First Time Clipping: hints and tips !!

[charleysummer]

Its my first time clipping this year, I have use of the Lister Stablemate clippers and don't want to pay for someone to clip again.

I want to do a high trace clip (which will turn in to a hunter if it goes terribly wrong!!)
I don't want to take the bum and neck off, have plently of rugs to cope with it though if it comes to it.

Any tips? on how to create a good line and avoid horrid marks/lines on the clipped area.

thanks !

 

[amage]

Draw it on in chalk first....or if your horse is grey use a water based marker! Is your horse good to clip?? Take your time and try and allow the clippers to cool down....especially before doing tickley bits like around the elbows or stifle! After you have finished do a nice hot towelling on the clipped area...makes for a great shine...even on a grey horse!

 

[Mince Pie]

Have someone with you to help with the elbow area and with lines. To avoid tramlines overlap where you clip and if you do get any clip across them - so if the tramlines are going from left to right then clip from bottom to top IYSWIM?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Have a friend ready to give you a hand without grinning or making judgement if you're like me, a bit cackhanded and get carried away with the clippers and thoroughly c0ck the whole thing up!!

Good luck!

 

[katherine1975]

Where do you live? Clippersharp in Devon are having a demo day on the 1st Oct, you can book and have a go. I did this last year and it gave me the confidence to clip my two and it didn't look too bad!

 

[Grumpy Jewel]

Keep it smaller and lower to start, my first low trace ended up being a blanket clip!! People only see one side at a time and as long as the front and back end lines are close when the horse is moving its not as obvious if lines are not even. Good luck

 

[Tnavas]

Have horse clean and dry, in a well lit area out of the wind.
I always start on the shoulder muscle as it is an easy area to clip
Make sure you have all the things you need for clipping before you start - especially a cut out switch.
To avoid tramlines make sure that you keep the clippers flat against the skin so that the length the hair is cut is constant.
Start from low down and work your way up - If you clip from high up first and work down youo will be working the clippers harder as they end up clipping hair that has fallen off the higher area.
Draw lines with lipstick or some glycerine soap, damped.
To help get sides level, pop your saddle on - no numnah and just nip the hairs at the base of the saddle flap. Then remove saddle. Cut lines with one sweeping motion - keeps them straighter.
Round the ends at the back - harder to notice if the sides aren't level.
Around elbows keep the skin stretched and clip carefully - easy to nick the skin in these areas. Have someone hold up legs stretched forward to make it easier to clip.

I use a mix of 50/50 Kerosene and engine oil to lubricate the blades and to clean them as well. Dip just the blades into the mix only as far as the adjusting screw, run for a few seconds, then allow excess to drain from blades, then wipe with a cloth. Keeps the blades cool and clean - they clip better and stay sharper longer.

 

[autumn7]

Tie tail out of the way with elastic bands or tail bandage before clipping rear end.
During clipper cooling pauses, sweep clipped hair on ground well away from horse before continuing, so have a broom handy. It's surprising how slippery underfoot a wodge of newly clipped hair can be.

 

[charleysummer]

absolutely fab advice

thankyou soo much !

will really help me, and hopefully others who have read this

 

[Cyberchick]

Also to get as even as possible lines on either side use some baler twine and measure the side you have done, stick a finger on it and then move to the other side and you will know how high to clip

 

[Polotash]

DON'T mark with anything sticky (like lipstick or glycerine), if you do end up needing to cut through that area it won't cut smoothly and you will clog the clippers. Use chalk if you have to, but personally I cut by eye and then measure with a tape measure to get both sides the same, they're usually only half an inch/ an inch out.

Ditto suggestions about cooling clippers, having emergency cut off switch and sweeping up.

Finally, cut decisively when doing the "edges" i.e. the lines over front and back legs, to get a good clean sweeping line... (i.e. don't stop halfway up to re-align) and curve your corners (if you do a blanket), i think nothing looks worse than square corners!

 

[brown tack]

Do a dettol hit wash/Newmarket scrub afterwards, it's makes them all shiney and smelling lovely plus it gets rid of the clipped off hair.

 

[Theresa_F]

One tip - I wear an old all in one waterproof motorcycle suit with a pair of rubber gloves and boots - this keeps me perfectly hair free. No more itching for days and finding bits of hair buried where you would not believe.

Also if you wear contacts, try to swap for glasses or use goggles as from experience, a bit of clipped hair being the lens is painful. I also wear a baseball hat to keep my hair and face free from tiny bits of clipped hair.

 

[GypsyGirl]

Oh this is a useful post! There was me thinking of getting a ruler .. chalk .. spiritlevel .. Give me a dog to groom and clip im fine .. first time clipping this year .. hmm might get someone else to do it for me lol!

 

[Birker2020]

All this has probably been stated already but I haven't got the energy to read all the replies.

My tips would be to use chalk, and have bailing twine with you so you can throw it over the back and therefore measure the depth of the clip from one side to the other. Make sure your clippers have sharp blades, and are well oiled. HAve everything you need before you start clipping so you don't have to keep stopping half way through. Put a bandage on the tail, and plait the mains (no need to put them up) as its easier to clip round clumps of mane than hold it back. To get lines straight you should clip cross against the hair but then neaten the lines very carefully by clipping upwards bringing the clippers out slightly away from the horses coat (very hard to explain).

I always start full of enthusiasm and half way through wish I hadn't started when I'm tired, bored and frustrated. Good luck. I have my own clippers but think I'll pay someone to clip my horse if he needs it this year as I can't bear the trauma it seems to entail. LOL.

 

[Tnavas]

DON'T mark with anything sticky (like lipstick or glycerine), if you do end up needing to cut through that area it won't cut smoothly and you will clog the clippers.

I've used this method for 40+ years and never clogged my clippers yet - I get around 25 full clips from one set of blades without needing to re sharpen - so I hardly think this would be possible if the glycerine or lipstick clogged the blades.

 

[EAST KENT]

Run your blades in a pot of blade wash frequently,it cools them ,and cleans them.Running blades full of hair clippings heats the blades and blunts them rapidly .Bath the horse first,mud blunts the blades.

 

[Shazzababs]

Remove bra before clipping, you will never get all the little hairs out of it. Also don't wear a fleece or anything the hair will stick too. A boiler suit or Johds and an old T'Shirt are best.

Also don't forget to use a circuit breaker, metal shoes and trailing cable could be a lethal combination for both of you.

When tidying up straight lines use the clippers straight towards the line and lift them as you get to it to get a nice sharp edge.

 

[TheEngineer]

I use a mix of 50/50 Kerosene and engine oil to lubricate the blades and to clean them as well. Dip just the blades into the mix only as far as the adjusting screw, run for a few seconds, then allow excess to drain from blades, then wipe with a cloth. Keeps the blades cool and clean - they clip better and stay sharper longer.

Regret to say,on the skill of clipping, or how to do it well, I am unable to advise. But, have to disagree with the above. Please dont mix anything with your oil and use an SAE 30 grade oil such as Lister R30 which is designed for clippers, by the manufacturer. By all means, when you have finished clipping, remove your blads and dip in meths or surgical spirit, dry, spray with oil and store. Never ever be tempted to "dip" the head of any clipper in any fluid, whether oil based or not. This method was a traditional method used by expert sheep shearers who would dip the head of their shearing handpiece in a barrel of kerosene and diesel, to wash the lanolin and muck from the blades. With sheep shears it was never dangerous, as the motor was four feet away up a flexible shaft, unlike your clipper, where the head is four inches away from 240 volts and sparking carbon brushes. In my humble opinion of course as an engineer.


Safe and happy clipping


The Engineer

 

[Ella19]

Before, drawing, measuring lines and clipping make sure your horse has all four feet on the floor and as square as possible!

 

[MissMay]

Try not get hair up your nose!! My trace clip ended up a hunter after a sudden sneezing incident!

 

[jvm100]

Have your rugs ready so you don't end up with a cold pony!!!!