Standard cut has curt hoofers rattled (3,3,3,6)
I believe the answer is:
par for the course
'standard' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'cut has curt hoofers rattled' is the wordplay.
'cut' becomes 'pare' (paring is a kind of cutting).
'has' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'rattled' is an anagram indicator.
'curt'+'hoofers'='curthoofers'
'curthoofers' anagrammed gives 'forthecours'.
'pare' placed around 'forthecours' is 'PAR FOR THE COURSE'.
(Other definitions for par for the course that I've seen before include "72?" , "Standard" , "Normal" , "achievement that seems full of holes?" , "Typical" .)