Apt Cavalier's Top Tips Fo Da Clips
It's that time of year again - the in-betweeny season!
One day it's mild and sunny, the next day it's cold and rainy and don't even get me started on the frosty mornings! I don't know about you but Woody's coat is very confused so he's opted for an "if in doubt, grow it out" tactic, meaning anything faster than a casual walk and he is coming home sweating buckets.
I've given in and got up early this morning so I could clip before I started work. I took his full body off but left his legs - as much as it pains me - because Woody, King of the Mud Fever, has managed to avoid the dreaded Mud Fever so far, which may be due to the hair protecting him at the moment.
As my first task of the day, I thought I would share with you my ten top clip tips (clippy tippys, clipping tippings, tips fo da clips). Enjoy:
1. Bath the day before - Woody was FILTHY, like the kind of filth when your saddle, reins and legs are covered in white grubby "stuff" at the end of every ride. So I took advantage of the sun yesterday afternoon to bath him which meant my clippers glided through his thick coat this morning. Bonus tip - my favourite shampoos are EquiXTREME and NAF purple stuff - great for the white bits!
2. Get your blades sharpened regularly - clipping is MUCH easier and will look a lot better when done with sharp blades. I usually do two full clips with mine then send them off to get sharpened. I'm sure it only costs about £9 per set so well worth it for a neater and easier clip.
3. Wear designated clipping overalls - there is nothing worse than getting itchy with all those little sharp hairs getting stuck in your clothes. The very best thing is an 80s shell suit - yes, you read correctly - as the hair will just slide off its oh-so-trendy shiny surface. I also have a boiler suit which is reserved for clipping too.
4. Make sure your clippers are clean before you start - I try to clean mine at the end of each clip so they are ready to go the next time. Take the blades off and use a little brush to get all that hair and dirt out - this will extend the lifetime of your clippers so well worth doing.
5. Choose a time when you are not in a rush - If you clip in a rush I can guarantee it's going to be the one day that your horse isn't going to be cooperative. If he's fidgeting and being a pain you'll get annoyed and it will never go well - always do it when you have plenty of time and patience.
6. Get their head and the tricky bits out the way early on - Woods is fussy with his head, the ears, in particular, so I tend to start at his shoulder and quickly work to his head and get this done before he gets bored. It saves a fight at the end when we are both getting fed up with the task!
7. Shape their legs before you get to them - If leaving the legs on, make sure you shape around the muscles at the top of the leg before you get close to that area. I tend to forget things like this and end up just willy-nilly clipping bits off that should have been left. Shaping this area early will remind you to leave well alone.
8. Stop for breaks to avoid your clippers over-heating - modern clippers may not overheat so badly but I know mine tend to get quite hot, which will be uncomfortable for woods, so, I tend to stop halfway through to let them cool. Bonus tip - this is a great time to have a coffee and a snack to power you through the next side!
9. If it's too cold to bath, a hot cloth works wonders - use a bucket of lukewarm water and a small square of towel (I rip my old ones up for this purpose) and just rub him all over to get rid of the loose hairs. Woods really enjoys this and it leaves him nice and clean too.
10. Don't put on lip balm for at least two weeks before you clip - okay two weeks is a bit dramatic but DO NOT put anything on your lips on clipping day- the hairs will get stuck and you will regret it
11. Bonus tip - we also recommend that you always wear a helmet when clipping or working with horses.
Happy clipping
Sarah and SuperCob x
