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Equimins Ltd Blog | Natural Horse Supplements, Supplies & Products Equimins specialises in producing natural horse supplies, products and supplements for the major areas associated with caring for a horse. All products are proudly made in the UK and excellent specification quality products are of paramount importance. Using this blog we want to share some of the knowledge we have gained through nearly 30 years of experience.

11 September 2015 ~ 0 Comments

Top tips for the perfect clip

If your horse has started to get a little wooly or you’ve noticed he’s sweating up more than you’d like when worked, you might have to reach for the clippers and give your horse a new ‘do’ sooner rather than later. Here are our top tips to help you get the perfect clip for your horse this autumn and winter.

  • Prior planning – make sure you have everything in place before you get started. Make sure your blades are sharp, that you have relevant safety equipment such as circuit breakers, that you have a haynet to keep your horse busy and that you have a rug to keep him warm after you’ve removed his hair! If you’ve got your horse in position and then realise that your clipper blades are blunt, it’s very frustrating for all concerned.
  • Get the chalk out – the chances are that you’ll be leaving some hair on your horse, so mark out with chalk the line you’re clipping to. If you’re doing a hunter clip, trace around a numnah and if you’re opting for something like a blanket clip, an exercise sheet can provide a good guide. Although the horse’s coat will grow back, your clip should last for a little while, so this step can stop your horse looking lopsided for weeks!
  • Be prepared – if you need help clipping certain areas of your horse, make sure you’ve arranged all this beforehand with a friend, don’t just rely on someone appearing at the correct moment! Equally, if your horse requires sedation to be clipped, make sure this is organised well in advance. To save yourself a few pounds, you could always see if anyone else needs their horse vaccinated or any other non-urgent veterinary work carried outClean Coat Bodywash at the same time to reduce your call out fee.
  • Clean coat – clipping does blunt the clipper blades, but what blunts them even faster is a greasy coat. Using a
    pre-clip degreaser like Clean Coat can be a great solution as can brushing your horse with a body brush for weeks beforehand.
  • Be safe – even if your horse is normally saintly with clippers, if he gets caught with the blades, they get too hot or he’s just had a change of heart, it’s important to stay safe. Use circuit breakers, remove water buckets, wear sturdy shoes and also wear a riding hat.
  • Keep checking – if your clip has started to look a bit chewed, check that the blades are still sharp and don’t need changing. If your horse has started to fidget, make sure that the blades haven’t become too hot and are causing him discomfort. Keeping an eye on everything like this can help to produce a quality clip without the horse losing patience!

 

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