Just Clipped Your Horse?
Everything Changes Tonight.
A clipped horse can need a rug 6–8°C warmer than an unclipped horse of the same breed. Here's the complete guide — plus a free tool that recalculates automatically when you update your horse's clip status.
Just Clipped Your Horse?
Everything Changes Tonight.
A clipped horse can need a rug 6–8°C warmer than an unclipped horse of the same breed. Here's the complete guide — plus a free tool that recalculates automatically when you update your horse's clip status.
Bella — Hunter clip
Hunter clip active. LCT adjusted +5–7°C. Night low 4°C with 20 km/h wind.
200g Turnout + Neck Cover
07:00 · 7°C · clear
Light sheet (working)
13:00 · 16°C · sunny
300g Turnout + Neck Cover
17:00 · 8°C · wind 20km/h
300g–400g Turnout + Neck
00:00 · 4°C · feels like 0°C
Automatically adjusts when clip type is updated
What Clipping Does to Your Horse's Thermoregulation
A horse's winter coat is a highly effective insulation system. Remove it — even partially — and you've fundamentally changed how they manage heat and cold. The degree of change depends entirely on the type of clip.
A full clip removes all insulating hair, dropping your horse's effective LCT by 6–10°C. A trace clip has a much smaller effect. But the mistake most owners make is continuing to rug as if the clip hadn't happened — or over-compensating with rugs that are too heavy when the horse is working and sweating.
🐴 Horse Profile — Clip Settings
Hunter Clip — Effect on Rugging
LCT increased +5–7°C. Add neck cover in wind. Recommend 2 rug weights heavier overnight.
✨ Tonight's Recalculated Recommendation
300g Turnout + Neck Cover
Updated automatically on clip change
Rug Guide by Clip Type
No clip
0°CRemoves: Nothing
Baseline
Trace clip
+2–3°CRemoves: Belly, neck underside
Go one step heavier when cold
Irish clip
+3–4°CRemoves: Shoulders + belly
One to two steps heavier
Hunter clip
+5–7°CRemoves: All except legs + saddle
Two steps heavier, add neck cover
Full clip
+7–10°CRemoves: Everything
Maximum insulation — treat like a Thoroughbred in cold
| Clip Type | What's Removed | LCT Increase | Rug Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| No clip | Nothing | 0°C | Baseline |
| Trace clip | Belly, neck underside | +2–3°C | Go one step heavier when cold |
| Irish clip | Shoulders + belly | +3–4°C | One to two steps heavier |
| Hunter clip | All except legs + saddle | +5–7°C | Two steps heavier, add neck cover |
| Full clip | Everything | +7–10°C | Maximum insulation — treat like a Thoroughbred in cold |
⏰ Slot-by-slot rugging — Rugged Up
Morning 07:00
7°CMidday 13:00
17°CEvening 18:00
9°COvernight 03:00
3°C ❄️No guessing about 3am temperature drops
The Timing Problem: When Do You Change Rugs?
Most owners rug for the overnight low — but forget that a clipped horse standing in a paddock at dusk, when temps start dropping, can get cold well before midnight. Rugged Up splits the day into 4 slots — morning, day, evening, overnight — and gives you a specific recommendation for each one, so there's no guesswork about when to rug up.
5 Common Rugging Mistakes After Clipping
Keeping the same rug as before the clip — your horse now needs significantly more insulation overnight
Going too heavy during the day — a clipped horse working or in the sun can overheat in a heavy rug
Forgetting the neck — a clip that exposes the neck adds significant chill factor in wind
Not adjusting for rain — a clipped horse in rain with no waterproof rug will get cold very fast
Rugging by feel at 6pm — the coldest point is usually 3–5am, not when you're doing night check
Rugged Up Recalculates the Moment You Update Your Horse's Clip
Set your horse's clip type in their profile and Rugged Up factors it into every single recommendation. Change their clip? Update the profile in seconds and tonight's recommendation adjusts immediately.