Trace Clip vs Blanket Clip: Which Blade for Partial Clipping?

By Ningbo FOLK Tools · Updated October 2026 · Reading time: 9 min

trace clip horseblanket clip bladepartial clip blade9.5mm A5 clipper blade

A trace clip and a blanket clip both remove hair without taking the whole coat, but they are not the same job and they do not use the blade the same way. The trace clip clears the sweaty underside of a horse in light work; the blanket clip clears most of the body and leaves a protected panel over the back. Choose the wrong blade and the difference shows up as a hard, visible step between clipped and unclipped hair.

This guide compares the two styles on area, workload and blade choice, then gives a practical blade map for each part of the body. The short version: a 9.5 mm full-tooth blade such as the 4F is the default for the clip line, and the wider 4FW is the speed tool for the open areas in between.

What is a trace clip?

A trace clip removes the coat from the areas a horse sweats most: the underside of the neck, the chest, the belly, the flank and the upper legs. The back, hindquarters, head and lower legs keep their hair.

It suits horses in light to moderate work, especially those living out or working in cool weather. The horse keeps its natural insulation over the back and loins, while the clipped underside lets sweat dry and prevents a wet, matted coat after exercise. It is the least dramatic of the partial clips and the easiest to grow out.

What is a blanket clip?

A blanket clip removes much more: the neck, chest, shoulders, barrel, flank and hindquarters are clipped, while a “blanket” of hair is left over the back and loins. The head and legs are usually left on, or the head is taken off with a half head or full head depending on the horse’s workload.

It suits horses in regular, harder work that are stabled or well rugged. It removes the sweat traps across the whole working body while keeping a protected panel where the saddle and rugs sit. It is a bigger visual change than a trace clip and needs a cleaner blend line to look deliberate.

Trace clip vs blanket clip: side by side

Neither clip is a full clip. Both depend on a boundary between clipped and unclipped coat that looks intentional. That boundary — not the size of the clipped area — is what makes or breaks the finished job.

Why 9.5 mm is the default blade for partial clips

A partial clip works because the clipped coat and the unclipped coat are close enough in length to blend. A 9.5 mm blade leaves about a centimetre of coat, which is long enough to meet a natural coat without a cliff edge and short enough to look like a deliberate clip.

A shorter blade makes the boundary harder, not easier. A #10 (1.5 mm) against several centimetres of unclipped hair leaves a visible step that has to be feathered out by hand, and the shorter cut offers less protection on pink or thin skin. That is why the 4F 9.5 mm A5 blade is the standard starting point for trace and blanket clips, and why the wide 4FW can be added without changing the finish length.

Which blade for each part of the job

Most poor partial clips are not caused by the wrong clip style. They are caused by using one blade for every part of the body. Split the job into three zones instead.

The 4F and 4FW share the same 9.5 mm cutting length, so switching between them does not change the depth of the clip — only the width of the pass and the level of control. That is what makes them a practical pair for partial clipping rather than two competing products.

How to blend the clip line without leaving a step

The clip line is where partial clips are judged. These steps matter more than the blade brand:

1. Clip towards the line, not into it. Work in the direction of hair growth and stop just short of the boundary.
2. Approach at a shallow angle. Do not push the blade perpendicular into the line; that digs a step.
3. Feather the last pass. Run the blade half on the clipped area and half off it, lifting gently as you cross the line.
4. Use the narrow blade at the boundary. The 4F gives far more control than the wide 4FW on the final centimetre.
5. Keep the blade flat. Tipping the blade digs a groove that cannot be blended out without clipping further.
6. Fix steps outward, not shorter. If a step appears, blend outward with the same 9.5 mm blade. Dropping to a shorter blade makes the step deeper.
7. Check in raking light from both sides. Lines that are invisible from the near side are obvious from the far side.

Partial clips that sit between the two

Trace and blanket are the two reference points, but most yards use variations:

• Irish (chaser) clip — a trace clip extended up the hindquarters, leaving the back and a saddle patch.
• Hunter clip — most of the body clipped, with legs and a saddle patch left for protection.
• Blanket with half head — a blanket clip with the head and cheeks taken off for a neater finish on a clipped horse.
• Trace with belly — a deeper trace that clears the whole belly for horses that sweat heavily under the girth.

All of them follow the same blade logic: 9.5 mm for the field, standard width for the boundary, narrow blades for the detail.

Aftercare for a partial clip

A partial clip still removes insulation where the hair is taken off, so aftercare is part of the job, not an optional extra:

• Cool and clean the blade. Brush out hair, oil the cutter and check the tension before storage.
• Check the skin. Look for redness, nicks or rubs along the clip line, especially on pink-skinned horses.
• Rug according to the clip, not the calendar. A blanket-clipped horse in work usually needs a rug where a trace-clipped horse living out may not.
• Protect exposed pink skin. Clipped pink areas on the muzzle, face and heels need shade or sunscreen in strong daylight.
• Plan the regrowth. Most partial clips need tidying in three to six weeks; booking the next clip early avoids clipping a grown-out, uneven coat.

Frequently asked questions