Bath before clip?

[Shoei]

hi guys,

Chester is being clipped Tomo and I had planned to bath him this eve but due to issues with trespassers (long story) I have not been able!

He isn't filthy as he was last bathed 1 month ago and has been lightly rugged in a rain sheet. I don't think he will dry in time for my lady coming at 11 If I bath in the morn. Do you all bath before clipping? If not any hints or tips? Thanks

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I generally bath before clipping. I remember my firend havinga fit once when she heard I'd bathed my pony before she was coming as he wouldn't be dry in time. He was as I took my hairdryer down!! If you can't bath how about hot towelling instead? That's also good for afterwards too.

 

[abbijay]

I never wash before clipping! But that's just me...

 

[amy_b]

a bath a day or two before does help with grease, which can be a real pain and blunt the blades. If you cant/don't have time hot cloth will take out some of the grease, the worst spot is the top of the bum

 

[PolarSkye]

I make sure horse is clean and grease free before clipping - not fair on blades otherwise. As others have said - if you can't bath, then how about hot clothing?

P

 

[smellsofhorse]

No, better to hot cloth him after.

 

[ashlingm]

I usually bath mine before a clip ... this could be done up to a week before clipping day but they wear a rainsheet to keep them clean. Ideally I try to do it a day or two before clipping

A quick scrub on top of their hindquarters would do the job. Its usually the dirtiest spot! Just throw a warm fleece on afterwards and throw a turnout on top so they get nice and toasty (but not sweaty) to speed up drying

I hot towel (with a dash of baby oil in the bucket) after clipping to bring up a nice shine and to get rid of any loose (and irritating!) hair thats sitting on their coat

 

[Shay]

I always bath before clipping - not the same day, but 24 or 48 hours before. The grease in the coat blunts the blades which in turn can make lines worse. Plus I do feel that if someone else is coming in to clip my horse it is a bit rude to present them with a dirty neddie. Just my view - I'm prone to tidying up before the cleaners come too!

 

[3Beasties]

I don't usually although I know that technically you should. Horse is always hairy though, I don't have hot water and don't have heat lamps to help them dry quickly so I feel it would be very unfair to bath them given that the weather is usually far from ideal.

I will bath after they've been clipped though as obviously they will dry much quicker!

 

[Equi]

You really should as it saves the blades a lot and makes them go through the coat better = less lines.

 

[Janovich]

Yes.. the general consensus is to bath before clipping, but that's not going to be possible for us this time around.

The weather where we are has turned cold, windy and wet, my boy is still out overnight (hairy and naked) and my plan is to pop a lightweight no-fill combi rug on him a couple of nights before he's due to be clipped at the weekend, in order to keep him as clean as I can. There's not a chance he's going to be having a bath in this kind of weather.

He'll be hot towelled with a splash of pig oil & Tea Tree Oil in the water afterwards.

This regime also worked for us last year too when the weather turned before having the chance to get rid of some grease...but there you go,...you just have to do the best you can under the circumstances and the lovely British weather that's thrown our way!

 

[paulineh]

As long as they are clean and dry I have never bathed them before clipping

 

[twiggy2]

I never have but I do groom daily in fact my mare has not been bathed since last summer 2013

 

[9tails]

I'm sure your horse has now been clipped, as it's over a week later, but I find that a spray of coat sheen makes the clippers go through like a hot knife through butter. I very rarely bath my horse and especially not before clipping.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

I do not bath either. Have to confess they sometimes just get pulled in out of the field, a quick brush, then clipped. However, as we clip our own no big deal.

 

[AmyMay]

I never bath before clipping. However the horse is always very well groomed.