Whether you are approaching your last clip of the winter or if you clip all year around it pays both financially and time-wise to get the preparation spot on.
So what can you do to save yourself time and money?
Sharp Blades
Blunt blades tug at the hair and can cause the clippers to overheat – not only is this uncomfortable for the horse but you will be left with lines all over your newly clipped horse. You also risk damaging your clippers which can be very costly so make sure you have plenty of sharp blades before clipping season even starts.
Service your Clippers
Always get your clippers serviced annually, there is nothing worse than getting halfway through a clip and the clippers give up. Not only that, if they go bang in a big way, your horse can get a fright and that is not what anyone wants.
Oil and Blade Wash
Have plenty of clipper oil and blade wash at the ready. If you are skimping on either of these because you forgot to order some more, you run the risk of your blades blunting too quickly or the clippers overheating. We love the Wolesley blade wash and clipper oil
Don’t Clip a Dirty Horse
Dirty horses being presented for clipping is something that we see all the time. Mud, dust and scurf embedded in the coats causes tugging of the hair and excess heat of the blades. It blunts the blades and can often break the teeth of the blades. It is not uncommon to use up to four blades just to clip one dirty horse which costs money. On top of that when it comes to clipping some horses are either extremely nervous or occasionally just naughty! Given a nice, gentle clipping experience we believe all horses can accept being clipped, so why do we as owners, create a situation where we are going to make the whole thing miserable for them! So make sure they are properly clean!
Many of us are time poor and especially if you are clipping a horse that has been sedated, the time it takes to clip is essential. Clipping a dirty and sweaty horse is even more difficult and takes a lot more time than a clean one.
Want a Perfect Clip? Preparation is Key
Tip 1 – Bath the horse the day before you plan to clip – if you can’t bath them get stuck in with a rubber curry comb and a bit of old fashioned elbow grease
Tip 2 – Hot clothing is a fantastic method to remove dirt grease and gives them a really deep clean. You will need:
- Two buckets with water as hot as you can bare
- Some Dettol, Baby Oil or a specific hot oil product – we love Supershine from Smart Grooming or the Sharpley’s Hot Oil
- A flannel or microfibre cloth
Put a tiny amount of the product you are using into one of the buckets, dunk your flannel in and wring out any excess water. Rub your horse all over including going against the hair to make sure you get right down to the skin. Regularly rinse out your flannel in the second bucket of clean water before dipping back into your hot wash.
Tip 3 – Hot clothing is fantastic after clipping as well to remove any excess grease, oil from the clippers and loose hair
And as a final clipping tip ….When is it too late to clip?
It is coming to that time of year when people start to ask if it is too late to clip. Historically it was perceived that clipping after the middle of January caused damage to the summer coat, which begins to appear around this time.
The increase of heavier breeds and Cobs means that many people now clip all year around for comfort reasons, so it is now widely considered that causing damage to the coat if you clip past January is a myth.
HOWEVER – if you are clipping after the end of January and are worried about appearance, then it is advisable to consider a full clip, or a hunter clip with blended legs to avoid the prolonged view of any lines/differences in the coat between the clipped and unclipped areas that may be visible for a few months.
For a full video series on how to clip, check out EquiTeam’s Confident Clipping Series here
Photo credit – Clippersharp
