Bathing before Clipping

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peanutsmumma

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Is it really Essential and does it make a difference?

I have a hairy little Dartmoor that is in desperate need of a clip but with all the rain due, I'm not going to get a chance to bath him beforehand.
 
I always prefer to bath if possible but I do at least 4 clips each on my horses throughout the hunt season so it isn't always possible/practical to bath beforehand.

I will always bath before the first clip as need to cut through thick fluffy winter coats and I find even the best most thorough brushing session will not clear the dirt/mud from from the base of the coat.

When going over an already clipped horse, a good brushing is usually fine.
 
I've never bathed before clipping, but mine are usually not that hairy and pretty well groomed beforehand. I get blades sharpened once a year, and I used to clip twice - 3 horses.
 

Elf On A Shelf said:
Where as I get 10 sets of blades sharpened 3 or 4x a season 😂 but then I am doing 200+ clips not just 1 😂😂😂
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My liveryman mustang clippers cost me £20 cause a girl couldnt be bothered to
Fix them, took them home and hubby cleaned them and they worked a treat 😂 he put a mega long cable on Them for me and they have worked ever since 😂😂
 
I don't bath as horses are out 24/7 and we have no mains water, so it would be very labour intensive! I do try and groom thoroughly a few times before the clip though and strap them (with a wisp is fine) to get a bit more dust out of the coat beforehand.
 
I always bathed Benji as he was a mud monster and scrubbed in the dirt. The others I do if a nice day and I have time to kill waiting for them to dry. I like a clean coat under the rug if possible.
 
Given how much sheep poo there us on the horse I ride for someone not only is he getting bath but stern lecture!!

Btw I used to live practically on listers doorstep so I often went there for clipper services/blade sharpening.

The clipper engineers (for want of a better term!) always said if you can bath because it’s not just the blades that get dull. It’s the clippers themselves that get dirt inside and eventually that’ll tell.

I always got mine serviced at the end of the clipping season but I did anything north of 100 clips.
 
I do grooming day before, and good hot clothing. Rug with neck cover (lives out). Groom and hot cloth morning before being clipped. Always been fine. Hot cloth after clipping.

Don’t clip legs which probably get dirtier.
 
Parrotperson said:
Given how much sheep poo there us on the horse I ride for someone not only is he getting bath but stern lecture!!

Btw I used to live practically on listers doorstep so I often went there for clipper services/blade sharpening.

The clipper engineers (for want of a better term!) always said if you can bath because it’s not just the blades that get dull. It’s the clippers themselves that get dirt inside and eventually that’ll tell.

I always got mine serviced at the end of the clipping season but I did anything north of 100 clips.
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Quite, it knackers the machine as well as the blades if you're clipping a dirty coat. I guess if you only have one horse and you're only doing a trace clip a couple of times a winter it won't much matter, but regular full clips/multiple horses and you learn the value of a clean coat. Oh and clean legs if you're clipping those.


Eta blunt blades and/or dirty coats make it a rather horrible experience for the horse too.
 
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Barton Bounty said:
Ive got to say, ive never sharpened my blades in 8 years 😂😂😂
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I'm in awe!

I end up sharpen mine after every other clip and I clip from August to January on average.

The joys of a floofy native moolighting as as a hairy Yeti, I guess!

I do always bath for the initial few clips as he generally rugless so full of grime. In the real depths of winter if very cold I'll do a good groom and hot cloth as he's usually lightly rugged by then, but bathing would be my preference.
 
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i’d hot cloth and groom thoroughly if you can’t bath, but as above you’ll have to go over it.

i clipped both of mine and you can definitely tell which one was bathed beforehand and which one was just hot clothed🤣
 
I think I might put a sheet on the day before as I find that rugs tend to help lift the dirt.
Then I'll groom and do a hot cloth in the hope that it helps 😂
He lives out 24/7 and I think now the temperatures have changed, it wouldn't be fair to give him a cold bath and then whip his fluffy PJ's off all at once 🤦🏼‍♀️
 
I’ve never bathed before clipping but mine are always well groomed and never get to the hairy stage. It does help your clippers a lot if they’re not churning through greasy dirty hair.
 
A couple of local pro clippers have reminded folk that their horses/ponies need to be clean and dry for clipping.
One says that should she start and find the animal is dirty, then there will be additional costs incurred as a, her blades will get blunt more quickly and b, the time taken will be longer as she will likely have to go over more than once.
 
Technically speaking most professional clippers expect your horse to be bathed before hand and get mad if they’re not bathed. A lot of clippers companies are telling people to bath their horse on Facebook. I personally never bathed my horse before I got her clipped as she has a Massive winter coat and won’t be dry.
 
Bathed old git once as he gleefully rolled when he saw me. I borrowed a hairdryer from the lady in the cottage nextdoor to the field to dry him before my friend came to clip. He loved it!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
A couple of local pro clippers have reminded folk that their horses/ponies need to be clean and dry for clipping.
One says that should she start and find the animal is dirty, then there will be additional costs incurred as a, her blades will get blunt more quickly and b, the time taken will be longer as she will likely have to go over more than once.
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I did this. Then if I arrived and said horse was filthy I shrugged said ‘ can’t clip that it’s wet/dirty’ etc. then rearranged. Soon sorted that nonsense out. If they horse is wet or dirty you’re liable to cut them as well as having to clip and re clip. 😡😡. Grrrrr
 
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