Clipping advice from you experts!

Devonshire dumpling

Devonshire dumpling

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The 5 yr old went hunting last season right at the end of the season and was an angel, we plan to take him this season, but he will need clipping, hes a real sweatpot!


Soooo the training has started, ever time he is ridden (3 times a week) we spend 10 mins after grooming with a pair of handheld clippers, after a few sessions we are now able to have them over his back and bum vibrating on him and hes perfectly happy, have even clipped off a tiny bit of chin hair, bridlepath is a hell no still, but for obvious reasons!


So how do we progress, any great tips, and when the time comes any more handy tips!!! thinking of doing a blanket clip first go????? Have only tidied up already clipped horses in the past, so this will be a blank canvas, whens the best time to clip first off, am thinking a day before hunting not a good idea lol......

Do you chalk lines first, any advice gratefully recieved, we have nobody to do the first clip so we will be going in alone!! xx
 
I would go for a trace rather than a blanket - you can still take the neck off but if needed you can stay away from his bits!
Chalk your lines and use long steady strokes, remember to oil your clippers every 10 mins or so - I leave the clippers on whilst doing this an you only need a line along the blades. I find it useful to have a body brush in my other hand brush the horse off after every stroke so I can see my lines clearly. Also if you get tramlines run your clippers across them and they should go.
As for when to clip, when mine start getting sweaty after work I clip. Could be end of September or mid October depending on weather. However if you are aiming for opening meet then I would do it 2 weeks before as A) I find the clip looks tidier after it's "grown out" slightly, B) it gets any fizz out of them in plenty of time and C) you have plenty of time for any tidying up.
I always do my bridlepaths with scissors or else they end up huge!
 
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Im not a hunting person so dont know when you first go off. I clip my horse usually first time in October/Nov, shes quite hairy and the same with my gelding. If I were in your shoes I would just do the neck, chest and shoulders first time, sort of a front half of the body clip. This would take off the hair where the girth goes and you wouldnt have any complicated lines to do. You could progress to other styles of clip later and take the coat off as necessary, you cant put it back on but can take it off, bit like us with long/short hair. What Ive described doesnt take long to do either so may suit your 5yr old.

If you have facilities to bath your horse first then the clippers will glide through the coat easily too. I would clip about a week before you go so that the coat can settle down too.
Personally I wouldnt do a blanket clip first time round, lots of lines and fiddly bits which may upset your very good horse as he is at the moment, with the excellent training you have done.
 
Izzwizz said:
Im not a hunting person so dont know when you first go off. I clip my horse usually first time in October/Nov, shes quite hairy and the same with my gelding. If I were in your shoes I would just do the neck, chest and shoulders first time, sort of a front half of the body clip. This would take off the hair where the girth goes and you wouldnt have any complicated lines to do. You could progress to other styles of clip later and take the coat off as necessary, you cant put it back on but can take it off, bit like us with long/short hair. What Ive described doesnt take long to do either so may suit your 5yr old.

If you have facilities to bath your horse first then the clippers will glide through the coat easily too. I would clip about a week before you go so that the coat can settle down too.
Personally I wouldnt do a blanket clip first time round, lots of lines and fiddly bits which may upset your very good horse as he is at the moment, with the excellent training you have done.
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Do you mean like an Irish clip? At the moment he is a sweaty betty with his summer coat during work, hes a 15hh Haflinger so not really really woolly winter,but woolly enough,he is out by day all winter rugged and in by night, so don't think a hunter type clip would be very fair!

Tips on technique, where to start? lol
 
I give my boys a full clip, so always start with the tricky bits such as legs face and top of neck before i do the rest of his body because if you start with the easier bits i found by the time you got to the tricky bits the horses get bored and start to fidget which makes it a whole lot harder xx
 
Havent a clue what the style of clip is called, its just one we do a lot on our yard lol. I always start on the shoulders and go up towards the top of neck/ears first. I leave the girth/flank line til last, the line sort of starts about a girth width behind the front legs and goes up to the withers or just behind. I did this clip on my gelding not so long ago as he was getting too hot when worked. If you find your horse is getting too warm even with this clip you can then take it a step further and make the straight line into a diagonal one towards the back legs and take the belly off. A bit of trial and error really. I would keep it simple first time and see how it goes.

I always have a flicker type brush in the opposite hand to brush the hairs away as you clip and brush them off the clippers. Keep them well oiled too as you go along. Do long strokes and be confident, you will be as it goes on. Have someone there too to feed a Polo or two and keep the cable out of the way of hooves and any buckets of water.

Have fun!
 
Have a look at this site ;)

If I am doing a trace I start at the stifle. If doing a blanket I start at the shoulder. And yes I draw chalk lines - the only time I didn't the horse looked a state! Wet the chalk, it makes it draw better ;)
 
No to chalk lines, just use my eye for the clip I described. In winter they have full clips anyway so no lines to draw, so much easier and better when Missy MooBag the grey starts moulting!
 
I have no need to draw lines I have done so many I can get a straight line from the off.

If you are going to do a blanket clip then I suggest you leave the front of his face on if he is out all day.

When I first started clipping and was doing a lot of trace clips on ponies I developed a good cheat. I would get two pieces of bailer twine, have the horse stand square and tie the string around them. Taking the clippers so they are on their side with the blades uppermost to the line I would get the line clipped out first.
 
A chaser / Irish clip is easier than a blanket imho i full clip which is actually easier. Start at the shoulders if its first time but do face fairly soon as clippers will get hot.
 
To get him used to the clippers you use the advance and retreat method, keeping the clippers switched on until he stops making a fuss, starting well away from his body and getting nearer and nearer. Don't clip in his stable as he will feel under pressure, do it outside and that helps with light as well.
I use the exercise blanket to make sure the sides are even, and the first clip is a minimum which is face [he is mega itchy], windpipe, between legs and down inside of legs to knees, belly, then inside hind almost to hocks, and up inside back legs to tail, this will not be noticed but makes a difference to sweatiness. Also I can turn him out with a light rug or no rug without fear of chill.
I would clip again a few days before the meet, doing a trace clip if he is out every day in winter a trace is best, and no need to clip top half of face again.
Shampoo the day before, stick a couple of tampax in the ears, and give him 4 ml of Sedolin if he is still being difficult. some people twitch, but I have never found this makes things better the next time.
Re lines, you can use a chalked string, rub cotton twine with chalk, then use two helpers to hold it along the clip line, you stand back and tell them when it is high enough, if you ping the line the chalk will leave a white mark along the coat, you may need to emphasise th line with the chalk.
 
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If he sweats up through summer I'd start practicing now, this way you'll of both had time to get the hang of things and any mistakes will easily blend in to the summer coat, remember there's a few weeks between a bad clip and a good clip!

I'd start with a bib clip first, nothing too long and nothing near his face or ears, then progress with a low trace, by winter hopefully you'll get a decent clip ready for the season.
 
MrsD123 said:
To get him used to the clippers you use the advance and retreat method, keeping the clippers switched on until he stops making a fuss, starting well away from his body and getting nearer and nearer. Don't clip in his stable as he will feel under pressure, do it outside and that helps with light as well.
I use the exercise blanket to make sure the sides are even, and the first clip is a minimum which is face [he is mega itchy], windpipe, between legs and down inside of legs to knees, belly, then inside hind almost to hocks, and up inside back legs to tail, this will not be noticed but makes a difference to sweatiness. Also I can turn him out with a light rug or no rug without fear of chill.
I would clip again a few days before the meet, doing a trace clip if he is out every day in winter a trace is best, and no need to clip top half of face again.
Shampoo the day before, stick a couple of tampax in the ears, and give him 4 ml of Sedolin if he is still being difficult. some people twitch, but I have never found this makes things better the next time.
Re lines, you can use a chalked string, rub cotton twine with chalk, then use two helpers to hold it along the clip line, you stand back and tell them when it is high enough, if you ping the line the chalk will leave a white mark along the coat, you may need to emphasise th line with the chalk.
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Thanks, we have done all the ground work with the handheld clippers he is happy to have them all over his body, and have also put the wired ones on him, he won't be twitched to be clipped, we will carry on as we are until hes dreaming about clippers.

thanks for you advice shall try that! x
 
Kenzo said:
If he sweats up through summer I'd start practicing now, this way you'll of both had time to get the hang of things and any mistakes will easily blend in to the summer coat, remember there's a few weeks between a bad clip and a good clip!

I'd start with a bib clip first, nothing too long and nothing near his face or ears, then progress with a low trace, by winter hopefully you'll get a decent clip ready for the season.
Click to expand...

Thats actually a very good idea!! He sweats so much he has sweat actually running down his legs!
 
My lad was ridden at least 4 days a week and was fit but sweaty as he was very hairy. So I clipped him out all year round. As soon as he started to get sweaty again I clipped him.
 
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