A horse’s coat grows rapidly when the seasons change and you’ll soon be reaching for the clippers to keep your steed trimmed, looking smart and feeling comfortable.
Common problem areas when clipping a horse include choosing the right type of clip, knowing how much hair to remove, tensioning clippers correctly, getting straight and even lines, and best practice for coat care both before and after clipping.
If you are clipping a nervous horse who is scared of clippers, or being clipped for the first time, you will find this advice useful too.
Getting the right tension
The most common problem that people have with clipping is getting the right tension on their clippers.
“Incorrectly tensioned clippers leave lines in the coat and will cause the blades to overheat and become blunt much sooner,” says Paula Bryan from Clipit Grooming.
“Different clipper brands will vary slightly, so it’s important to check the manufacturer’s instructions and tension accordingly.”
Once you know your clipper’s tensioning amount, place the blades on the clipper, put the tensioning screw with spring through, and oil them.
“With most clippers, you tighten the screw all the way until it won’t tighten any more, and then loosen by one or two turns depending on the brand,” explains Paula.
“There is usually a little mark on top of the tensioning screw to help you count the rotations.
“Next, turn on the clippers and listen. If it sounds like a sewing machine, I would start clipping, but if it sounds tight and squeaky, you need to loosen them. The rule of thumb is that less tension is better than too much.”
How much hair to remove
Ask yourself what your horse is doing work-wise and whether they are living in or out.
“I always follow the rule that you should only take off what you need off. I wouldn’t recommend a full clip for a horse who is going to be living out all year round, for example,” says Paula.
“With a youngster, or horse in light work, I’d suggest a trace or bib clip. Only horses in full work need to have full clips. The welfare of your horse should come first.”
What to wear
The norm over the years has been to wear a boiler suit or painting overalls which make you very hot and sweaty underneath.
“You want a set of overalls that are lightweight, breathable, protect you from head to toe and repel your horse’s coat hair,” suggests Paula.
“A sturdy pair of footwear is ideal, and a cap or visor will prevent hair from blowing into your face.”
When to oil clipper blades
“I use Easi-Oil [it’s £9.50 and available here] to oil my blades. WD40 is a big no-no because it dries the blade out,” says Paula.
“You want the oil to stay on the blades to keep them lubricated. You cannot over-oil your blades, so every five to eight minutes I would give them a quick brush and then spray the oil on them.
“Always clean the blades after they have been used and oil them too. You should also oil them before putting them away.”
Keeping manes and tails out of the way
Paula says that the best thing to do with a tail is to bandage it.
“With manes, you can loosely plait them over one side of the neck or brush the mane over using a damp sponge,” she adds.
“It’s handy to have an assistant to help keep your horse still when you’re doing areas like the mane, because they require precision.”
Preparing a horse for clipping
It’s essential that your horse is clean.
“I would advise bathing them the day before and keeping them in overnight with a rug on so that they are clean and dry,” advises Paula.
“The clippers will glide through a clean coat much easier than a greasy coat and leave a better finish. If you can’t bath your horse, a good brush to remove any loose mud and dirt is essential as grit can blunt blades.
“Ensure your horse is thoroughly dry before clipping as the blades won’t run through a damp coat.
“Another tip is to take the horse’s rug off and let them stand without a rug on for an hour before you clip. This makes the hair stand a bit prouder and means the blades will run through the coat more easily.”
How to tell when blades need sharpening
If you have tensioned the blades correctly, but they are not driving forwards and snag in the coat, that’s when you know your blades are blunt.
“You should be able to get three to four full clips done using a fresh set of blades, but it all comes down to correct oiling and maintenance,” confirms Paula.
Stop clippers getting blocked with hair
Too much tension in the blades and a dirty, greasy coat is a recipe for hair getting stuck in the clipper blades. Ensure your horse well-groomed (or washed) before, advises Paula, so that their coat is clean and get the tensioning right on your clippers.
“Maintaining your clippers is really important too, so brush the hair off and oil frequently during clipping, every five to eight minutes,” she says.
“I use a product called Ice Care [it’s £10 and available here], which is a cooling spray that cools the blades down rapidly but also disinfects them.
“At the end of your session, take the blades apart, brush the hair out and spray them with a disinfectant.”
Clipping straight, even lines
“I was always taught that long, sweeping strokes with the clippers helps to create straight, even lines, and I still stick by that now,” says Paula.
“I use white dressmaker’s chalk and string to draw the lines before I start clipping. Keep sizing it up and looking at the lines to check they are even.
“Standing in front of and behind your horse will show you how even you are on both sides. If you are leaving a saddle pad in, you simply clip around the shape of your numnah.”
To stop a horse getting bored
Give your horse a haynet to munch while you clip or have someone stand by their head and offer treats or a bucket feed to eat.
You could also have a short break to allow your clippers to cool down and, while they do, take your horse for a quick walk to stretch their legs.
Sometimes horses can get fidgety if they are chilly, so make sure you keep a rug on the areas you aren’t clipping to prevent your horse getting cold.
How to clip a horse’s head
It’s really helpful to have someone to help you when doing the head as they can keep your horse still.
“Dog clippers are great for doing horse heads because they are much quieter, meaning horses are more likely to accept them,” says Paula. “They are also smaller, so they get around the eye sockets and ears easier.
“For horses that aren’t keen on having their head done, offer them treats or a bucket feed to help keep their head still.
“You could also consider just doing half the head. This is where you remove hair from the cheeks and the bottom of their head, but the rest stays on.
“When doing a half-head, you want to be left with a straight line from the bottom of the horse’s ear to the top of their mouth.”
Clipper care
After clipping, take the clippers apart and clean, disinfect and oil them before putting them away.
It’s also important to get your clippers serviced every year. Don’t store clippers in a damp tack room because any hair stuck in the machine will absorb dampness and cause rust.
Most clippers come with a filter for air flow (to keep them cool), which should be kept clean and clear of hair too.
After three or four years, it’s worth replacing the tensioning set on your clippers as well as the blades. Blades will need sharpening after three or four full clips.
Horse aftercare
“Go over your horse with a hot cloth that has a tiny bit of shampoo or baby oil added — this will help to loosen any final hair and grease,” advises Paula.
“It’s important, however, to make sure any clipped areas of the body aren’t rubbed too much.
“Some people leave patches of full-length hair on to help prevent rubbing, such as where the rider’s leg sits against their horse’s sides and under the saddlecloth or numnah.”
Main image © Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd
