Friday, October 24, 2014

Clipping Shapes for the Non-Crafty

This is for the birds
You know that person in your life who is always making scrap books and home made cookies and probably actually creates pins on pinterest?

I am so not that person.

I don't craft. I don't art. I do respect those people, but I am not them and anytime someone starts talking about crafts, my brain checks out. I mean, my idea of "crafty" is how I have yet to have to host Thanksgiving. Winning.

Anyways. I had a super lesson last night (recap later) and afterwards Courage was hot and sweaty and muddy and gross. Cue clipping time.





He looks like a whole different horse
But you might remember how Courage rocked the stars and a chaser clip last year.

I loved the stars and the clip style worked well for us at the time, but I had a whole new design in mind and Courage is working hard enough that a full clip isn't out of place.

So that's all fine and good. But at this point you're probably asking, "SB, that sounds an awful lot like a craft project. How do you get the stars to go on?"

I will tell you. It's easier than it looks and even I can do it.

Crafters will probably make cooler designs
STEP 1

Herein lies the entire secret.

Make. Stencils.

I drew mine by hand on cardstock, which is what happens when you decide to clip at the very last minute.

Then you just use the masking tape to put them on the horse, and voila! Shapes! 

I don't love them as much as last year.

I body clipped Courage with my set of Andis AGC two speeds. They also did the design work for me.

That's pretty much everything I used.







Wait for it...
So. It was cool out. I clipped Courage' head, neck, shoulders, and mid section. Then I outlined his hip area so I'd know my parameters, threw a cooler over his naked self, and got to work.

I just masking-taped the stars on where I wanted them and clipped over/around them. Once I had the stars defined, I pulled the stencils off and finished cleaning up the area.


It does take longer than just clipping the hip like normal, but the stars make me happy every time I see them. It's worth it.


yup
Ta da!!

I love it.

I'm a very tidy clipper, so I meticulously got all the lines out. In a couple days, it will look really sharp. Obviously, Courage is still growing hair right now, so I'll have to decide what to do next time I clip. I could keep the same design or try something new. :-D




Courage is now all set for fall riding.

PS  You might wonder why I left his legs. I did them last time I clipped him and at the end of it, we both wanted to kill each other. I maintain that unless my horse is going to HITS with a good chance of being division champ in 3' on up, he will just have fuzzy legs because HELL NO.

25 comments:

  1. I don't clip my horses legs and have the same opinion as you... HELL NO!

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    Replies
    1. who clips legs these days besides the pros :P

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    2. I do because my guy's legs look like a yak. He's he's pretty cool about it except the fronts below the knees. Must be ticklish there :)

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  2. He looks SO cute!! Love the stars... and the stencil idea is genius.

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  3. I definitely don't have the patience for the stars. And I'm pretty conservative. Feel you on the legs. Those can stay fuzzy imo. I am still trying to figure out what kind of clip to do. I'm pretty sure I'm going with trace because last year hue was miserable when we had a ridiculously cold winter for KY. Now to decide what kind of trace and how not to mess up the lines.

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  4. I kinda wanna do a design on Miles this year .... because... why not?!

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  5. Mine hates his legs being done as well, but since he has really sensitive skin and is prone to fungus, plus wears bell boots 24/7, I chose to take the leg hair off. His skin seems to do better when I can dry his legs thoroughly and treat them if needed. Kinda wish I could keep the legs though because he's a real PITA about it... still done totally done with them. I've been clipping a few strokes on the legs each day until he catches on to my plan and protests. Eventually I'll win... ;) Cute stars! I made a stencil for Henry too but decided to use it on the next clip when the "leftover" hair is a little shorter.

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    Replies
    1. Ooooh yeah. Cuna was that way and it was hella miserable. So far so good with C-rage and I'm not complaining.

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  6. So cute! I would have no problem walking in the show ring with a clean partial shave leaving the legs for jumpers.

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  7. Why do you chose to leave the saddle area fuzzy?

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    1. There exists an argument that it makes especially the first few rides smoother because clipped hair can be kind of abrasive and cause the horse to be a bit wild under saddle.

      Mostly because I'm lazy though.

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  8. Rock the starz! And please, teach me how to get the lines out!

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  9. Seriously the cutest starry butt EVER.

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  10. I can't lie, artistic clip designs and me are not friends. That being said, I think you did a really nice job on them. I also would love to leave legs hairy, but can't in my discipline. Wah wah wah.

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  11. nice job - the stars look great! as a functional gal first and foremost, i'm right there with ya about leaving the legs fuzzy... i'd need a pretty good reason to go through that hassle haha

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  12. That's awesome. I wish I had a reason to really clip the boy. Maybe if he'd actually grow a coat I would haha.

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  13. That is awesome!!! You did great! If I were to clip I would leave the legs too. They don't get covered by a blanket so it only seems fair lol.

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  14. I've been considering stars on the butt for the next click (within next 30days) since I can't think of anything else (maybe a dragon) and Sam's show/reg name is Samoa Star. :)

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  15. I love it! Also if it makes you feel better, my friends who DO ride champs at HITS in this area still don't clip legs. And they could pay someone to do it. Bad for the legs, they say. And they stay a lot warmer with fuzzy legs. Or so I've been told, anyway. I'm just lazy and that's all there is to it.

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  16. Aw, I love the stars! I'm dying to clip, but don't want to do it more than once this year. Argh. Decisions.

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  17. I don't do legs but that is because my winter turnout can have prickly growth & when I can organise myself we have in the woods - me no wanty them getting ouchies on their leggies.
    Plus blankets don't cover their legs so they keep the hair in my book ;-)

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  18. Love it! That would make me smile on a daily basis too :)

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