Clipper Help Please

[aBreeze]

I'm a point and clip kinda girl when it comes to grooming the horses. I really don't have a real understanding of the blade sizes, why and where.

Scenario: I have a mare that I want to clip in early March so that I can blanket her in preparation for her first year of showing. Its still COLD here in MN so I don't want to strip her to the skin. Yet I need to keep her comfortable in a 300 gram fill blanket, neck cover, plus an additional blanket when it really drops again.

I would like to bring her in and put her under lights but its kind of a last resort.

What blade size should I use? Would one of the black, plastic thingymabobs that go over the blade help with length?

Thanks in advance!

 

[heartkranch]

For right now since its cold a 7 for the body to atleast see whats under that fur, then a 10 for the neck to see about neck sweating,

Thats what I have done so far, I don't mess with the legs since its not something you have to fit.

higher the number the shorter the hair..

 

[Sandee]

That's what the black plastic thingys do is help leave more hair but honestly, I've never seen any horse clippers that have the black things. Only ones that have those that I know of are human clippers and dog clippers. If you're doing many horses or going to body clip the whole horse you might want to look into some horse clippers. I have a feeling using the smaller clippers (dog etc.), you'll burn out the motor maybe not the first time but soon.

 

[aBreeze]

I have an Andis body clipper and a small Wahl, so that's not an issue. I've never seen the plastic things either, but then I haven't looked.

I didnt even think of doing a diff size for her body vs her neck but that makes perfect sense.

 

[heartkranch]

My andis came with the black things. first pair that did.

Good luck! I had a extra blanket on my yearling colt because he was so cold. This has been the coldest weather for us.

 

[Riverrose28]

Those black things are clipper combs and they are OK for humane hair of for simulating a scissor type cut on dogs, but impossable to use on haorse hair. I used to groom dogs and have used Andis pro clippers on my horses as well as my heavy duty clippers.

You could try doing just a trace clip, on a clean horse would work best. #7F on the back, chest & rump, leave the belly and leg hair as is. #10 on the neck for sweating, then when the weather warms you can finish your clipping with each ever blade you desire. then clip for show one to two weeks before.

 

[disneyhorse]

A #7 blade leaves a coat similar to a natural summer coat.

Most show clips are done with #10 blades or closer. The higher the number, the closer the clip. #40 is considered a surgical cut, and they do sell them as close as #50s.

Andrea

 

[ruffian]

When is your first show? We don't even think of clipping until May, with our first shows the end of May, early June. I certainly wouldn't clip in March.

If you are determined to clip in March, I would clip with a 7 or 10 at the shortest, and clip with the hair instead of against. That will leave more hair on the body.

I know that putting mares under lights early in the year will possibly bring them into season earlier, but I don't know that it will help them shed faster.

 

[aBreeze]

The first show isn't until the beginning of May, however she's been putting her head through the fence and rubbing her mane out. If its going to be suitable for May I need to get a slinky and neck cover on her asap.

I have another question, her coat has always been super fine. The clippers have a really hard time getting through the hair. Its running, but the hair isnt cutting. Iv had the blades professionally sharpened so that's not the issue. I clipped a small area on another horse to double check: it went smooth. What can I do about this? It takes twice as long to clip her as it should because I have to go small section by small section trying every which angle.

 

[ruffian]

Minis have very heavy coats. They have to be very very clean to clip well. Once it starts warming up here, we have even clipped them slightly wet, for the first clip, which helps keep the blades cool. But they have to be absolutely clean. What type of clipper do you have? Some small animal or older clippers just can't handle the mini hair. Before we built our new barn I had to bring some of the horses up to the house because the drop in voltage to the old barn, combined with my old A10 clippers just couldn't handle it.

Have you checked her for lice? PLEASE NOTE I am NOT saying anything bad about your care of your baby, but rubbing can indicate lice. I just dusted my herd because they were rubbing. I also wormed them with ivermectin which will kill lice. It stopped most of the rubbing.

 

[disneyhorse]

The first show isn't until the beginning of May, however she's been putting her head through the fence and rubbing her mane out. If its going to be suitable for May I need to get a slinky and neck cover on her asap.

I have another question, her coat has always been super fine. The clippers have a really hard time getting through the hair. Its running, but the hair isnt cutting. Iv had the blades professionally sharpened so that's not the issue. I clipped a small area on another horse to double check: it went smooth. What can I do about this? It takes twice as long to clip her as it should because I have to go small section by small section trying every which angle.

I would just put a slinky on over the winter coat and not clip, personally, if weather is an issue and you are just worried about the mane. Or, move the horse to a place where she can't put her head through the fence.

What type of clippers do you have? The type of clipper can make a big difference. Super fine hair SHOULD be easier to clip than coarse hair. However, white hair is much thicker than dark hair so if she's a pinto or something that can make it a pain. Is she clean when you clip? Dirty coats are a lot harder to clip, too.

Andrea

 

[aBreeze]

I tried covering her up with her full coat and she about rubbed the barn down. Her coat runs forward, not backward so I think the blanket on top of it rubs it the wrong way. Not to mention how fast she'll overheat. She's not rubbing her mane, but putting her head through the fence to talk to the horses on the other side. I covered the one side with wire netting to stop her from reaching for grass in the summer, but now in the winter she just wants to socialize with the big horses. I considered covering that side of the fence with wire however it would cause too many problems with snow removal.

I really have considered all my options, and I realize clipping is a last resort. Im there.

I've always given her a bath before clipping, Iv tried clipping after she was completely dry... couldnt cut the hair. Iv tried clipping her slightly damp. Couldnt cut the hair. The clippers is a big, heavy duty body style Andis brand. Its only 4 or 5 years old.

Right now Im thinking it might be easier to just start brining her in at night and putting lights on her. She has enough hair that if she lost half of it she would still be fine during the day out of the wind and wet.

 

[Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance]

The black thing's you are refering to are Snap-on combs. They snap onto the blade to created a certain length and they are only used with a #30 blade. You use them to created a 1'' cut, 3/4'' and so on. I have never seen people use them on horses, but they are used with humans and pet dogs all the time.