[WhattaTroublemaker]

So I clipped for the first time today! Trouble's first too! I've NEVER clipped ANYONE before, not even a person so I was very new to the clippers. I bought a cheap set of vidal sassoon clippers from a yard sale to try out. I have three weeks before my show and I want to clip his legs up nice and neat since he's all chrome. Today was an utter failure. Trouble was a complete angel, he sniffed them out at first then went back to sleeping while I struggled around his legs with uneven lines and spotty chunks of hair. I googled it quite a bit but it did NOT come out looking like I thought it would. I got up past one pastern and I quit. He's such a forgiving little colt I was so glad. I didn't even take a picture it looked so horrid.

If we had professional grooms (is that what they're called?) I would call one in a heartbeat but no one really clips at all around here that I know. So all you clipper fanatics, what advice would you give? I'm hoping it grows back enough within three weeks and/or I learn to clip better. Am I supposed to use an attachment on my blades? The tutorials and videos I watched had no attachment, just bare blades. They're small clippers, perfect for his face and legs. I *might* go out later and snap a picture of my mess if y'all want to see. :icon_rolleyes:

 

[Foxhunter]

It sounds to me as if the blades are set to clipping very close. On some clippers there is an adjustment on the side that alters the depth of cut.

To use guards is never very good with horses.

If you put up pictures I might be able to make a few suggestions

 

[horselovinguy]

Vidal Sassoon clippers strike me as a human hair clipper since this product name is associated with human hair care products.
The clippers for human and horse are different as you found out.
You need horse clippers.... and blades for horse clipping.
If you are handy you might be able to blend it some with appropriate clippers for a horse clipping in the direction as the hair grows on the leg...downward.
If you are unsure, STOP and do nothing more.
3 weeks might just be enough time to hide the worst of the damage of chopping the hair...it is summer by me so short coats already but they still grow hair .
You might get away with it...

Do you have a trainer/instructor you can call and ask for help?
Do you take lessons at a barn?
They might be able to help you out...

In the meantime I would not ever use those clippers again till you learn how to clip and when you have "horse" appropriate clippers for the sake of your horse.

Best of luck....

 

[Zexious]

I always pay to have my horse clipped for the show season, if more a little cleanup needs done xD Definitely consider contacting a trainer--they will likely know someone who will clip for you.

 

[WhattaTroublemaker]

Id prefer not to pay for someone to clip if I can do it myself as I lost my job recently, that's why I bought human clippers for ten bucks. Just to try it out and not waste my money on 100$ horse clippers. Thanks.

 

[SEAmom]

I strongly advise against using human hair clippers. The reason pet/horse clippers are marketed as such is because they are generally more rugged, better quality than their human hair counterparts, and the blades offer much more length adjustment than their human hair counterparts. The above poster who said to avoid guards on the clippers was also correct. Those aren't really meant for pet/horse applications.

My advice for you since you have a show coming up is to put the clippers away and wait until the end of the show season. Keep an eye out on FB horse product sale groups, ebay, craigslist, etc. At the end of the season is when most people around here get rid of things like clippers. Either they're upgrading to do their winter clipping, or are done clipping until next year when spring hair is coming in and will upgrade then. There are plenty of good clipper (and blade) sales going over the next few months, too, so keep an eye out for those.

For body clipping (anything other than surgical clipping or the more detailed face clipping), I suggest using a 10 blade. MAYBE a 15 blade if there's a great deal and you want a little closer cut around certain areas, like the backs of the ears or around the top of the hoof line. I don't suggest getting a 30 or 40 blade unless you are very experienced with them and have a specific purpose in mind, want something on hand in case you need to clip an area for the vet, or will be doing the more detailed face clipping.

Until you get a new set of pet/horse clippers, I recommend just leaving things as they are or finding someone at the show who has some extra time or will let you borrow their stuff. That's just my own opinion, though.

 

[boots]

I've done cleaning up horses on a budget.

3 kids and ranch hand wages when they were young and showed a bit. I discovered that no clipping was much better than botched clipping.

At three weeks out, I wouldn't clip any more. One week before the show, I would very carefully trim the fetlocks, muzzle, ears (NOT short, just even with the outside), wild tail hairs, and a small bridle path with scissors.

When I got into grooming professionally, my clippers cost more than $300 and it seems I always have a set of blades sent off to be resharpened.

 

[Saddlebag]

Hope you also got a can of Klip Kool. It helps keep the blades clean and running cooler. Clipping a week before a show is a good plan as it gives the mistakes time to grow out some.

 

[Smilie]

Id prefer not to pay for someone to clip if I can do it myself as I lost my job recently, that's why I bought human clippers for ten bucks. Just to try it out and not waste my money on 100$ horse clippers. Thanks.

Invest in a good pair of horse clippers, as no clipping advise is going to help, if you use human hair clippers, not designed for the job
$100 bucks is cheap, unless you find a good pair of horse clippers at some tack auction

My husband started a little side business, sharpening clipper blades, thus I always 'should' have sharp blades, LOl, but we all know the story of the cobbler's children who were the last to get shoes!

 

[Zexious]

Yeah... human clippers just aren't going to be up to the job--especially $10 ones! Maybe ask around to see if you could borrow some, if you buy the owner lunch? A clip job and nice clippers will both cost you pretty well over $100.