Clipping and Trimming

 

Clipping is a yearly chore for many horse owners and it can be difficult to decide whether to buy or hire. We examine the types of clippers and trimmers on the market to help you decide where to spend your money.

 

Clipper types

 

The range of clippers available is extensive, but basically breaks down into four divisions. Small trimmers, large trimmers, full size machines and re-chargeables.

 

1. Small Trimmers

 

Mains or cordless for trimming small areas e.g. face, ears, fine leg hair or any awkward places, and are a good introduction to clipping for young or nervous horses. Some models have a lever on the side which gives blade adjustment, particularly useful for merging in the clip when used for clipping heads. Rechargeable trimmers are more popular now as they are a lot more efficient than they used to be many are more than capable of lasting an hour.

 

2. Large Trimmers

 

These midway machines have been designed for light use on fine coated ponies and horses where part clips and trimming are needed. They take a little longer to clip with, as the blades are not as wide as a full size machine. However, they are quiet and light to hold, need no tensioning and again, are good as an introduction for young or nervous animals. Some machines allow the blades to be changed for a narrower one, which then means they can be used in the same way as a small trimmer, to get in the difficult areas.

 

3. Full Size Machines

 

There are a good range of both mains, 12 volt and rechargeable, to cater for all requirements.

 

Mains clippers are divided into two groups:

 

(i) Light to medium usage

There is a good choice of clippers in this category, all made by well known manufacturers. The new generation of clippers use less power and create less noise, but produce more torque.

 

(ii) Commercial/heavy usage

These clippers have been designed with larger, more powerful motors to cope with this kind of usage and as such, are slightly heavier to hold and can be a bit noisy. Mainly used by large yards and contract clippers, some models can also be adapted for use on sheep and cattle.

 

4. Re-chargeables

 

The rechargeable clippers with no trailing wires are the safest all round machines to use, and require little maintenance as the machine is in a totally sealed unit, so no hair and dust can get in and cause damage. Models are available which can be operated either from a battery pack around the waist, or from leads off a car battery. Battery packs will give up to approximately three hours clipping time. Rechargeables are probably the quietest clippers on the market and are brilliant for nervous or young horses.

 

Added extras

 

Power breakers

 

If you are using a mains electric clipping machine you should always have a circuit breaker attached. The plug-in variety are a good option if you don’t have one permanently connected to the clipper. This really is an essential bit of kit, and anyone using a machine without one fitted is putting themselves and their horse at risk.

 

Stencils

 

Stencils can add a little interest to a plain clip and are particularly popular with leisure riders. You can make them yourself but Stencilbum manufactures a range of designs from the Superman logo to a For Sale sign that are easy to use and provide a quick, clean result. Stencils are not necessarily just for the winter clip as Ashley Filmer from Stencilbum explains: “In my view they work even better in the summer than the winter, as the coat grows out much more slowly.” Stencilbum’s stencils are certainly different. The vinyl is very sticky, so it adheres to the horse’s coat, but it is flexible to follow the shape of the horse.

 

Oils and blade wash

 

Another vital added extra is clipper oil, to oil blades before, during and after clipping.

 

Trimmers normally just require oiling across the blades. This ensures that the blades are kept well lubricated which in turn cause less stress to the motor and keeps the machine cool. It is vital that specific clipper oil is used, not WD40 or any other lubricant as these can clog the blades, causing them to overheat and possibly break.

 

Blade wash removes hair and residue build up that accumulates on cutting blades and causes friction, heat and blade wear. It comes into its own if you are clipping dirty animals.

 

Tension

 

If you notice that the blades heat up quickly whilst clipping, it is worth checking that the tension has been set correctly. All manufacturers design clippers slightly differently to their competitors, so it is no good thinking that one way of tensioning a machine is going to work for all machines. Check with the manufacturer’s guide for the correct technique for your machine. Incorrect tensioning causes a lot of frustration but can be easily resolved.

 

Servicing and safety

 

It is important that you get your clippers serviced and sharpened by professionals. This should really be done every year, especially if your clippers get a lot of use. Try to get organised and send your clippers off well before the autumn season – most companies get very busy at the beginning of the clipping season so it can take a lot longer for your clippers to be serviced.

 

When clippers are serviced they should be given the PAT safety test, which is a legal requirement for any electrical equipment that has been repaired. There should be a dated sticker on the machine to indicate the test has been carried out.

 

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