Clipping Top Tips

It’s that time of year again! Here are our teams top clipping tips and we’re channelling our inner Royal Marine – Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance! Preparation is key. Links to all products mentioned are at the bottom. 

Before clipping

• Checklist – do you have sufficient oil? Are your blades sharp? Is your battery pack charged? (If you have battery powered clippers) Is your clipping area safe, clean and dry? Do you have a soft brush to hand to brush away loose hairs whilst clipping?
• Make sure the coat is as clean as possible, preferably bathed if conditions are suitable or you can access warm water and have somewhere warm to dry them off.
• Know which clip your horse needs before you start. There are a lot to choose from and each horses individual needs and workload should be considered.
• You can use chalk, or a contrasting marker to draw your lines on.
• Before clipping plait your horse’s mane and tail to keep them out of the way, there is nothing worse than hogging when you didn’t mean to.
• Make sure you have bribed a glamourous assistant (promises of tea, biscuits or to return the favour will usually work) to pull and hold your horses' legs forward to ensure that you don’t catch any sensitive skin in the blades.
• If you are able to safely cross tie your horse it will help keep them more stationary while you are clipping.
• From a comfort point of view, we would always recommend leaving a saddle patch.  Once clipped the hair is like Velcro and can feel very different and sometimes irritating when clipped and under saddle

While you are clipping

• Make sure to top up the oil on your clippers every 5-10 minutes and turn your clippers off to have a break every 15-20 minutes to cool down.
• Keep an even pressure on the clippers and make long steady strokes/passes with the clippers.
• Take a step back from your horse when clipping in the leg lines to check they are even.
• Make sure to keep a folded rug over the part that you are not clipping to stop the hair standing on end. This helps to reduce tramlines.

After clipping

• It is a good idea to bath your horse after clipping to ensure that no clipper oil and bits of loose itchy hair are left in the coat. Some horses are allergic to clipper oil so it is essential that it is removed from the coat. If you are not able to bath them then a good groom (you should be sweating) and hot clothing afterwards.
• A clean, soft rug to keep your horse warm.
• A sheepskin lined saddle pad or girth cover can really help with sensitive hoses after clipping.

Lastly if your horse is new to you, pop them out and spin them on the lunge before riding them post clipping. Even the calmest horses can have a little Whoo Hoo moment after being clipped.