# Please help me. Major clipping disaster.



## AnnaHalford (Mar 26, 2012)

At the risk of sounding fatalist, I'm not sure there's anything you can do to sort that out. I don't know how fast her coat grows but if you leave it alone for now, spend the time until the show desensitizing her to the clippers and teaching her to stand properly, then you might be able to re-clip her the day before the show and even her out a bit. To be honest, though, I wouldn't be very confident about it. 

What kind of show is it?


----------



## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Oh... Wow. My suggestion is to call a professional.. They may be able to smooth some out... Or let it grow for as long as possible, then get a pro out to clip/clean up a few days before the show.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Great heavens! xD

Just grin and bare it! These things happen, don't freak out  Your horse will be fine, and so will you. Not sure how to, er, fix that, but just laugh it off! xD

Oh my.. xD

Sending hugs your way :3


----------



## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Oh dear.... she looks a bit like a sheep. Have you ever clipped before? Were the blades sharp enough? The lines look as though you used clippers that were too large and possibly not sharp enough, she is clipped far too close to the skin in some areas. 

I'd swallow my pride and call a professional clipper to come in and try to tidy her up somewhat. Otherwise, stick a rug on her and hide her for a few weeks/months until she's somewhat presentable again. My gelding was clipped in May and still has his clipped coat. 
Because we're coming into summer now, I don't like your chances of this clip job growing out fully into a good summer coat.


----------



## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

I agree with Kayty and JDI. I would call a professional.

Also, did you cut her? I see a small nick on her hock, just make sure when the clippers dug in that you didn't cut her


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I'm not suprised she kicked out, perticularly after you cut her.
Your best way would be to call a proffessional, sedate her and get it all sorted out in one go.

If you ever decide to clip again, please make sure you have good quality clippers with sharp blades, that you have someone teach you to tension the blades correctly (too tight and they will blunt very quickly and get very hot, too loose and they dont clip well, I suspect your blades were not tensioned correctly), you get the horse very clean before clipping, you use long strokes and over lap them, that you keep your blades clean and well oiled and go quickly as a bored horse is a fidgity one. 

The first time I ever clipped was a mare who didnt like things on her back legs, it took me 40 mins to do a full clip on her and the only bits that looked a bit off were the bits under her belly. If you use one stroke and go as far as you can with it (so from loins up to ears, or from leg up through the shoulder and to her ears.


----------



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

It doesn't look like you went the direction of the hair all the time. Some areas look as if you went against the direction of hair growth instead of with it. I would find someone that knows how to successfully clip and have them fix what the can to even it out and than just let it grow.


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Wickednag, you should always go against the direction of the hair, it is going with the hair that prevents the blades from cutting properly


----------



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Never body clip a horse ... I leave all that to my daughter but it looks as if that blade was all over the place  with and against the hair growth.


----------



## Sahara (Jul 23, 2010)

I imagine that is what my horse would look like if my 6 year old got a hold of the clippers! LOL Too funny!


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Um, yeah, sorry, except for a complete do-over, I don't think there's much you can do to fix that. :shock:

Even though it looks pretty horrendous, it's just hair. It'll eventually grow out, and you'll have a funny story to tell people in a few years.


----------



## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

And yet another reminder as to why I don't/won't body clip! LOL


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

OMG! The good news is, in 3-4 weeks, she'll probably have grown out completely and she should be shedding out her summer coat for winter anyhow. I'm with everyone else, if you can get a pro to fix it and teach you, it would be well worth the money. If not........can you get the vet to sedate her for you? That way you could get in there and fix things without her wanting to kick. If that won't work, can someone lip chain or twitch her for you to get the kicky parts done?


----------



## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

:shock:
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

That IS the winter coat that was clipped..... NZ is just coming spring...


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Well then, since NZ is going into spring, that will all be shed out at some point.


----------



## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

.... at some point..... *smile*


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

You shouldn't really clip so close into spring but I actually think she is salvageable
get a professional out, have her sedated and then give her a really good bath
Failing that putting some extra rugs on her will encourage her to shed faster though I'm afraid you have probably clipped into her summer coat now
Oh well - could be worse, at least she still has 4 legs!!!


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Practice clipping on a dog or something smaller you can hide. When I started clipping my dog myself, because I'm cheap like that, she looked like she got caught in a lawnmower. So I put a sweater on her and called it good lol. Now 3 years later, and having to clip her monthly, I have gotten much much better. She on the other hand has gotten more impatient and more of a twit about it.

Good clippers are worth the money. Mine for my dog are already wearing out again, they get too hot to fast. And I maintain them as the instructions say.


----------



## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Well, if she was a wall, I would say use a dark stain to faux finish her and she would be FABULOUS and people would line up to have you do their wall/horse. 

All kidding aside, I have only body clipped one horse and had a blast but it wasn't with a show coming up in 4 weeks. I know that KaThim's body grew out pretty darn fast after I body clipped him this spring (he is the barn owners horse) and you couldn't tell he'd been clipped. Wait til a week before the show and get a pro out to clean him up and see what you have after that. 

It isn't the end of the world - it is hair and thank God hair grows back!


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Ok, I was going against the hair when the clippers kept stopping so the lady I was hiring the clippers from told me to go with the hair. Needless to say, this just made a big mess and the clippers still didn't work! I hired some different ones (same brand but from a different hiring place) and they worked fine!
So now I have a mess of a horse to smile at. :lol:
She is a miniature and has only just started multing so I should get away with it. I am praying she will grow her hair out super quick!!!
Thanks a lot for your help, I felt really annoyed that I had recked my horse's lovely coat but you guys have cheered me up!


----------



## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

I really couldn't tell you what to do to fix this yourself, aside from letting it grow out as much as you can.. Or enlisting some help. A few issues to keep in mind for next time (I've never completely body clipped a horse, I have body clipped _hundreds_ of dairy cattle though).. 

My biggest issue is that your horse is _dirty.. _Its hard on the clippers, for one thing and clippers can sometimes be an investment. Second, y_ou're_ clipping all over. You want to use long, sweeping motions with your clippers, against the lay of the hair. You also want to keep the clippers flat and level along the body.. Not digging in anywhere. Your blades are not sharp enough.. Get them sharpened and then learn how to adjust the tension in your blades. If your clippers are getting hot, they're probably too tight, which will dull the blades really fast. If its too loose, it won't clip well either. 

To fix up the areas you couldn't get before, I'd suggest you start desensitizing your horse to the clippers, now. Turn them on and keep them near (not on) the trouble areas until she doesn't care.. Get closer and closer and eventually hold them up against her (not actually clipping anything). Be gradual and reward her when she relaxes, shut the clippers off. 

I'd get to practicing as much as possible before the next show too.


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

I am going to give my two pennys worth and being a man of some years have had experence with one of the suggestions I am about to make. Its the polishing.

(1) apply lady veet hair removal all over except her head and mane. Keep a hose ready at all times, she will need hosing down, also some lotion to calm the skin after. That will remove all of the hair down to her skin except her mane and face area. What a great look.

(2) when she has calmed down start polishing her all over to a high sheen I do this regulary with my dome it helps to reflect the sun. 

I do feel for the horse and how it must be feeling. Imagine yourself walking out of the hair salon looking like that thinking you are ready to go on show at a party or what ever, you would want to kick to.

Please dont be insulted if a bad hair cut is all that goes wrong for you and your horse this year you are having a great year.

Token


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

soileddove said:


> I Second, y_ou're_ clipping all over. You want to _use_ *long, sweeping motions* with your clippers, against the lay of the hair.


 Really? I watched the Wahl body clipping video a while back, and it emphasized short segments of hair at a time. Color me confused!


----------



## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

Stan said:


> I do feel for the horse and how it must be feeling. Imagine yourself walking out of the hair salon looking like that thinking you are ready to go on show at a party or what ever, you would want to kick to.


:rofl: I doubt the horse cares too much now that it's over.


----------



## Legend (Nov 15, 2011)

Stan said:


> (1) apply lady veet hair removal all over except her head and mane. Keep a hose ready at all times, she will need hosing down, also some lotion to calm the skin after. That will remove all of the hair down to her skin except her mane and face area. What a great look.


Im going to hope this is some sort of joke? I mean, honestly? Is this for real?


Do _not_ put womens hair removal on your horse. 


Thankfully hair grows, give it about 3 weeks, then have a professional groomer come out and smooth out all the rough spots left. It will all be fine. It should have just enough time before the show to get to a length to be able to have someone come tidy her up. Its quite the clip job :wink:


----------



## Eira (Sep 12, 2012)

Okay so the problems I see:
1. You used short strokes with the clipper - use long sweeping strokes focusing smaller sections. For example, we start around the elbow of the horse and go up along the neck and to the jaw and then do the whole section from the jaw to the elbow before moving on. Then we move on to the midsection, and finally the hindquarters, and lastly we do the face and legs if they are being done. 
2.Your blades are either dull (most likely) or you are pushing the clippers through the hair too fast for them to keep up. You could also be using clippers that are not powerful enough to cut through your horses coat. We have some horses that can be clipped with standard clippers and others that need the higher powered clippers. Smetimes you can make due with the clippers that are not powerful by using extra blades and changing them out more frequently though honestly the higher powered ones will make it go faster which will make clipping more comfortable for you and your horse. 

As far as her kicking issue, we get our vet our to sedate any horses or ponies that we know kick durring clipping or ones we have no history on. Usually they relax after a time or two if the clipping goes well with no nicks. I also get someone to stand with them and occasionally offer a treat, and praise and pet to reassure them.

Honestly if you don't have experience I would get someone experienced to teach you as it is really easy to nick the horse and give them a bad experience and make them sour about clipping.


----------



## nikelodeon79 (Mar 3, 2008)

Legend said:


> Im going to hope this is some sort of joke? I mean, honestly? Is this for real?
> 
> 
> Do _not_ put womens hair removal on your horse.


I read it as a joke... but I also though, "Gosh, the way it's worded, someone might think they're serious and take the advice!"


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

mudpie said:


> Great heavens! xD
> 
> Just grin and bare it! These things happen, don't freak out  Your horse will be fine, and so will you. Not sure how to, er, fix that, but just laugh it off! xD
> 
> ...


 
Great advice Mudpie!!!


----------



## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Oh dear god >_<

The first time I clipped a horse, they gave me a grey horse so any uneven strokes wouldn't be seen. This is a grey horse and oh dear god >_< What happened?!

Can't blame that on the fact the horse kept moving. Thats all you, OP 

The coat will grow out eventually. Can't tell you when though. No professional can fix this.


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

Legend said:


> Im going to hope this is some sort of joke? I mean, honestly? Is this for real?
> 
> 
> Do _not_ put womens hair removal on your horse.
> ...


I'm sorry legend, I made the mistake of thinking that mature persons would read and realise my responce was a tongue in cheek reply to a not very serious situation, my mistake. You may be right in assuming the poster of the photos may actually try a lady hair removing cream on her horse, but I don't.


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your great advice. I had a professional come out to fix my horse, she said she had never seen such a mess, even when she was learning to clip!
We got it all fixed up now, we twitched her to do her teats and back legs.
Apart from the bits where I cut too close to the skin but mistake, she looks great! We even got her ears doen no problems (she is ticklish on her ears). 
I'll post some pics of the pretty clipped horse asap.
Thanks a lot everyone.


----------



## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

I am sorry, I just laughed out loud but then felt bad since you had a sincere plea for help.

When I body clip, I use a #10 blade, go against the direction that the hair grows, make sure you are spraying your blade often so it doesn't get hot as this will not only be bad for your clipper but it is also not comfortable for the horse. 
Also, making sure the horse it clean before clipping is important as the dirt will dull your blade in no time. I usually use more then one blade If I am doing a full body clip and change them off, cleaning them in between.

The whole job takes a few hours but I have no lines at all. You also need to practice holding the clipper at the same angle so you don't get any lines. You can likely fix that up some but the deep digs in the coat down to the skin will just have to grow out. I am honestly not sure how you got those exactly.

Remember to really take your time when doing the legs, face, ears etc... You do NOT want to cut them as they remember that from time to time.

I generally did this after a good work out and hose down so I had a tired horse ready to stand still and clean from the good hose down. I also tend to give a hot (warm) oil treatment after the clip to keep the coat and skin healthy. Good Luck.

Also, another little trick that seems to help some horse if they are bord or mouthy while you are doing their face, is to hang a hand towel in the nose part of the halter. They keep busy with their lips trying to nibble that and tend to hold more still. This doesn't work for all horses. 

Oh, and I do use a 15 for the chin whiskers and eye lashes or even a 40 but that is surgical so use a great deal of caution or you will get right down to the skin.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

equiniphile said:


> Really? I watched the Wahl body clipping video a while back, and it emphasized short segments of hair at a time. Color me confused!


 Have you never used Wahl clippers - thats the only way you can use them - and allow at least a week to body clip an average size horse!!!!


----------



## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Can we see updated pictures?????


----------



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Standardbred said:


> Ok, I was going against the hair when the clippers kept stopping so the lady I was hiring the clippers from told me to go with the hair. Needless to say, this just made a big mess and the clippers still didn't work! I hired some different ones (same brand but from a different hiring place) and they worked fine!
> So now I have a mess of a horse to smile at. :lol:
> She is a miniature and has only just started multing so I should get away with it. I am praying she will grow her hair out super quick!!!
> Thanks a lot for your help, I felt really annoyed that I had recked my horse's lovely coat but you guys have cheered me up!



Mini's hair grows very differently that other horses. And I know my best friend is clipping at least every two weeks and sometimes more I think. She just won Grand Champion at Mini Nationals this week in Tulsa, in a showmanship class. Yay Kelly! Anyway I know they also leave a patch of hair shaped like a v just above the tail. Optical illusion thing. Being she is a mini she will have to be totally clipped just before the show anyway... unless it is just a little open show.


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

QOS said:


> Well, if she was a wall, I would say use a dark stain to faux finish her and she would be FABULOUS and people would line up to have you do their wall/horse.
> 
> All kidding aside, I have only body clipped one horse and had a blast but it wasn't with a show coming up in 4 weeks. I know that KaThim's body grew out pretty darn fast after I body clipped him this spring (he is the barn owners horse) and you couldn't tell he'd been clipped. Wait til a week before the show and get a pro out to clean him up and see what you have after that.
> 
> It isn't the end of the world - it is hair and thank God hair grows back!


I have to disagree. Not all hair grows back. Take mine for instance. It does not matter what I do to encourage growth it is not working. I have used creams, lotions, vodo, and even gone out in the rain thinking the distilled water from the sky would help and all i got was burns from the acid rain we all now enjoy due to polution. So I have to disagree and will continue to apply sun screen to the dome and polish it to the high sheen I have developed over the years.

Cheers
I know its all about horses I own one so that qualifies me.
Stan


----------



## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

^^ certifiable ... hehe


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Hi, sorry, I have not managed to take some photos yet, I am hoping to do that this morning, my horses live down the road (I do not have land where I live) so I can only take photos when I am down there and yesterday I forgot sorry.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Stan said:


> I have to disagree. Not all hair grows back. Take mine for instance. It does not matter what I do to encourage growth it is not working. I have used creams, lotions, vodo, and even gone out in the rain thinking the distilled water from the sky would help and all i got was burns from the acid rain we all now enjoy due to polution. So I have to disagree and will continue to apply sun screen to the dome and polish it to the high sheen I have developed over the years.
> 
> Cheers
> I know its all about horses I own one so that qualifies me.
> Stan


 Are you sure thats sunscreen you're applying and not that hair remover you use on your poor horse
Hows that squirrel by the way?


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

texasgal said:


> ^^ certifiable ... hehe


 
No they would not have me, she who must tried.:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You need to get a professional in. They will be able to get the cut level and, as their coats are only just coming in, the lines might well have gone by the time your show is here.

I do not blame the pony for moving around you were obviously poking at her and not keeping the blades flat to her body.

I have only ever seen one clipped worse and that was a woman who tried to do hers with hand clippers!


----------



## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Keep reading Foxhunter:



Standardbred said:


> Thanks everyone for your great advice. I had a professional come out to fix my horse, .


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

jaydee said:


> Are you sure thats sunscreen you're applying and not that hair remover you use on your poor horse
> Hows that squirrel by the way?


The little grey pussy was on the bed again this morning, and gave me some concern. It started at my feet again and romped all the way up my body stopping on my chest an inch or two from my face. I did not dear to open my eyes fully, just in case it jumped on me. James was sitting on the window sill and growled. That probably saved me from geting ravished by the thing causing it take off. Wild thing it is. 




James is my cat. Just thought I'd clear that one up.:shock:

Cheers
Token


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Foxhunter said:


> You need to get a professional in. They will be able to get the cut level and, as their coats are only just coming in, the lines might well have gone by the time your show is here.
> 
> I do not blame the pony for moving around you were obviously poking at her and not keeping the blades flat to her body.
> 
> I have only ever seen one clipped worse and that was a woman who tried to do hers with hand clippers!


 So it seems that we two English people both believed it could be rescued - and we were right !!!!!
One of our DIY liveries tried to clip her very thick coated pony with tiny dog clippers. He looked like a poodle done really badly


----------



## CCH (Jan 23, 2011)

When I found the need to body clip, this Clipping Tips worked the best for me. Of course, this was when youtube only had a selection of videos similar to America's funniest home videos.

OP I'm glad you were able to get someone to fix it up for you. Honestly, it wasn't "that bad" It was salvageable. The best tip I have ever heard about cleaning up clipper tracks is to go over the area once more against the hair growth and then in an "X" pattern diagonal to the hair growth.

Many tips have already been given, but I'd like to add some.

A clean horse is easier to clip because their hair doesn't dull the blades as fast. Oily hair and dirt can also clog the blades which, when dull, can pull the hair, pinch the skin, or even cause cuts. If you absolutely can't bathe your horse, you can spray a section at a time with rubbing alcohol and "scrub" it with a towel. This will cause some drying out, but you're clipping off the hair anyway. Plus I find it is best to wash a horse after clipping to remove all that itchy cut hair and any clipper oil/grease that may have gotten on them. It is also a good time for some conditioner to add moisture back in.

Learning how much pressure to use and how to angle the clippers against the body can only be done with practice. I'd encourage you to keep at it! Everyone has to start somewhere, and I would guess anyone who has clipped has given at least one horse a bad haircut. I know I have.


----------



## Ellieandrose (Apr 27, 2012)

What does she look like now?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

EECK! Glad you got her all fixed up! My old trainer clipped my horse once. I was going to do it but got stuck at work so she started, I was mortified at what she had done, although I don't think it was quite this bad ;-) Luckily, I'm a dog groomer and was able to fix it up pretty good. I'd love to see pics now that she's all fixed up!


----------



## lefty (Sep 20, 2012)

if you can hose her with cold water twice a day r daily her hair will grow faster. not warm watre that will do the oposite and not help at all. this is what we do when showing cattle. the cooler you keep her the faster her hair will grow back.


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Finally! I have the photos...
This is Rosie before I clipped her:









This is Rosie after I clipped her:









And finally, this is Rosie after the professional fixed her up! There are still a few little marks where I cut too short but overall, it looks waaaaay better!

















In the second to last photo she is itching her bum so that is why she has that weird expression on her face.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Oh yeah, way better and those clipper tracks & gouges will be grown out in a few weeks.


----------



## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Very nice, I have to admit when I saw the first photos in your thread I did have to giggle at your pain. Sorry.
She looks great.


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks for your help guys, when I saw the photos I almost cried but I comforted myself with the fact that it would grow out eventually. 
Do you think she will look ok before the show? The show is on the 13th October.


----------



## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

She looks a ton better already.

(sorry, I'm with the group the busted out laughing when I saw the first pics...I'm really glad that a pro was able to salvage this for her!)


----------



## ninjahorse (Jun 7, 2010)

Make sure she doesn't ruin her tail! She looks much better. I'm glad it's all working out for you.


----------



## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

faye said:


> I'm not suprised she kicked out, perticularly after you cut her.
> Your best way would be to call a proffessional, sedate her and get it all sorted out in one go.
> 
> If you ever decide to clip again, please make sure you have good quality clippers with sharp blades, that you have someone teach you to tension the blades correctly (too tight and they will blunt very quickly and get very hot, too loose and they dont clip well, I suspect your blades were not tensioned correctly), you get the horse very clean before clipping, you use long strokes and over lap them, that you keep your blades clean and well oiled and go quickly as a bored horse is a fidgity one.


Yea, I have never shaved my horse, but I worked in a professional dog grooming shop for almost 5 yrs. I agree. Either your clippers were dull, or the horse wasnt clean enough. And clippers can leave burns, so be careful about them getting hot. The lead groomer always had two clippers so she could switch and let one cool. And they sell a solution that you can dip and run your blade in to keep it really clean too. 

But she may get enough growth that you can smooth it out before hten, but I highly doubt it... I'm sorry... You'll laugh about this later tho :lol:


----------



## MelissaAnn (Aug 26, 2011)

What a difference! She looks great! I think it will be a lot less noticeable by the time of the show!


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

It's interesting that her long coat makes her look deceptively pot bellied, yet when clipped she's streamlined. To hasten coat growth, keep her inside during the day as dark as possible. It's waning daylight hours that trigger the coat to grow. It is triggered thro the eyes.


----------



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Everyone needs to remember that minis hair grows much differently that a horses. My best friend has to clip I believe every two weeks when she is showing. These are two from her show string Your horse looks much better!!!


----------



## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Yes, she looks alot better! And by October 13th, she look loo fine!


----------



## 4everiding (Jul 3, 2012)

She looks so much better! I clip myself and my biggest fear is that he will start to get antsy and I will have to keep him out of public view until I can get a professional out.


----------



## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

equiniphile said:


> Really? I watched the Wahl body clipping video a while back, and it emphasized short segments of hair at a time. Color me confused!


I've never used short strokes.. I've never seen a professional cattle-fitter use short strokes either. I would still stay away from them.. Think of drawing a circle.. Mine usually turn out better if I do it all in one go, as opposed to only drawing small part of it. That's how I'd relate the logic.. 

To the OP; your pony looks so much better! Glad you were able to have someone out to clean her up. I think she'll be ready by the 13th, like others have said, mini's coats seem to grow really quickly. I'd practice on her in the off season.. It would be good for both of you.  Have someone watch, if possible.


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Well, we went to the show and it was hosing down with rain the whole time!!!
The poor clipped ponies were shivering (Rosie's hair has grown a little so she was not shivering as much as some of the other ponies who were clipped a few days ago)..
The rain covered up the few remaining clipper marks. 
Rosie won a second or a third ribbon in every class she entered!
So thanks for your help with my major problem which is no longer a problem.


----------



## The Northwest Cowgirl (May 16, 2012)

Good for you!!
When I saw the pics I was like :shock: Oh mother of G-d, but then I just laughed! :lol: It's good it turned out fine though, I'm happy for you!


----------



## Wolfetrap (Jan 7, 2013)

I know this post is very old...but I would LOVE to know how this went for you????? Some of those posts were rude!! I don't know if you have clipped since or if you called in a professional. But I have a few suggestions (they may have been mentioned but I didn't read every single post). If you can start with a dry, just bathed horse it really makes all the difference in the world!!!! Start in a neutral area that is not that sensitive. I start around the shoulder area. If the horse is nervous I can talk to then and watch them closely, rub their neck/withers. Keep the face of the blade parallel to their body. I know this is difficult when they're moving all over but try, this will prevent the deep clipping lines. Make sure you start with sharp, oiled, clean blades/clippers. If I ran into your problem I would take the hair down to a shorter length. It is harder to clip at a longer length. Judging by the photos you posted I would wonder what type of clippers you used. Your horse's coat is VERY long and thick!!!! I would be VERY surprised if you used actually body clipping clippers ( the huge ones), I would recommend them for a coat that thick/long. If you use a regular clipper and just got the body clipping blade, you're going to blow through a few blades (them going dull) before you're even close to being done. With a dull blade you will get more of those blade "grooves" in the coat. Clean/ oil the blades frequently and check for how hot they become, this could cause irritations and burns, which will definitely make your horse move!!! If you find that in certain areas you vaguely see those clipper marks, go over the area at a different angle. This should get rid of those marks. When you have a beautiful clip job finished  CURRY CURRY CURRY every time you groom/everyday sometimes 2x a day. I have found this helps the coat come in shiny and even, why? I have know idea!! Extra blood flow from the currying maybe. But I have clipped my horse LATE in the season and groomed/curry the "you know what" out of them and they have a GORGEOUS summer coat!!!! 
Again, sorry if I repeated any info and if you have posted the outcome (I am new to Horse Forum and sometimes have difficulty) but I would LOVE to hear how this went!!!!


----------



## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

Wolfetrap said:


> I know this post is very old...but I would LOVE to know how this went for you????? Some of those posts were rude!! I don't know if you have clipped since or if you called in a professional. But I have a few suggestions (they may have been mentioned but I didn't read every single post). If you can start with a dry, just bathed horse it really makes all the difference in the world!!!! Start in a neutral area that is not that sensitive. I start around the shoulder area. If the horse is nervous I can talk to then and watch them closely, rub their neck/withers. Keep the face of the blade parallel to their body. I know this is difficult when they're moving all over but try, this will prevent the deep clipping lines. Make sure you start with sharp, oiled, clean blades/clippers. If I ran into your problem I would take the hair down to a shorter length. It is harder to clip at a longer length. Judging by the photos you posted I would wonder what type of clippers you used. Your horse's coat is VERY long and thick!!!! I would be VERY surprised if you used actually body clipping clippers ( the huge ones), I would recommend them for a coat that thick/long. If you use a regular clipper and just got the body clipping blade, you're going to blow through a few blades (them going dull) before you're even close to being done. With a dull blade you will get more of those blade "grooves" in the coat. Clean/ oil the blades frequently and check for how hot they become, this could cause irritations and burns, which will definitely make your horse move!!! If you find that in certain areas you vaguely see those clipper marks, go over the area at a different angle. This should get rid of those marks. When you have a beautiful clip job finished  CURRY CURRY CURRY every time you groom/everyday sometimes 2x a day. I have found this helps the coat come in shiny and even, why? I have know idea!! Extra blood flow from the currying maybe. But I have clipped my horse LATE in the season and groomed/curry the "you know what" out of them and they have a GORGEOUS summer coat!!!!
> Again, sorry if I repeated any info and if you have posted the outcome (I am new to Horse Forum and sometimes have difficulty) but I would LOVE to hear how this went!!!!


how late in the year would you say it is ok to clip ??

sorry this is off topic and yes i know its an old thread too !


----------



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

gypsygirl said:


> how late in the year would you say it is ok to clip ??
> 
> sorry this is off topic and yes i know its an old thread too !


 I've always heard that clipping should be done before the winter solstice, when the days get longer.


----------



## Stan (Aug 25, 2011)

Wolfetrap said:


> I know this post is very old...but I would LOVE to know how this went for you????? Some of those posts were rude!! I don't know if you have clipped since or if you called in a professional. But I have a few suggestions (they may have been mentioned but I didn't read every single post). If you can start with a dry, just bathed horse it really makes all the difference in the world!!!! Start in a neutral area that is not that sensitive. I start around the shoulder area. If the horse is nervous I can talk to then and watch them closely, rub their neck/withers. Keep the face of the blade parallel to their body. I know this is difficult when they're moving all over but try, this will prevent the deep clipping lines. Make sure you start with sharp, oiled, clean blades/clippers. If I ran into your problem I would take the hair down to a shorter length. It is harder to clip at a longer length. Judging by the photos you posted I would wonder what type of clippers you used. Your horse's coat is VERY long and thick!!!! I would be VERY surprised if you used actually body clipping clippers ( the huge ones), I would recommend them for a coat that thick/long. If you use a regular clipper and just got the body clipping blade, you're going to blow through a few blades (them going dull) before you're even close to being done. With a dull blade you will get more of those blade "grooves" in the coat. Clean/ oil the blades frequently and check for how hot they become, this could cause irritations and burns, which will definitely make your horse move!!! If you find that in certain areas you vaguely see those clipper marks, go over the area at a different angle. This should get rid of those marks. When you have a beautiful clip job finished  CURRY CURRY CURRY every time you groom/everyday sometimes 2x a day. I have found this helps the coat come in shiny and even, why? I have know idea!! Extra blood flow from the currying maybe. But I have clipped my horse LATE in the season and groomed/curry the "you know what" out of them and they have a GORGEOUS summer coat!!!!
> Again, sorry if I repeated any info and if you have posted the outcome (I am new to Horse Forum and sometimes have difficulty) but I would LOVE to hear how this went!!!!


Did you really think some of the post were rude. I am surprised. I have noticed on this forum most do not take offence and I think that is because the responces come from people with different cultures, different countries, there for different ways of looking at things. Some can see the humour in an issue and some can't but i do not think they are being rude just looking at the issue through different eyes. Keep posting your information is usefull.


----------



## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> I've always heard that clipping should be done before the winter solstice, when the days get longer.


once i clipped in late january and the horses coat was fine, but ive always heard that december is too late to clip ! so confused lol


----------



## Wolfetrap (Jan 7, 2013)

HHMMM..I suppose you have a good point...one should not interpret tone in a typed message. But even me with New England Sarcasm still thought some of them were rude. It seemed as thought the original post was someone who really needed guidance and was very worried about the current situation they were in a the time. It's all relative, it may not seem like a big deal to some but to the person in the situation it's potentially a big deal. But I appreciate your point of view!!!!


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I've never found any truth to the stories that clipping will ruin a coat's growth.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

Wow um.... First of all I never clip dirty. I know a lot of people do but your clippers will go through a clean coat much easier. Also it looks like your clippers didn't have enough torque for hair that thick. It doesn't matter how sharp your blades are if your clippers aren't strong enough.

At this point I'm glad you called a pro. If you are like me you don't want to spend the $$ but this time it's worth it. I groom dogs for a living and the people who have tried to groom their own dogs end up being my best customers  Try again later with a clean horse and NOT right before a show. She turned out pretty good in the end


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

bad clipper cuts are just like a bad hair cut. it all grows out. 
The only way to learn it , is to do it, but not during show season. Hope you have fun showing.


----------



## MustangWoman (Feb 2, 2013)

Oh goodness. Ok, You had a good idea to start with! Why call a professional, when you have th equipment to do it yourself?! Just remember, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. We all have to start out being terrible, to get better. First, make sure she is secure, someone either holding her or she's in a washrack (or something of that nature, where she has nowhere to move around and you can stand outside the metal bars in a safe area since she likes to kick), always start at the neck and shave in the direction of the hair growth in no more than 8 inch strips. Then when you go to do your next strip, slightly overlap your first. Work from the neck all the way back, and alwayshold your clippers at the same angle. Did you end up fixing this yourself? I'm sure it turned out better than the first attempt. 
My biggest recommendation is to train the kick out of her. Get her use to her whole body being vigorously rubbed down. Do it every day! This will help her feel safe while being clipped, and keep you safe. Good luck!!!


----------



## averyhmko (Feb 4, 2013)

Agree. Definitely call a professional


----------



## Standardbred (Dec 21, 2011)

Ok, I bathed her before I started clipping and normally for grooming she stands still and lets me groom her everywhere!!! I used heavy duty horse clippers. I think her problem was that the clippers I hired had an electrical fault and would not cut her hair properly (I later hired a different pair, same brand and they worked fine) so it pulled her hair which made her move around which made me make a mess of her clip and accidentally cut her in a few places/rip off old scabs which made her kick out so everything made everything worse. I took her to the show and she was contesting with 6-18 other horses (mostly around 12 others) and she placed either second or third in every class!!!!!!!!
So I was very proud of her.  Also, when the professional clipped her, we twitched her and she was perfect.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think it's as bad as everyone is reacting. I'd run the clippers over the long tufts that you missed and then slap a blanket on her. In two weeks it will look MUCH better.


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

standardbred, sounds less like an elcetrical fault and more like incorrectly tensioned and blunt blades.


----------

