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Scruffy artist on horse that's half-dead over there (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ragged

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'scruffy' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'on horse that's half-dead over there' is the wordplay.
'on' is an insertion indicator (as in clothing 'on' a person).
'horse' becomes 'gg' (geegee or GG is a childish term for a horse).
'that's half' means to take half the letters.
'dead' becomes 'ex' (prefix meaning former or onetime).
'over there' becomes 'rad' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'ex' halved is 'e'.
'gg'+'e'='gge'
'gge' placed into 'rad' is 'RAGGED'.

'artist' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. It may belong to another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ragged that I've seen before include "Unkempt" , "Torn or frayed, or lacking finish" , "Tattered and torn" , "being poorly dressed" , "ridiculed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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