Clipping a Horse

Horses are clipped to avoid getting hot and sweaty and also cold and damp in the winter.  This may lead to the horse losing weight and condition.

The following points are worth considering before you start clipping your horse.

• Remember clipping is an unnatural experience for a horse. Show the horse the clippers and run them over his body before turning them on, then turn the clippers on and check your horse's reaction to the noise. Let him get used to the sound.
• Let the horse get used to the vibration by putting your hand on his shoulder and the clippers onto your forearm. Run the clippers over his body before cutting any hair.
• Use a fully adjustable head collar to avoid losing control of the horse.
• Make sure that the horse is clean and dry and that there are no cuts or scabs that the clipper could nick.
• Mark out the clip with chalk, saddle soap or a permanent marker (the ink should wear off after a couple of days). Drawing round a saddle cloth or numnah can be a good idea.
• Putting a tail bandage on and plaiting the mane will help to keep the hair out of the way.
• Drape a piece of weighted string over the horse to ensure both sides of a clip start in the same place.
• With a very unwilling horse sedation by your vet may be required. (Sedation may cause sweating which may make clipping difficult).
• Let a novice horse watch other horses being clipped.
• The first clip of the season is usually made in October with the last clip before the 1st February.

Consider the following before clipping:

• Is your horse going to be doing enough work?
• Have you enough rugs and the time to rug to keep him/her warm?
• Will the horse be stabled at night?
• What is the best type of clip for your horse?
• Would it be better and cheaper to get someone else to do the clipping? 
• Depending on breed and thickness of coat a horse may need to be clipped every six weeks, are you able to do that?

Maintenance of your clippers should include:

• Read the manufacturer's instruction book before you start to clip.
• Keep your clippers in a dry place.
• Remove hair from under the blades and oil any moving parts. Also remove the hair from the filters during use, this helps keep the clippers cool.
• Remove the blades (keep them in pairs as they are manufactured in pairs) and clean and oil them.  Wash the filters in soapy water, but don't let the water near the clippers and make sure that the filters are dry before you put them back. When finished clipping get the blades sharpened so they are ready for the next time (the blades should last between 5-10 clips between sharpening).
• Keep your blades sharp - Overheating creates more friction of clipper blade parts causing wear, and increases the chance of clipper burn.
• Lubricate with clipper oil during use. Aerosols do not always lubricate the blades sufficiently.
• Don't dip the clippers in an oil bath as the oil may drip into the motor and damage the clippers.
• Don't over tighten the tension screw as you may increase the wear and overheat the blades. 
• Once a year, or every 100 hours, remove the head from the clippers, clean out any hair and apply grease to the gears.
• Check that the cable is not damaged.

Below is a general guide to safety when clipping your horse.

• With mains powered clippers always use a circuit breaker.
• Where extensions are used make sure that that the lead is kept well away from the horses legs and any buckets of water.
• Choose a well lit stable with a non-slip floor.
• Remove all objects that your horse could stumble over, such as water buckets.
• Ask a friend to hold the horse.
• Avoid clipping outside if it is wet and windy. Choose a mild day and a quiet time on the yard.
• Check your clippers for any exposed or loose wires.
• If your horse has a tendency to kick pick up the legs to clip them, or get someone to hold up a foreleg.  Fastening an old rug the wrong way round the front of the chest and then buckle over the withers.  This will cushion any kicks from the forelegs.
• Wear a hard hat and leather chaps if you think the horse may cause trouble. 

The following is a general guide to the items you will need to clip your horse:

• One set of clippers.
• One set of sharp blades.
• A circuit breaker.
• A dry, quiet, wind free, well lit area to work in which has a non-slip floor. Clip in a familiar place to avoid upsetting the horse.
• A can of lubricant.
• A helper for the awkward bits.
• Protective clothing - the hair will get everywhere. Steel toe-capped boots may prove a good idea.
• Keep a stable rug handy to cover the horse as you clip.
• A body brush is useful to brush off any loose hair.

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