Preparation and aftercare
Before & After Your Clip
Good preparation makes a clip look sharper, last longer and keep your horse calmer. This is what to do in the days before, on the day, and in the first few days afterwards.
Before the visit: a clean, dry coat
A clean, completely dry coat is the difference between a sharp, even clip and a patchy one. Clippers will not cut through mud, and damp hair drags, blunts blades and leaves lines that cannot be fixed until the coat grows back.
For a bigger clip, bath your horse the day before and keep them in overnight so the coat is properly dry. For a small bib or Irish clip, a thorough groom is usually enough — but the coat still needs to be dry to the skin, not just on top.
Please do not apply coat shine, detangler, dry shampoo or any other product before clipping. Silicone-based products make the clippers slip and are difficult to get out of the blades.
On the day: a safe, well-lit space
We need a dry, level, well-lit area where your horse can stand quietly — a stable, a barn or a sheltered yard out of the wind and rain. Loose hair goes everywhere, so somewhere that is easy to sweep afterwards is a bonus.
Non-slip footing matters, especially for older horses. Tie up somewhere safe, or have a calm person hold your horse if they are young or dislike being tied. A haynet helps many horses settle.
Please mention before the visit whether there is power at the yard. That decides which clippers are used, and it is far easier to sort out in advance than on the morning.
What to talk through beforehand
Tell us how much work your horse is doing, how long they spend turned out, whether they are stabled and what rugs you already own. That combination decides which clip makes sense — not the picture you liked best online.
Mention any skin conditions, sweet itch, old scars, sore patches, lumps or areas your horse hates being touched. Clippers over a sore spot is a quick way to lose a horse’s confidence.
If your horse has been clipped before, say how it went. If they have not, say that too — a first clip is planned differently, and often done in shorter spells.
Handling and safety
A calm, quiet handler makes the biggest difference. Stand to the side, keep the lead rope sensible and avoid sudden movements or loud conversations near the horse’s head while the clippers are running.
Horses are given time to see and hear the clippers before anything starts. Work usually begins somewhere they are comfortable, such as the shoulder, and moves on when they are settled.
If your horse becomes genuinely distressed, we stop. A part-finished clip is always preferable to an accident, and it can be finished another day.
Hygiene and equipment
Blades and clippers are cleaned and disinfected between horses, because skin infections such as ringworm can travel on shared equipment. If your horse has, or has recently had, a skin problem, tell us before the visit — it may be worth waiting until your vet is happy.
Sharp blades matter for welfare as well as appearance: blunt blades pull the hair and heat up, which is uncomfortable and leaves an uneven finish.
Straight after the clip
Wipe over the coat with a hot, damp cloth to lift the loose hair that always stays behind. A body brush alone tends to push it further into the coat.
Rug up if the weather calls for it, and check your horse again an hour or two later. Some horses feel the cold sharply straight after a clip, particularly on a windy day.
Clipped skin is more exposed, so keep an eye on the legs and any thin-skinned areas in wet, muddy weather.
Rugging, turnout and weather
Most clipped horses need a rug in cold or wet weather, but over-rugging is just as common a mistake as under-rugging. Slide a hand under the rug behind the withers: warm and dry is right, sweaty or cold is not.
Horses living out in a full or hunter clip need proper turnout rugs, and a neck cover if the neck is clipped out. A horse on a windy hillside will need more than one in a sheltered paddock.
Check rugs every day, especially after rain, and take them off regularly to check the skin underneath.
When to speak to your vet
This page is general guidance, not veterinary advice. Speak to your vet if your horse has a skin condition, a metabolic problem such as PPID (cushings), is losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, or if you are considering sedation for clipping.
Sedation is always a veterinary decision. Your vet will decide whether it is appropriate and prescribe or give it — we do not supply or administer sedatives.
Ready to get booked in?
Send your yard postcode, the clip you are after and how many horses there are. If you are not sure which clip suits, say so and send a photo — that is often the quickest way to a sensible answer.
Enquiries
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