Horses & Clippers

Not all horses view clippers or trimmers with delight, some in fact dread the very sight of the appliance let alone the idea of being clipped. A few horse totally go to pieces at the very sight of a clipper, let alone the sound. Others hardly turn a hair even when presented with one of the classics decibel scale climbers of which there are still a good few especially amongst the English makes.

Fortunately some of our European manufactures have given thought to the fact that not all horse are totally bomb proof, and that is no fun trying to clip a frightened horse with a bit of kit that sounds like a cross between a tractor and a spitfire.

Most folk will take around an hour to complete an average body clip, and many who do this task are ladies, so not unnaturally clippers, which are lightweight and comfortable to handle, are generally favoured. Again manufacturers are slow to cotton on to this factor and what do we get offered - handpiece's which could never be describe as comfortable for ten minutes let alone an hour or more!

One European manufacturer - the German firm - Hauptner has clearly seen the light! They have produced a real gem of a clipper to handle, (the tensioning has tripped a few folk up, although in fairness it is not at all difficult, more a matter of practice as with any machine which requires the blades tensioned)

Horse like many animals are creatures of habit. They get use to a routine and even more so if they are stabled. They can play up and mess about. They can be suspicious of new surrounding so select an area for your clipping, which your horse is comfortable with. Choose some place where it feels secure. Never attempt to clip your horse if it is not feeling well. If the horse if a bit "steamed up" see it gets plenty of exercise the day before you intend to clip to take out some of the excess spirit. Do ensure your horse is clean! A bath the night before you clip will make all the difference (not you - the horse!)

Young horses and especially those who are to be clipped for the first time may require very careful handling. A wrong move or thoughtless action by the clipping operator may have a long lasting effect. Do not under any circumstance resort to rough treatment! Loose an animal's confidence and the road to regaining it is both long and awkward.

During the operation of "actual" clipping keep your wrist flexible and relaxed. This is very important because if the animal should suddenly decide to move whilst you are in the process of clipping, hair removed from the wrong place, or worse, a cut to the horse's body may result. Always keep the face of the blade "flat" to the body. Never attempt to angle or dig into the skin with the machine. Allow the clipper to do the work and don't be in a hurry! Rushing may result in an accident!

Listen to the clipper, if the tone of the motor changes, more oil may be required. If the blades suddenly start to chatter you may be trying to go through the coat too fast. If the blades appear to refuse to cut into the hair try drawing back and re-approach the hair again but this time in a slower manner. Blades can refuse to cut for a number of reasons; often one single hair trapped between the two blades (cutter and comb) can stop the cutting action.

Always clip against the grain of the hair unless otherwise so instructed. In areas such as under the elbows where the skin is extremely thin "stretch the skin with your hand as this will make clipping both easier and far safer for the horse. If you do not, you may easily cut the surface!

During the clipping operation it is important check that the blades are not overheating. It may at times be necessary to stop and to allow blades which have become hot a chance to cool. This is also an opportunity to remove the blades and clean out any trapped hair (which may well be the cause of the overheating.) Modern appliances such as the Hauptner 2000 clipper should be able to do a continuous clip with the only regular attention being frequent oiling of the blades and the clipper head. Other machines, especially older models, may have a leaner capacity and will often need to be rested to allow “cooling” otherwise the horse will become upset by the heat or may experience a feeling of “burning”. Over tensioning can also lead to blades overheating, and should be avoided at all times.

After clipping discipline yourself to immediately cleaning both your clipper and the blades used. Not only is this a good and sensible practice, but it will over the years also save you considerable sums of money on unnecessary repairs and other bills. Having suitable cleaned and re-oiled your machine and the blade next carefully put them away in a dry and secure place.

Lastly - NEVER lend your clipper to a friend!

PEASRIDGE

Repair & service all makes of clippers and trimmers
and professionally sharpen all types of blades

Tel: 01424 882900 or E-mail info@peasridge.co.uk

Whilst every care has been take to ensure the accuracy of the information given both in the written text and pictures created, neither PEASRIDGE nor any of its staff can accept any responsibly of any type for injury or damage inflicted by or caused to persons or animals by any operator or a third party who has made reference to this web site. Owner/Operators of all such appliance should satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any statements made, and if they are unsure on any point consult the manufacturer direct.