NOW'S the time of year for your horse to get its haircut. Any equine that is in medium to hard work over the winter, albeit an indoor showjumper or a hunter, will need to have some of its coat removed to prevent excess sweating and to help it keep condition.

A clipped horse is easier to get clean and dry, and is less liable to chills. It can work harder and faster and doesn't require so much grooming. But remember that, even though nature provides a layer of fat under the skin after clipping as a protection against cold, you must put a rug on your horse as a substitute for his natural coat.

The first clip is usually done after the winter coat has set, which is by mid-October, and you should never clip after the end of January as the summer coat is then starting to grow. Although a horse can be clipped out all over, you should never clip off his whiskers as these are the horse's chief organ of touch.

Neither should you clip inside the ears, as the hair inside is protection against the cold and a filter for dirt and bugs.

The heels and fetlocks may be trimmed with scissors and a comb if necessary, as the horse's feathers are the natural means by which water is prevented from collecting in the heels. Always take care when clipping round awkward, sensitive places such as the area between the forelegs and round the stifle.

Straighten out the folds of skin in these spots. You can ask a friend to help you when clipping behind the elbow and between the front legs, to keep each leg outstretched while you carefully do the clipping.

Remember to keep your horse warm during clipping by covering the clipped areas with a rug.