HORSE CLIPPING

Horse clipping in the Hawkesbury and surrounds. Trace clips, show clips, hunter clips, full body clips, comfort clips for Cushing horses and ear/whisker/fetlock trims.

We offer Horse clipping in the Hawkesbury and there are many reasons you may want to clip your horse. These reasons can be you are showing and your horse needs a sleek, short coat for presentation purposes. Perhaps they sweat too much when you are riding and you can’t bathe them because their coat is too long and they will never dry in the winter months. Or maybe your horse has Cushing’s disease. Cushing is when the pituitary gland of a horse is affected and they cannot shed their coat naturally, instead, it keeps growing all year round and come the summer months a long coat can impact a horse’s health in the heat. Whatever the reason, we can help!

With over ten years of clipping experience, rest assured we are giving your horse the best possible clip.

I have clipped horses heading to local, state and national shows as well as endurance, racing, pleasure and Cushing's horses and ponies.

DOES MY HORSE NEED TO BE CLEAN?

Yes! A freshly washed horse is key to a great clip! Dirty and oily coats not only blunt my blades but significantly increase the clip time as the clippers need to go over the coat in the same spots several times and work harder. Please have your horse washed the day before if possible. A clean coat also ensures a better clip job!

Focus a lot of your attention along the horse's topline, especially the rump as this is where they harbor thick and gritty dirt. If your horse's coat is extremely thick you may need to bathe them twice.

The key is generally to wash earlier in the morning and pop a rug on so their body heat dries them in the middle of winter.

If your horse is too dirty to clip, I will have to come back another day to clip for you.

DOES MY HORSE NEED SEDATION?

I don't require you have the horse sedated for a clip, however, if your horse has played up previously, or you think they may play up, please have sedation for your horse on hand or organize with your vet to be there the time I arrive to administer IV sedation.

You can also get oral sedation off of your vet to have on hand "just in case".

Generally sedated horses are quicker to clip as well so if you don't have a long time to hang around it would also be advised. Clippers are noisy and create lots of vibrations which most horses object to around their ears, muzzle, and legs.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

There are so many factors that determine the answer to this question. Cleanliness and thickness of the coat is a huge factor as well as the willingness of the animal. If a horse is playing up the entire time I am clipping and I have to stop and start continuously it dramatically lengthens the time it takes me.

Generally, a clean coat and a willing horse will take me around an hour and a half.

If your horse is playing up too much and I deem it too dangerous for myself and the handler and we cannot get it clipped I may need to come back another day when you have sedation.

TYPE OF CLIPPERS?

I use a small but very powerful type of clippers called Heiniger Sapphires. They are fully portable and run on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with roughly two hours' worth of clipping time. They are quieter than traditional large animal clippers with just as much power and fewer vibrations. I also carry a spare set of corded Andis clippers as a backup just in case I run out of battery or my clippers are damaged or broken. I also carry plenty of spare blades so I can change them if they go blunt or get too hot for your horse

WHAT PAYMENT DO YOU TAKE?

I take cash or direct deposit.

DO YOU NEED POWER?

Generally no. I have two hours of battery power to get through a clip. However, if your horse is playing up and there is no power to change over to my corded clippers, we might not be able to finish.

AFTERCARE

Once your horse is clipped, it will be very itchy! Please give him a really good groom or even better, a bath after I am finished. I also recommend a hot oil for their coat every second day for a week to help the coat settle down after clipping and add oils back into your animal's skin.
Also, ensure you have adequate rugs for them after they have been clipped to keep them warm. Generally, a doona rug will suffice and a fleece will suffice.

THERE ARE LINES?! NOW WHAT?

When your horse is clipped, you may notice light lines on his coats from the clippers. This is due to the coat being picked up, cut, and dropped back down by the clippers. Having clippers run over the haircoat can unsettle the hair follicle, especially if the blades are coated in blade oil, and it will retain the shape of the clipper blade teeth. The skin and coat need a few days to settle back down to where they were before clipping which is why a hot oil is recommended.

There is a difference between a bad clip job and a coat that needs to settle down. A bad clip job is where the blades have struggled to pick the hair up and left it behind of varying lengths.