HELP - Clipping Disaster!!

[Motherofwelshies]

Ok so I clipped my Section D over the weekend. I have never clipped before, as I usually pay someone to do it, but my husband bought me a pair of second hand liveryman clippers and I decided to give it a go. The blades were second hand but I had them sharpened. I made sure I bathed him the night before and that he was dry. I watched every bloody youtube tutorial there was and I have seen it done plenty of times previously as owned my lad for over 7 years now and he's always been clipped every winter. After I was done, I washed him down with a hot cloth and some Aloe Vera gel.

Well to say it's a disaster is an understatement there are more tram lines in his coat than Amsterdam Central, it's uneven in places where it appears random tufts of hair are longer than others. I went over my lines with the clippers and did a tidy up with my trimmers after I had finished and thought it looked ok. Not perfect by not THIS BAD.

I don't know what to do for the best now. Do I go over the lines with my trimmers again? I'm frightened I will make it worse . Do I leave it and hope it will settle in a week or two? (is it true what they say that the difference between a bad clip and a good clip is 2 weeks?) I was hoping to take him hunting this weekend but I don't see how I can turn up looking like this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (other than the obvious of leaving it to the pros in future) x

 

[Abacus]

I really think it will be fine in a couple of weeks, if not less. However if there are tufts that you have missed, I would go over them now. Do you think you might have adjusted the tension wrongly? - too loose might leave some lines and tufts. Of course, to be able to tell, we'd need photos...

 

[scats]

Give it a couple of weeks and it’ll grow and even out a bit.
Photos would be entertaining though!

 

[Gallop_Away]

Step one..... breathe and laugh, a bad clip is not the end of the world and I think many people would write this exact same post the first time they clipped a horse.

If you think it looks a bit uneven in places, go over it with your trimmers.

Also I am a firm believer in the saying that the only difference between a good clip and a bad one is 2 weeks.

Finally, please don't let this stop you from going hunting. I can assure you no one will care about a slightly dodgy clip, and you won't notice once the pony is plasterd in mud. Have fun!

 

[jnb]

Sounds like the second time I ever clipped my lovely grey show cob. I didn't realise my second set of blades were fine ones....so half cob clipped with Medium blades, the other with fine, poor boy was not only scalped but NEVER clip a grey with Fine blades.

Looked literally like a checkerboard! Let's just say he wore his exercise sheet a lot for 2 weeks! After 2 weeks it was fine.

 

[ihatework]

Sounds like the tensioning was off

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Hot oil the coat and go over the long bits again. I agree however pics are needed ? im going to clip Faran on Friday he’s getting a hot bath tomorrow to get him ready ? First big boy clip ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sounds like the tensioning was off

Yeah agree with this as well its a bit of a skill knowing when they are right.

The way I learnt was watching the staff that could clip at the riding school where I worked then have them help me have a go, literally after 2 weeks of clipping a few ponies everyday I got it.

I always start at the shoulder and do very long sweeping bits at a time then just keep going trying not to leave gaps of hair as you go, and keep the clippers with the same pressure all the time, you will always get areas of hair that grow in different directions you just go over those in the right direction to get it all off.

 

[Archangel]

I am sure it isn't as bad as you think.
This is code for... photos needed.

 

[Burnttoast]

I used to teach people to clip occasionally and the usual problem was inconsistent pressure and angle of the blades. Holding the clippers so the blades are at a slight angle (rear of the blades are not quite in contact with the horse) allows you to follow the contours of the muscles etc more closely. The pressure needs to be firm enough to maintain the blades against the skin and avoid irritating on/off contact. I also find long sweeping strokes don't always work well. The short back and forward movement you do with a hoover can stop lines. If you end up with lines anyway, you can go over them at a 45-degree angle in either direction (or both) and that usually removes any excess hair. Agree with checking tensioning and oiling sufficiently.

 

[Motherofwelshies]

Thanks everyone.

It may be the tensioning was off. I was oiling frequently but they seemed to be getting very hot, so i assumed too tight? So I slackened them off but perhaps a bit too much? Any tips on knowing when it's right?

Also seen as you've all been so kind and I'm sure you could all do with a laugh, I would love to post a photo, but I can't seem to see how I do it? My account is still not fully unlocked so I'm not sure if I'm able to post photos on here yet ?

 

[Rowreach]

Sounds like the second time I ever clipped my lovely grey show cob. I didn't realise my second set of blades were fine ones....so half cob clipped with Medium blades, the other with fine, poor boy was not only scalped but NEVER clip a grey with Fine blades.

Looked literally like a checkerboard! Let's just say he wore his exercise sheet a lot for 2 weeks! After 2 weeks it was fine.

A friend of mine clipped out her grey cob and then washed him with Blue Bag. She came out hunting on a purple pony.

OP it will be fine in a couple of weeks, but there may be a problem with your tensioning - you can get a new tensioning kit for a few quid which might help.

 

[tda]

Problem is those who can clip make it look sooo easy, all that experience.

 

[Motherofwelshies]

https://we.tl/t-cj7EauM37b

Try this x

 

[Motherofwelshies]

That photo doesn't do the awfulness that is this clip justice to be fair....

 

[Rowreach]

Problem is those who can clip make it look sooo easy, all that experience.

At one point I was clipping every day and it had to be perfect. Now I just do my own and my standards are far far lower

 

[tda]

I bought some clippers, thought I can do that...........sold them to the lady who clips ?

 

[claret09]

i would go over again with the clippers, not the trimmers - i have made that mistake - trimmers cut much closer and can make it look awful. it will grow.

 

[Red-1]

Need photos to be able to help....

 

[Roxylola]

The difference between a good clip and a bad clip is about a fortnight. It will settle down fine

 

[Indy]

A few year back I tried to clip my pony. The clippers broke down and I had only done part of his neck and shoulder, the motor had just gone (they were old). He got finished off with the sheep shears - there's bad and then there's what he looked like. Even the vet asked what had gone wrong when he came out a day or so later to do vaccinations. A couple of week later he looked blummin brilliant so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I find the difference between a good clip and a bad clip is 10 days so long as its done before December.

I would go over again. Keep the clippers even all over the horse and go over the lines are another angle. Clipping is easy. Clipping well is hard. You'll be fine to go hunting. Trust me the hunt will have seen A LOT worse!

I clip the racehorses all season and I don't always make a perfect job. In fact I very rarely do as some are too ticklish to do it properly. So you may see some of our horses with fluffy elbows, flanks or up by the ears ??

 

[Rowreach]

I clip the racehorses all season and I don't always make a perfect job. In fact I very rarely do as some are too ticklish to do it properly. So you may see some of our horses with fluffy elbows, flanks or up by the ears ??

Mine is currently sporting a lovely full clip except for one fluffy ear, it looks a bit like a plume on a soldier's hat. She's not forgiven me for inadvertently squirting her in that ear with the hosepipe when I was washing her off in the summer

 

[w1bbler]

Chill & ignore for now, once tacked up & covered in mud it won't look, so bad ?
Definitely check your tension set up, I thought I'd been sold faulty 2nd hand clippers, a £2 spring made all the difference.
If everything is working fine then keep practising, by your 3rd clip it will seem easy.

 

[SantaVera]

just clip the horse again in a few days. practice practice practice.

 

[irishdraft]

I've been clipping for years and still get lines, I do tend to use fine blades & have grey horses. I give the horse a good scrub over with a damp sponge and usually clip about 5 days before I need to go out in public. If you've got tuffs maybe the blades hadn't been sharpened that well, just go over again with clippers & definitely do not miss your day out hunting as long as the clip is functional then that's the main thing.

 

[Birker2020]

Bless you, we've all done this. I can remember making a hash of my horses tail, I cut it too short, I've never made that mistake again, you live and learn!

 

[Motherofwelshies]

I have posted a link to a photo further up the thread. Sorry for some reason admin need to approve my posts before they appear which isn't at all frustrating

 

[MereChristmas]

Don’t worry about it OP.
I have clipped my own horses for about 30 years. I am still rubbish at it. I do it for their comfort not for how they look.
I hunted for many years and no one cared at my lack of precision.

I clipped Finan on Sunday. He is grey ( white). There are tramlines everywhere, tufty bits here and there, the shape above his tail is wonky ( he kept resting a leg, I gave up) and he moved as I clipped up his mane so there is a hiccup in the line.
I cannot hold the clippers properly with one hand, they are too big for my fingers, so all clipping is done with a hoover like motion as mentioned above.
I also clip to just above the knees and hocks on a first clip and do the shaping on the second. He looks as if he’s wearing over knee socks.

Does he care? Not a jot. In fact he has gone out with a smile on his
face everyday since.
Do I care? No, he must be more comfortable now.
Do my friends care? Not at all. Did they comment? No. Some of them go out clipping for others regularly too. Their horses are smart.

Finan will look fine in a couple of weeks and later on I will do a second clip and he will look like a raggedy patchwork quilt again. ?

 

[ponynutz]

Another for photos pls!