Horse Clippers

How do I clip my horse correctly?

First of all, you need a quiet place and a horse that is standing still. It may be advisable to let the horse work off excess energy before clipping so that it does not fidget. Remember, however, that the horse must not be sweaty or dirty before clipping. A filled hay net can be helpful to calm the horse down.
Set the clippers at a 30-degree angle and clip in long, even strokes against the direction of the coat. To make the clipping pattern uniform, allow the clipping tracks to overlap. Start by clipping the less sensitive areas of the horse, i.e. the croup, rump and neck. Finally, use a narrower clipper for the more delicate areas of the body, such as the legs and head. The other way around is for nervous horses that have been lightly sedated: As long as the sedation lasts, start with the sensitive parts of the body where the horse needs to stay still. See our clipping pattern guide for step-by-step instructions on how to clip your horse correctly.

What clippers are available?

The choice of clippers should depend on how calm and how long your horse can stand still. The size of the desired clipping pattern also plays a role. The areas of the horse's body to be clipped also play a role in the decision.
For the rump, neck and croup, clippers with a wide cutting surface and long running time are suitable. You can choose between universal clippers with a cable and cordless clippers with a battery. You can find both versions in our online shop.
Clippers with a small cutting surface are particularly advisable for delicate patterns, but also on the head and legs. These are usually battery-operated so that no cable gets in the way when clipping. When buying a clipper, you should not only look at the size of the cutting blade, but also at the number of strokes. The number of strokes indicates how fast the clipper blades move. The more double strokes per minute, the faster the clipping will go. This can be a great advantage especially for large-scale clipping patterns, such as blanket or full clipping.

Which clipping is suitable for my horse?

Clipping patterns do not only have visual motives. Above all, they fulfil a function: they help the horse to dry faster in areas that sweat heavily, while the other areas of the body are kept warm and protected by remaining coat. The choice of clipping pattern depends on the horse's work, age, coat condition and husbandry. There are seven different clipping patterns:

• Full clip
• Hunter clip
• Blanket clip
• Chaser clip
• Irish clip
• Trace clip
• Bib clip

A full clip, where the horse is completely stripped of its coat, should really only be done if it is justified. For example, the horse is in full training even in winter, but develops a very thick coat. Or the horse does not lose its thick, long coat even in summer due to a metabolic disorder. With a bib clip, only the lower neck and chest are clipped, the rest of the coat is left behind. This simple clipping is particularly suitable for field-kept horses that need their remaining coat for heat insulation.
A detailed explanation of which clipping patterns are suitable for which horse and what they look like can be found in our clipping pattern guide. There you will also find clear graphics of the individual clipping patterns.
It doesn't matter whether you are looking for large or small clipping or the clipping motifs: You can buy the right clipping accessories at Kramer Equestrian. In the online shop you will find clippers, replacement blades, as well as clipper oil for maintenance and clipper templates for creative patterns.
Remember that every clipped horse should be continuously rugged, regardless of the clipping pattern. You will find suitable turnout rugs and cooling rugs in our online shop.