At what point did you buy your own clippers?

[chaps89]

As title really!
Fatty needs clipping pretty regularly in summer (once a month if it's hot) and I've been borrowing different friends clippers or paying people to do it. I'm wondering if it's now time to invest in my own pair, but then it's hardly like they'll be used more than a handful of times a year so not sure if it is actually worth it?

 

[Fiona]

I bought my own, and I only clip 2-3 horses twice a year.

They will pay for themselves in no time considering the fees for getting someone else to do it.

Fiona

 

[meleeka]

I only clip two a couple of times a year but don't want the trouble of pre-booking someone. I also don't know what clip I want in the beginning, it depends on the lines whether it all comes off or not!

 

[Bubblewrap]

I bought my own when one of our ponies got cushings, it meant I could clip her out whenever, before that I only had mine clipped once a year at end of October. I certainly clip more often now as no hassle with booking someone to come out. Not regretted getting my own at all and by now they have paid for themselves. X

 

[milliepops]

I bought some second hand very old ones as soon as I had a horse I wanted to clip. I've had them about 20 years, and they were fairly old when i got them! Good investment

 

[poiuytrewq]

I bought some second hand very old ones as soon as I had a horse I wanted to clip. I've had them about 20 years, and they were fairly old when i got them! Good investment

Amazing investment!! Wow

I bought my own when we moved to a yard with no electric which made borrowing or even getting someone else to do them very difficult. It also coincided with a bonus at work which was handy

 

[Cecile]

When a pony was dx with Cushings and clippers seemed to be a must have

However I seem to have some sort of odd addiction to clipper blades and have loads of them, some still in the boxes unused
what is that all about?!

During the heat our very old labrador was suffering with the heat, she looked like a curly yak after swimming so she really enjoyed a good clipping

 

[Cowpony]

I only bought mine a couple of Christmases ago. I've probably used them 3 times, but at £45 a time for somebody else to do it, they are well on the way to paying for themselves. I think I worked out I needed to use them 7 times to cover the cost. Probably need to add on sharpening etc to that, but it's so nice to be able to do it whenever I feel like it.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Reckon you will use them more if you have your own as well. Plus the convenience of just having them when you need them. Just don't leave them anywhere damp and they will last for years.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I treated myself to pair on a landmark birthday. They were reduced in Scats, lister showman clippers with a battery pack. They connect to a normal car battery which is perfect for me as I don't have mains electric at the fields. More than paid for themselves now. So convenient too.

 

[Kezzabell2]

When my horse was lovely and clipped on one side and the person doing it dropped their clippers and broke them! so I got my own to get her finished, then let the lady use them until she got hers fixed, which was actually a few years!

 

[Theocat]

I bought my own but only clip one horse a couple of times a year. Having my own let's me acclimatise the horse / take it slowly / clip when it suits rather than to fit in with someone else.

 

[fredflop]

When someone was going to charge me £75 to do a full clip. I purchased my clippers for £125. Two clips and they had paid for themselves

 

[VRIN]

Get them as soon as you can - they will have paid for themselves several times over before needing replacing

 

[chaps89]

£75 for a full clip?! Crikey.
I think why I'm hesitant is because I'd like the lister liberty's. Although we have electric where I am at the moment, I don't know what yard/s I may be at in the future so having the option to use them with a battery pack feels useful. Also because they're the ones I've mostly borrowed and find easy to use. I'm not sure what brand the other clippers are that I've borrowed but they were heavier and bulkier so not as easy to use, as well as the faff with the cables etc.
However the price of the liberty's, even second hand, is a bit so can anyone recommend alternatives please?

 

[TheresaW]

I have a hairy cob, who's legs are clipped regularly, and she's fully clipped In winter. I also have Suffolk X who I clip and hog all year, and a new forest who is clipped sometimes, so I bought my own. Originally I bought a second hand pair, but they constantly got hot, despite being regularly serviced, and occasionally blew fuses with a bang! Got rid pretty sharpish, and bought a pair of Masterclip Roamers, which are cordless a couple of years ago. I have found them to be a good set of clippers, are fine for what I do with them, and have also clipped a few friends horses with them. I think I paid about £200 for them, and they came with 2 batteries which are more than enough to do a full clip, plus a hog and leg trim.

 

[splashgirl45]

i bought my own 40 ish years ago and they only stopped working this winter..i used to clip 2 horses (one hairy) a couple of times every winter and over the last 5 years had to clip my cushings mare all year round. they definately saved me loads of money and it was nice not having to book anyone to clip...i would say its worth getting your own, and get the best you can afford ...mine were lister showman which were the battery ones so very useful if you have a horse who is tricky, although mine were all good to clip

 

[MouseInLux]

I bought mine a year ago, the last time I tried clipping my pony we went through three sets before the poor thing was clipped. I clipped him about 3 times last winter and each one would have been 50€ a pop to get someone out.

 

[Greylegs]

When I got a highland who gets a huge winter coat. So I invested in a decent pair (Heineger Deltas .... brilliant clippers) and do it myself now. I've discovered I love clipping so really can't wait for October when I make my first assault on the hairy one!!! I've now had them three years and fully paid for interns of not having to pay someone else to do it .....

 

[Pedantic]

After a couple of years of horse ownership.

 

[{97702}]

Never, I hate clipping to the extent I would far rather pay someone else to do it, however frequently

 

[case895]

I keep my horses at home so who am I going to borrow clippers from?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I don't like clipping and was always happy to pay someone else to clip once a year around November. Then I got a very hairy horse who needed clipping at the end of September. I could see one clip wouldn't last the whole winter so I had to get my own, it would have been far too expensive to keep paying somebody else. I clip 3-5 times in winter and occasionally in summer. It is convenient - I often clip horses who I wouldn't have bothered clipping at all/so often, if I'd had to get someone else to do it. I first got a 2nd hand set for £50 which I kept for 10yrs, then upgraded to something cordless which cost me £230 and I've had those 9yrs so far.

I'm mean and never lend them out in case of damage, I won't clip for other people either because I hate getting so covered in hair. If I was going to do it I'd want the same as everyone else charges anyway, not the £20 they're usually wanting to pay. Blade sharpening costs me around £9, I send them off and they're back within a few days. I did buy a spare set of blades though at £30 because once I've started I want it finished same day.

 

[OldNag]

Reading this has prompted me to think about getting myself some. 2 ponies to do so yes they would pay for themselves.

So at risk of hijacking, recommendations please for good quality reliable clippers but not excessively pricey, as they aren't going to be doing huge volumes of clipping..

 

[chaps89]

Old nag - feel free to hijack as I'm also interested in recommendations now as it looks like my own pair are the way to go!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

After paying for a couple of clips I decided to buy a set as I realised that after a few clips the clippers would be paid for. I actually bought a new pair of Wolseley Swift & clipped out pony 2 or 3 times a year. We now have 3 horses & they are clipped several times a year. My clippers are now 17/18 years old, have been serviced occasionally & are still working perfectly & must have saved me a fortune by now.

They aren't as quiet as some modern clippers but they just keep on working.

 

[Cowpony]

Heiniger Xplorer if you want cordless

 

[Meredith]

I took my blades to be sharpened and I asked if I should think about replacing my clippers. I was told to keep them as long as possible because newer ones are too plasticky. After more than 25 years use with regular servicing I have no complaints. The most horses I ever needed to clip was 3. I now clip 2 horses, one perhaps three times a winter and the other perhaps twice.

 

[DirectorFury]

I've got a pair of Heiniger Xperience and they've been absolutely fab, I've no complaints about them at all. My only issue is that I wish I'd bought the cordless ones as horse is moving soon to a yard with no mains electricity.

 

[huskydamage]

I was always paying for mine to be clipped, till I worked on a yard during uni holiday and was helping while several horses had a full clip, person clipping said it's really not that hard and I should do it myself. Fast forward I'm so glad I have my own clippers now have to multiple clip my girl as she's got so hairy as aged. I've clipped other people's as well. Hogged manes etc.When I think of all the clips I've done they have well paid for themselves. Wish I'd got them sooner. I use them all year round for trimming etc they have become essential kit for me.