EQUINE CLIPPINGG U I D E

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

Est. 1887

Over 125 years

of manufacturing

quality Equine, Cattle

and Sheep Clippers

and Clipper Blades.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

Est. 1887

INTRODUCTION

At Wolseley we understand that clipping a horse for the first time can be nerve-racking and even those more experienced in clipping are often apprehensive. Sowe have produced this booklet to encourage you and hopefully to answer anyquestions which you may have. In addition, our in-house experts are always onhand to answer your specific queries or to deal with any particular problems.

In choosing the type of clippers most suitable for your requirements we advisethat you talk to your retailer who will be able to guide you appropriately. In comingto your decision you should take into account how much clipping you will be doing,whether you have easy accessibility to electricity on your yard and howcomfortable the clippers are for you to handle.

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Clipperscomplete withsafety wriststrap and a4m cable

Clipper Oil

CleaningBrush

BladeBox

Double WalledMoulded Case

WHY SHOULD I CLIP MY HORSE?

As winter approaches your horse willgrow a thick coat to protect himagainst the weather and to keep himwarm and dry. This is ideal if he is notridden much, but if you want yourhorse to do more than the minimumexercise he will become hot anduncomfortable and lose conditionthrough excessive sweating. He alsoruns the risk of catching a chill if heis not fully dried off after beingridden, which can take a long timewhen he has a full coat. By clippingall, or part, of your horse’s heavywinter coat off you remove theseproblems, whilst also improving hisappearance and making him easierto keep clean.

The first clip of the season is usually done in October once your horse’s wintercoat has come through, but as his hair continues to grow during winter it may benecessary to clip him severaltimes. The last clip shouldbe done before the end ofJanuary as this is the timethat his summer coatbegins to grow, althoughsome competition horses are clipped allyear around. As clipping removes yourhorse’s natural protection against theweather, once you have clipped him youwill need to put rugs on him to keep himwarm and, depending on the type of clipyou have chosen, keep him stabled. Acold horse soon loses condition.

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CLIPPING PREPARATIONS

Clipping a horse is not only time consuming and hard work but it also can bedangerous as horses are unpredictable and even the quietest one can object tobeing clipped. However experienced you are at clipping, it is therefore alwaysadvisable, to have a helper to hold your horse and to assist you when clippingdifficult places, such as between your horse’s legs. When deciding what to wearyou should also take safety precautions such as wearing protective rubberfootwear and, especially if the horse isdifficult to clip, a hard hat.

Always make sure that the area which youuse to clip in is secure and clear so that yourhorse cannot escape if it breaks free, and you willnot trip over anything should you need to moveout of your horse’s way quickly. Good lighting isessential, so if you are not clipping outsidemake sure that your lighting is adequate.

Some horses never accept being clippedand in such cases you should consult youveterinary adviser about sedating yourhorse either orally or in extreme casesintravenously.

When getting ready to clip make surethat you are well prepared, haveplenty of time and that you haveall the necessary equipmentwhich you have checked is ingood working order.

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TYPES OF CLIP

There are numerous types of clip and the one you choose will depend on theamount of work your horse will be doing and whether you can keep him stabled.

The Full ClipThe Full Clip is generally used for horse’sin very fast work (e.g. racehorses oreventers) or to improve a horse’sappearance for showing purposes. Witha Full Clip all the horses coat is removedand consequently you will need to putthick rugs on him and keep him stabledin order to keep him warm.

The Blanket ClipThe Blanket Clip is popular for horses inmedium to hard work, or for those with avery thin coat which feel the cold more,as it provides greater warmth from thewinter elements. This clip involves takingthe entire coat off the horse except thehair on his back, hindquarters and legs.In effect keeping a ‘natural’ rug on him.Stabling and rugging - up horses withthis type of clip will be necessary.

The Hunter ClipThis is the other clip most commonlyused for horses in hard work. It providesmore protection against the cold as all thehorse’s coat is removed except a saddlepatch to prevent him getting a sore backand also his legs to protect them againstthe mud and the wet. Again horses with aHunter Clip will need to be well rugged upand stabled to keep warm.

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The Trace ClipThis clip is ideal for horses in moderatework as you can adapt the clip to theamount of exercise the horse is doing byeither giving him a low, medium or highTrace Clip. This clip consists of removingthe hair on the underside of the horse’sneck and body; the more work the horsedoes the more hair is removed. Horseswith a low Trace Clip can be kept outsideproviding that they are wearing anadequate outdoor rug.

The Bib Clip or Gullet ClipFor horses in light work that are kept ina field all year round the Bib Clip is idealas the hair is only removed from theunderside of the neck and the front of thechest. Unless the horse is a hardy nativetype an outdoor rug will be needed inbad weather.

The Chaser ClipSome horses, such as thoroughbreds,have very fine winter coats and thereforedo not sweat much even in hard work.These horses are often given a ChaserClip which involves only removing thehair from the underside of the neck andthe belly.

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EQUIPMENT

Wolseley ClippersMake sure that your Wolseley clippers are clean, oiled and running smoothly. Ifyou are using electric clippers check that the cable and plug are in good conditionand that you have sufficient power points. If you are using battery clippersmake sure that your battery is fully charged.

Wolseley Clipper BladesYou should choose the correct Wolseley clipping blades foryour horse. Medium blades are usually the best, andcheck that they are undamaged and sharp. Itis always advisable to have a spare pairof blades in case one pair gets bluntor damaged.

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Wolseley Clipper OilYou will need plenty of Wolseleyclipping oil to lubricate theblades and a cloth to wipe offthe excess oil.

Wolseley TrimmersThese maybe needed to clipyour horse’s face or trimsensitive areas such as his ears.

tensionnut

spring

clipperhead

topblade

bottomblade

bolt

Extension Lead andCircuit BreakerIf you are using electric clippers youmay need a good quality extension leaddepending on where your power supply is, but avoid trailingelectrical wires. A circuit breaker is essential.

ChalkUnless you are doing a Full Clip you will need chalk to markout your clip lines on your horse.

ClothingAs well as protective rubber footwear and a hard hat, it isalso advisable to wear an overall as irritating loose horsehair sticks to most materials. Cover or tie your hair back tostop it becoming dirtied with horse hair and, moreimportantly, getting in your eyes

RugsAdequate rugs will be needed to keep your horse warm, howmany will depend on the type of clip you choose.

Sedatives or TwitchHorses that are difficult to clip may need sedating or you may need to use atwitch, especially when clipping sensitive areas.

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Step 1Choose the type of clip which is suitable for your horse and the amount of work thathe will be doing. In coming to this decision you will also need to take into considerationwhether you have sufficient rugs and if you are going to stable him all the time or turnhim out during the day.

Step 2Prepare your clippers by oiling and correctly tensioning the clipper blades. The tensionnut will adjust how tightly the clipper blades sit together and you should consult yourWolseley Instruction Booklet for full instructions. If your blades are too loose or tootight they will not cut properly.

Step 3Do not forget to oil your clipper blades frequently, about every ten minutes, withWolseley clipping oil and brush clear the air filter in order to keep the motor and theblades cool. It is advisable to check the base of the blades regularly with the palm ofyour hand to make sure that they are not getting uncomfortably hot. If they are oil themand then turn the clippers off until they have cooled down and you can continue. Alwaysremember to place a rug on your horse as you clip him to keep him warm. A cold horsewill fidget.

Step 4

GETTING STARTED

Before you start clipping make sure that your horse is clean and dry as your clipperblades will not cut through wet hair and a dirty coat will quickly blunt your blades andput a strain on your machine. Ideally wash your horse the day before and rug him upwell to dry him off, or, thoroughly groom him. This will not only give you a better finishbut it will also make clipping your horse quicker and easier.

Once all the necessary preparations have been made you can start clipping.

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Draw out the clip lines on your horse with chalkand check that the patterns are the same oneither side. To make sure that the clip line is nothigher one side than the other measure with apiece of string taken from the centre of yourhorse’s backbone.

Illustrated is the chalk line of a blanket clip.

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Step 5However many times your horse has been clipped it is always advisable to familiarizehim with the clippers before you start clipping and it is essential to do so with a youngor nervous horse. First warn the person assisting you that you are about to startclipping and then turn the clippers on and let your horse get used to the noise. Onceyou are sure that your horse is settled approach him quietly from the shoulder and‘stroke’ the clippers along his coat without cutting any hair to get him used to the feeland vibration of the clippers.

Step 6As soon as your horse has acceptedthe clipper start, clipping him from thefront of the neck or shoulder. Clipagainst the lay of the coat in longsweeping, parallel strokes each strokeslightly overlapping the previous one.Keep the blades flat and the pressureeven to avoid cutting your horse andhaving untidy lines. When clipping‘whorls’ where the direction of the coatchanges you will need to adjust thedirection of the clippers accordingly.Take care not to clip the base of your horse’s mane when clipping the top of his neckor the top of his tail when clipping his hindquarters. Usually an inverted V is left at thetop of the tail to prevent this. To make it easier and more comfortable to fit your horse’sbridle a ‘bridle path’ is clipped out of the mane just behind the ears, this should beabout two to three fingers wide.

Folds of your horse’s skin or wrinkles are difficult to clip but if you use the palm of yourhand to stretch the skin you will be able to clip your horse without catching him withthe clipper blades.

One of the most difficult places to clipbecause of this is between your horse’sfront legs where there is a lot of looseskin which can easily be nicked. Theeasiest way to do it is to ask someoneto hold each leg forward in turn so thatthe soft folds of skin are stretched andthen use your free hand to furthersmooth the skin back. When clippingthe inside of your horse’s hind leg it isoften easier and safer to do it from theother side.

The most difficult part of a horse toclip is his head and consequentlymany people leave their horses’head unclipped or only clip thelower half up to the bridle cheekpiece line. If you decide to clip yourhorse’s head it is usually best tostart at the cheeks and workunderneath from the chin to thethroat, then do the front of the headstarting between the nostrils andfinishing at the forelock, but becareful not to clip it. You may find iteasier to clip your horse’s head if hishead collar is removed andrefastened around his neck. Beespecially careful when clippingaround your horse’s eyes. It isadvisable, if your horse will acceptit, to cup your free hand over his eyeto protect it. To clip his ears holdeach one in turn and run theclippers along the outside edge only.Occasionally for showing purposesthe insides of a horse’s ear areclipped, but it is preferable not to doso since the hair protects againstthe wind, dirt and insects.

Step 7When you have finished clipping your horse it is essential to rug him up as soon aspossible to keep him warm. Before doing so brush your horse thoroughly with a softbody brush to remove any loose hair and to check that you have not missed any areas.Some people prefer also to wash their horse or wipe him with a damp cloth to get ridof any excess grease or dirt.

Step 8When you have finished clipping brush all the hair off the clippers and clear the airfilter. Dismantle the blades and clean and oil them and also clean the clipper headthoroughly. Then store your clippers in the box provided in a dry place with the bladesunattached. At Wolseley we advise that all clippers should be serviced once a year inorder to keep them in good working order and the blades reground.

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FREQUENT CLIPPING PROBLEMS

? My blades won’t cut

• Remove them and clean them as there may be hair between the blades.

• They may be blunt and need replacing with a sharp set.

• The tension might be too slack - consult your InstructionBooklet to correctly tension.

• If there are lines showing on your horse youmay not be overlapping adequately or theremay be teeth missing from your blades.

? My clippers won’t start

• Check to see if the fusehas blown.

• Check to see if theoverload button has poppedout and needs resetting.

• Check any extension leads being used.

• Check your mains cable for any damage.

? My machine is getting too hot

• Check the tensioning of the blades - if it is too tight the blades will run hot.

• Check that the air vents are free from obstruction.

• Ensure that the blades are properly oiled with the correct type of oil.

Wolseley have an in-house

service department which

provides a quick turnaround

on blade sharpening and

clipper repair and they are

also available to answer any

queries you may have

concerning your clippers.

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For more information contact:

Stockshop (L.E.) Ltd.

Lodge Trading Estate

Broadclyst

Exeter

EX5 3BS

Email: sales@stockshop.co.uk

Tel: 01392 460077

Fax: 01392 460966

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

www.wolseleygrooming.co.uk

Est. 1887

Dealer:

Price £3.00 ECG/Lwww.wolseleygrooming.co.uk