Now is a great time to clean up your horse�s coat and get it looking great for summer. A good haircut not only makes your horse look great, but also improves the quality of their coat. When cutting your horse�s coat with clippers, you may want to follow these helpful tips:
1. Make sure that you have the right size clipper for the job. If you plan on cutting the entire body, you will need to use a heavy duty clipper. If you are just planning a simple maintenance trim, you can probably use a smaller size clipper.
2. Before you get started, bathe and dry your horse, then secure your horse to a post to make sure that he won�t take off during the trim.
3. Start clipping at your horse�s jaw line and do the head area first. If your horse does not like this or is frightened by the clippers, try clipping another area or use scissors to trim the head area.
4. Trimming the whiskers is optional, but make sure to keep the whisker hair intact around the eyes.
5. Next, trim the hair around the ears that sticks out. For show horses, make sure that you follow the guidelines for your horse�s breed. If you don�t show your horse, you may want to shave a bridle path on your horse’s head to help keep the mane from getting tangled.
6. For full body clipping, there are several guidelines for clipping your horse, especially if you have a show horse. It is best, if you are new at this, to have someone show you or to follow detailed step by step instructions for a particular cut.
7. Check for your horse�s fetlocks (ankles) for ergots (soft, horny growths that are found on the point of the fetlock joints) and remove them with scissors.
8. Next, clip the fetlock�s hair short.
9. Trim any long hair that hangs over the coronet to keep the hooves looking great.
2. Before you get started, bathe and dry your horse, then secure your horse to a post to make sure that he won�t take off during the trim.
3. Start clipping at your horse�s jaw line and do the head area first. If your horse does not like this or is frightened by the clippers, try clipping another area or use scissors to trim the head area.
4. Trimming the whiskers is optional, but make sure to keep the whisker hair intact around the eyes.
5. Next, trim the hair around the ears that sticks out. For show horses, make sure that you follow the guidelines for your horse�s breed. If you don�t show your horse, you may want to shave a bridle path on your horse’s head to help keep the mane from getting tangled.
6. For full body clipping, there are several guidelines for clipping your horse, especially if you have a show horse. It is best, if you are new at this, to have someone show you or to follow detailed step by step instructions for a particular cut.
7. Check for your horse�s fetlocks (ankles) for ergots (soft, horny growths that are found on the point of the fetlock joints) and remove them with scissors.
8. Next, clip the fetlock�s hair short.
9. Trim any long hair that hangs over the coronet to keep the hooves looking great.
10. Give your horse a nice treat for being good!
