As some of you are aware I also run a ‘stock image’ website. A place where bloggers, editors and small businesses can go to find high resolution images. It’s important to me to keep building this up so I speant some time with a local pro clipper. Getting some stock pictures of clipping but also watching them work and getting some tips for you all.

 I met Lisa’s Clipping service at a pretty yard in Meopham. Her first client of the day was a rather gorgeous chap called Todd who was a saint. The second client was a roan mare, it’s safe to say she wasn’t a fan of being clipped. Lisa and Kelly were amazingly patient with her and both horses were clipped to tip tiop condition. No scary clipper lines with these two! I speant some time asking Lisa for her pet hates and how we can make the clipping experience better for everyone involved.

Clipping: Lisa’s Pet hate

‘My biggest pet hate has to be dirty horses!!!! Having a dirty horse if it’s obvious (mud and dried sweat) or the less obvious (lots of grease or again deep seated dried sweat)
Having horses like that put real strain on the blades and in extreme cases the motor of the machine.  The blades also pull the coat, like your Mum brushing your knotty hair when you were a kid! People then also expect the best quality Clip which can be hard to produce’-Lisa

I have to agree with this! I found hot clothing the horse leading up to the clipping session removed a lot of old sweat. Hot cloth with oil with also leave a lusturous coat. I personally love the Supreme Products one. Hot clothing is quite simple. You will need two buckets of hot, not scalding, water. One will be for rinsing and one is where you can add the oil. Get a micro fibre cloth and then soak in the oil water. Rub all over the coat, stopping frequently to rinse and use some fresh ‘oil water’. Ensure your horse doesn’t get cold when doing this. Equally some old fashioned elbow grease with a brush will lift dift. Pay particular attention to the girth area and behind the ears. These get especially sweaty.

Clipping in Kent
Use trimmers to make the guidelines
Guidelines in place prior to starting

 

Check your guidelines are even with a friend

Clipping: Oil-Spray is better!

‘Spray oil is better then liquid oil! You leave less oil marks on the skin! This might be my personal preference of course, but we like to leave the best finish possible’-Lisa

Very true, in veterinary practice we always use spray oil, normally with the blades running. It’s also important to trun off the clippers and brush them clean. Hairs will clog up the clippers and you want a smooth finish.

Clipping- Babywipes

‘I always wipe the outside of clippers down between clips with a baby wipe. Including the outside of the filters to remove debris. Blocked filters lead to a hot machine!!!’- Lisa

Who doesn’t love a baby wipe. They are the staple item for our summer showing sessions and having watched Lisa at work it really is a top tip to make sure you get all those pesky lines. Also clipping in a well light area, ideally day light will help get that perfect finish. Lisa also had a huge stash of treats and had a supply in her pocket. This meant she was able to reward the horses quickly and directly after clipping a tickly or awkward area. This means the horses are having a positive experience. Something that is so important.

Tricky areas may need an assistant

Clipping- Lisa’s Business

‘Running a successful clipping business clipping around 6-7 clips a day, cleaning to the blades between clips is so hugely important to prevent cross infection from horse to horse or yard to yard.
Blades are all cleaned and sprayed with a anti bacterial spray between horses and also cleaned and oiled at the end of every day.
I also have a blades wash bath where blades particularly effected by grease are soaked and this wash also prevents rusting.
Blades are also soaked before going off to be sharpened. I hate dirty horses and I wouldn’t expect someone to sharpen to dirty blades!!!
Booking in is currently via my Facebook page message. I haven’t set up an online booking system as yet purely because of time!!!
I don’t tend to book in via my phone. Clients are given my number on the day incase if change of plan but on the whole I much prefer all booking to be done via one point only’- Lisa

 

So there you have some top tips for clipping your horse. In all honestly though I’d probably just book a pro in. These guys did a blanket clip in 35 mins for a very reasonable price.