and blend the hairs. Let’s review: Size #10


blades are for thicker cut: legs, coronet band, under jaw, bridle path.


Size #30 or #40 blades are


for fine cut/surgical cut: muzzle, nose hairs, eye whiskers, inside and outer edge of the ears.


MUZZLE Clip all the whiskers. Be


careful while clipping the inside of the nose hairs; the horse is very sensitive here. Taking off all the hairs will make the muzzle look smaller, and leaving nose hairs will make the nostrils look bigger.


CHIN AND UNDER JAW Make a close cut going


Take the eye whiskers off.


I use a #10 blade and clip against the way the hair grows on the bulb of the eye. This will make the eye look larger.


BRIDLE PATH I clip a small bridle path, as


most of my horses are English/Dressage. With a larger number of braids in the mane, the neck looks longer. I usually have a 2“ to 3“ length bridle path. Make sure that you clip toward the ears at the start of the mane. If you go the other way at the mane, you will clip some more mane and next time, more of your bridle path gets longer. If I have a horse with a short neck or thick throat latch, I will clip a longer bridle path, about 5” to 6”.


EARS Clip against the way the


hair grows to get a close cut. Even if you use a #10 blade you will make the ears look clean. You can enhance the outer edge of the ear and shape it and make the ears look sharper. Clip close along the shape of the ear. To make the ear look sharper, cut more hair on the edge at the upper and lower curve of the ear.


• Palm Equestrian Academy gen- eralinfo@lynnpalm.com 352- 362-7847 • Cyril and Lynn offer clinics throughout the country and abroad as well as online coach- ing. Join them on their teaching tours or their Palm Equestrian Academy European Journeys.


If you have a horse with big ears, only use a #10 blade. If you use the #30 or #40 on big ears, you are going to make them look big- ger!


LEGS Always use #10 blades on


the legs, no smaller! You want to blend or thin the hair on the back of each leg. Clip close around the back of the fetlock joint. I always twist the ergot off. Then thin the hair above the coronet band by clipping downward toward the hoof. Then clip upward on the coronet band leaving a real clean line. With white legs, I clip the entire leg closely. Clipping long hairs on the legs makes the legs look more refined. Clipping the white leg keeps the leg cleaner and whiter after washing. If you clip your horse, plan


on putting on a fly mask with ears on your horse. Your horse will be just fine clipped, but re- member you’re taking off their natural hair they use for feel or protection. Have fun and make your


horse beautiful! If you show your horse, this is just part of the turn- out that judges will appreciate!


of colourful illustrations, suitable for ages 3 to 10yrs. The story is inspired by real life history which is summarized at the back of the book for parents to share with their little horse lovers. Many will recognize the famous photo of the Courier & Ives illustration of a horse pulling a buggy and “flying” as all four hooves are off the ground. The Rider recommends the book as the perfect addition to any youngster’s personal bookshelf.


By Glenda Fordham, for The Rider


trator and author. Her books include Pug Is Happy (2018) and Imara’s Tiara (2022) cowritten with Susan R. Stoltz, and has illustrated over 50 books, including Steve the Dung Beetle, for which she won the 2019 Moonbeam Awards silver medal for Best Illustrator. This is a charming, easy to read book full


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