Your just trimming your horse before a competition and you see his bridle path could do with a quick trim up. You rummage through your tack box where you last left them, to find the clipper blade is still full of hair and the blade has gone rusty.
Horse clippers and trimmers are an expensive piece of kit, so looking after them will ensure you get disruptive clipping. Follow the few steps we've outlined here, and that expensive clipper investment will then last you years.
Always start with a clean horse All clipper blades are made from hardened steel, and one of their biggest enemies is a dirty damp coat. Always start with a clean canvas by either bathing your horse the day before or using a product like our Clipping Coat Oil.
The correct blade tensioning Always read the manufacturers instruction manual. Most people always over tighten the blade tension, so it results in overheating, lines within the coat and the sharp edge taken off quicker. To read more about tensioning of your clipper, click here
Clean as you go
Whether your using a trimmer or a big clipper, you should always clean as you go. Every couple of minutes with a clipper brush, stroke the hair away from between the teeth of the blade. Then oil the blade after brushing off the excess hair with a spray-on oil, such as Easi Oil. This is so much easier than using a droplet oil, and won't leave oil streaks within the coat.
Use a coolant If you are working on a big horse with the same clipper for over an hour, your clipper blade is sure to heat up. If the blade feels hot to touch, stop for a moment and use a product like Ice Care. This great spray will instantly cool the blades down and prevent the blades being uncomfortable on the horse.
Protect the clipper cord Clippers have come along way, with many brands now offering cordless machines. However there are still a lot of choice for corded machines, which tend to be better when delivering clipper drive. The hazard of a cord is if you or the horse steps on the clipper when in use. A frayed or damaged cord is a very dangerous and should be replaced by a qualified engineer.
Always clean after use This is the best time spent after clipping. Putting a clipper and the blade away uncleaned with hair will deteriorate both very quickly. Every so often take the clipper blades apart and clean in Blade Wash for a few hours. Dry, oil and then put them into a air tight container.
The clipper should have all the hair removed from the filter and the blade mechanism, and once a year, when you have finished clipping send it off for a service. The worse thing is to leave the clipper in a damp tack room over the summer, full with hair and expect it to work again in the summer. The hair that is contained in the machine draws in moisture and sits on the armature.
Replace old blades
In this picture you can see how these clipper blades have not been well cared for. These is some corrosion on the teeth that will result in under performance clipping. These clipper blades should be discarded and replaced instead of sharpening.
Proper storage
As outlined above the worse place to keep your clipper is in a damp tack room or in the back of your car. The best place is to keep your clipper is indoors and a temperature controlled room.
Never tightly wind the clipper cord around the handpiece, otherwise this will cause brakeage within the cord.
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