Clipping Help!

[QueenBella]

Hi everyone,

I am a complete novice at clipping but my mare has already started getting really sweaty when being ridden so I think its time to clip! For reference she's an ISH X Belgian Warmblood and doesn't get too hairy and I probably would give her either an Irish or a blanket clip.

Now I don't know what type of clippers to go for but I really like the look for the Liveryman Harmony plus ones as I will only be clipping the one horse. But then I'm wondering would I be better off spending that bit more on the Liveryman Black Beauty incase I get more horses down the line.

If there's any other clippers you would recommended please let me know!

 

[Carlosmum]

I have Lister Liberty, corded to a battery pack on the waist. 1 pony clipped 3 or 4 times over the winter.

 

[deb_l222]

Buy the best you can afford - you get what you pay for when it comes to clippers.

But...............my advice would be. If you're new to clipping, pay a professional to do the job this year, pay attention to what they're doing, then buy your own next year, if you still want to.

I always clip my own dogs but never clipped my horses myself. For the sake of a few quid, it was much less hassle to pay someone else to do it

 

[FlyingCircus]

Buy the best you can afford - you get what you pay for when it comes to clippers.

But...............my advice would be. If you're new to clipping, pay a professional to do the job this year, pay attention to what they're doing, then buy your own next year, if you still want to.

I always clip my own dogs but never clipped my horses myself. For the sake of a few quid, it was much less hassle to pay someone else to do it

This.

Although I take it one step further and never intend to clip my own horses! I just hate it. I'd rather pay £80 a time for both of mine to be clipped than buy some clippers and do it myself.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I second getting someone else to do it. It's a lot harder than it looks, takes a lot longer than you think it will take and you will have had enough by the time you've done one side, then you need to do the other side.

 

[QueenBella]

Thanks for the input everyone! I don't think phrased it right as I have clipped myself before, was a few years ago now at this stage, and I will have someone on the yard to help me but I'm more a novice as to what clippers to go for.

 

[Auslander]

What they said!
I was taught to clip properly, and supervised until such a time as I was considered competent. It baffles me when people buy clippers and go at their horses without ever having had any sort of instruction! Twenty years ago, clipped horses were mostly clipped well, with leg lines in the correct place, neat lines and no tramlines in the coat, because everyone who clipped had been taught to do it properly! Many of the clipped horses I see nowadays make me cringe as they look so dreadful!
I clip horses for other people, but also supervise people while they clip their own, if they want to learn to do it properly. I charge the sae for either option

 

[Sossigpoker]

I tried clipping mine once and he looked like he'd been attacked by a drunk Edward Scissorhands ?? never again !

 

[jnb]

I have Lister Liberty - meaty enough for my HW cob, light enough to do the whole clip without crippling myself (ageing overweight glass-backed female)
I use two sets of blades, swap them over when they get hot, saves having to stop.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Im too tight to pay someone to do it so I've always done it since I got H. We don't compete and mainly hack so I just figured the more I do it the better I'll be. My first blanket clip was wobbly but fine. Now he has Cushing's and I have plenty of rugs so the whole lot goes (or as far up the neck as I can get when he isnt sedated!!) The legs go if he is doped otherwise they have to stay.
I do suck at leg lines but I've always been able to get up to the mane (I cant stand when there's a line of hair left between the mane and neck! Though he ashamedly has one at the moment as he was being bad this time- I nearly ended up having to leave his shoulder forward on with the rest hunter clipped!!!!)

I go by the I'm not going anywhere so I'm never going to learn if I dont do it. I quite like clipping when hes doped I find it satisfying. It's probably not amazing standard but I'm not grooming for a professional so I'm not paying someone to do it for my bumbling around the countryside when I can just do it myself. I did have someone help the first time but she was there more for support. I couldn't ask yo at the time as she was.bad at clipping or id have made paid for a lesson and do it in the lesson with her guidance

I have liveryman red rocket clippers and LOVE them. The only issue is they are corded which is a pain but they're very quiet i don't think id be able to clip any of him when undoped without them plus they're nice and small in my hand I'd be worried about dropping the big thick ones

I had the standard harmony ones and HATED them i used them once and never again they didn't get through his welsh d coat and he looked terrible as I had to keep going over bits ive no knowledge of the plus- there tend to be very split views on the harmony ones on here some people love them, others like me hate them.

 

[Carrottom]

My husband clips our as I detest doing it he has got pretty good at it now but I remember one of his first efforts - his friend commented "you are supposed to give the dope to the horse" ?

 

[oldie48]

I have some very elderly Lister clippers and used to clip but now use a pro. Event pony was clipped out all year round and was a complete doddle, my old cushings horse was also a pleasure to do and I'd hack off what was needed to keep him comfortable. I had a horse that needed sedation so started using a pro who was quick and had better equipment and although later horses were OK to clip, I never went back to doing it myself. She does a superb job, is really quick, has little clippers to do the head and is a bit OCD about ensuring the horse is done perfectly. I have a bad back and would have to do it on my own. No contest!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Having just seen a picture a freelance has put up of a horse theyve clipped if you do pay someone id ask for a portfolio before choosing someone! I dont profess to be amazing but I dont charge people to clip for them! I'd say I do a fair job (unless he's being an arse in which case he sports an interesting variation of a hunter clip!) However i could only justify charging people if I was pro standard or id do for free/ very low cost if I wanted to increase my skills

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Having just seen a picture a freelance has put up of a horse theyve clipped if you do pay someone id ask for a portfolio before choosing someone! I dont profess to be amazing but I dont charge people to clip for them! I'd say I do a fair job (unless he's being an arse in which case he sports an interesting variation of a hunter clip!) However i could only justify charging people if I was pro standard or id do for free/ very low cost if I wanted to increase my skills

I only charge mates rates and only do mates horses outside of work and so long as you want it ALL off then I am game! If you want to draw me line for blanket clips etc then I can follow them but I'm not great at freehand straight lines for those types of clips. Muscle lines I can follow though.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I only charge mates rates and only do mates horses outside of work and so long as you want it ALL off then I am game! If you want to draw me line for blanket clips etc then I can follow them but I'm not great at freehand straight lines for those types of clips. Muscle lines I can follow though.

All off is definitely better I used to do blanket clips but now all comes off. I do leave half a head as I dont like clipped heads and I also dont want him suddenly realising, despite being drunk as a skunk on sedation, that that's what I'm doing and he goes round with a massive patch of fur left on his head! Sedated is the only time I'm getting more than half way up his neck. Your trick of ear plugs helped but he then refused to let me take the cotton wool out so went round with one deaf ear for a week!!! He then steadfastly refused to let me put the ear plugs in last time hence being very close to him going round with a hunter clipped body then the shoulder forward being hairy. Fortunately he then consented to it going to halfway up his neck so it looked slightly more respectable

He's being sedated for the dentist end of October so its all going bar a saddle rectangle and half a head. Can't wait! I actually like clipping as well and envy those who say they can clip lose and they fall asleep

I cant stand ears where the inside has been completely shaved. I also cringe when I see showjumpers especially where they look like they have "goggles" where the face has been clipped but round the eye hasn't been well done. That looks a real skill to do well and only those well skilled should do it!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I don't do full heads, half head. There was one at the races last season who someone had tried to clip the head off of ... goggles would have been acceptable! There were jaggy lines about 6in away from their eyes in every direction ??

I had to clip the full head off of one once. A little black horse with a big white face. The boss wanted it all off as it was very hairy and she thought he looked like a scruffy kids pony. Luckily he was good to clip as I only have heavy duty clippers, no trimmers ?? by the time I was done he really looked like a diary cow ???

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I don't do full heads, half head. There was one at the races last season who someone had tried to clip the head off of ... goggles would have been acceptable! There were jaggy lines about 6in away from their eyes in every direction ??

I had to clip the full head off of one once. A little black horse with a big white face. The boss wanted it all off as it was very hairy and she thought he looked like a scruffy kids pony. Luckily he was good to clip as I only have heavy duty clippers, no trimmers ?? by the time I was done he really looked like a diary cow ???

Aside from being worried about getting the goggle look I'd be worried about the eye when doing a full head. Yet you have to get close to them to avoid the goggles. I also like a whiskery nose which would look odd on a full clip head. Personally I think a half head is smarter. How did your boss react to the girl who did the goggles? ?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

So my liveryman harmony trimmers/ clippers did clip my very thin coated PBA. However, topaz melted then ?? literally!

The more powerful the better in my view with clippers!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Aside from being worried about getting the goggle look I'd be worried about the eye when doing a full head. Yet you have to get close to them to avoid the goggles. I also like a whiskery nose which would look odd on a full clip head. Personally I think a half head is smarter. How did your boss react to the girl who did the goggles? ?

Oh it wasn't from our yard! Good god no! I wouldn't let a horse leave the yard looking like that let alone go to the races! It was a horse from a yard in the Borders.