clipping legs

[Shipley]

My hand thankfully has recovered from the kick whilst clipping yesterday and is not broken.

I have been doing a little research into leg clipping. I dont normally clip legs but my horse is quite cobby and I have been trying to cut etc with sissors. Clipping would be the best option and neater. I do not intend to take the full legs off. Just run the clippers the wrong way down the back to shorted the hair and then clip his feathers but gonig under the fetlock. I hope that describes it ok?

I only have fine blades and having read on H&H you should use course anyone tried this?. My other option is to get some trimmer clippers ad give this a go.

What my boy keeps doing is lifting his legs tried one holding he pulls the other leg out of person holding or lifts both fronts up very cleaver. I am managing to clip more an more of his legs each time but could do with some advice he stands like a rock to clip the rest of his body and has a full clip.

thanks and sorry its long

 

[BigRed]

Yes, you ought to use coarse blades on legs and personally I think fine blades are a bit mean on any horse, you really scalp them with fine blades.

You could always try putting a twitch on him, that ought to make him stand still. I don't like using them, but often when you take it off, you still get a couple of minutes of them being completely spaced out, it ought to be enough to do his legs.

 

[Shipley]

Thanks I will try this, Never thought about a twitch not a bad idea. Have used them on other horses in the past but did not think about in as hes so good at everything else! off to see if anyone has course blades at the yard to try or I will be buying

 

[miller]

I use fine blades on legs - but my horses hair is not wiry at all - use A2 fine blades everywhere.

Have used trimmers also to do legs (often easier under fetlock area due to size) both on cobs/non heavies

would try twitch personally, have never had good resultrs with sedalin etc - maybe worth washing/conditioning legs first to 'soften' hair so it doesn't pull but IME cobbies often have a degree of dry/sore skin underneath and tend to lift leg when you go over it

 

[flyingfeet]

Sounds like you are just wanting to trim the excess hair - personally I would use a fine tail rake, as I took my boys heels and furry bits off with this. It was much quicker and tidier than scissors.

I wouldn't attempt to clip "part" of the leg, as one slip and your horse will look a bit odd!!

 

[Scottish_Miss]

I have used my small trimmers on my boys legs over the summer to great effect - both full out and clipped down the way to tidy up the worse and works fine.

I will ba taking the whole lt of next week with mains clippers and follow up again wit tidy ups in between. He does get a bit itchy around his hairiness and really likes getting the clippers on them for a strange reason - he then is much easier to keep clean and dry and to spot any mud fever before it gets a hold....................

 

[LankyDoodle]

I've had that one 'slip' with the clippers on G's legs and he now has clipped backs of the front legs

It doesn't look too bad as it's only about 3 inches wide allt he way up and from 1m+ away you can't tell, but gosh am I gutted. I did everything how I should and he just sort of moved awkwardly and bam

So now I have a horse with short back and sides on his legs