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Horse Clipping Season Guide 2024

As the weather begins to cool down from September onward, it’s time to prepare for horse clipping season. Proper clipping not only helps keep your horse comfortable but also makes post-exercise grooming easier and quicker. Below we have crafted a detailed guide to help horse owners through the full process of preparing, clipping and then post-clip maintenance of your horse’s coat to ensure and maintain their well-being throughout this clipping season.

Before you begin, ensure you have all the necessary equipment and tools. The first thing you should consider is which is the right clipper for your horses coat, as well as what type of activity your horse is going to get up to. Whether you have a working horse or are just looking to freshen up your friend’s coat, look no further.

 

In this article we plan to look at the following:
1: What Clipper is right for my Horse 
2: Preparation: What to do before clipping 
3: Coat styles for my horse
4: Post-clipping care 

What Clipper is right for my horse?

To start, you probably are going to need to have a clipper in the first place! We recommend using Lister equine clippers. With over 100 years of experience and engineering designing clippers for horses, Lister are a well established brand that are owners of a Royal Warrant which means they are able to supply of goods or services to the Royal Household. Since they are designed and manufactured in the UK, it means that any and all customer service enquiries are going to be supported with a UK based team. Lister products are built to last, able to handle tough work and cut through both thick, coarse hair as well as fine or silky coats.

Recommended Clippers and what they are used for:

Lister star

Heavy Duty Clipping: Lister Star

the Lister Star Heavy Duty Clipper is a beloved fixture in many stables. This powerful, fast and efficient clipper is ideal for professionals and enthusiasts alike. It has a slim, balanced grip for maximum comfort while you trim. The Star is lightweight so you can clip for longer, and features an intelligent tensioning system to ensure the right cutting pressure every time. Of course, you can always swap out the blade for a different one if you are thinking of changing the style of cut.

Although it is called a heavy duty clipper, the Star is equipped to handle all hair types.

Lister Eclipse

Cordless Comfort: Lister Eclipse

The Lister Eclipse is our powerful, compact cordless horse clipper.

Designed for those who want to clip without the hassle that comes with corded clippers. No hassle, just perfect clipping. Lightweight and compact, the Lister Eclipse offers hours of power and a feeling of supreme agility. It also comes with an extra battery as well as a holdall bag and our best selling Dirty Beastie shampoo in one bundle.

Medium-duty clippers can handle all coat types.

Lister Fusion

Tougher Coats: Lister Fusion

the Lister Fusion Heavy Clipper has been engineered to cope with the most challenging shearing situations. Ideal for thicker/coarse hair, it features two speeds to cut through dense coats effortlessly.

It has also been built with a unique ergonomic handle that gives you more power while trimming. It does this with a middle grip for crutching and a detailing grip for fingertip control during shearing.

This heavy-duty clipper should be used for thick, difficult hair.

Battery and Blade Maintenance:

Checking Battery Health

if your Equine clipper is cordless like the *LISTER ECLIPSE* then before you can get started, you should check the battery life.

To ensure the clipper’s battery is fully charged, double-check the battery light indicator to prevent disruptions mid-clip. otherwise you may find your horse has half a haircut.

With corded clippers however, there is no need to worry about charge, simply plug in and make sure the wires are untangled before beginning your clip.

 

 

 

Lister Eclipse Cordless Horse Clipper
Lister Clipper battery check

Oiling & Cleaning Your Blades

Regularly clean and oil the clipper blades. Oiling the blade ensures smooth operation, prevents overheating, and extends the life of the blades. It is especially useful to oil the blades if you haven’t used the clipper in a few months.

You should clean the blades with a brush and apply oil before, during, and after clipping session.

Blade Oil

Clipping Techniques:

There are various clipping styles depending on your horse’s workload, coat type, and comfort. Here’s a breakdown of the most common styles:

Trace Clip:

This style aims to remove hair from the underside of the neck, belly, and sometimes the sides. Ideal for horses in light to medium work. It’s a partial clipping style used particularly for horses that continue to be ridden during colder months.

How to:
In this style, hair is clipped along the areas where the horse typically sweats the most, such as the underside of the neck, chest, and belly, while leaving the rest of the coat intact. This helps keep the horse cooler during work while still providing some insulation against the cold.

trace clip

Blanket Clip:

Leaves hair on the horse’s back and hindquarters, providing more warmth while removing hair from the neck, shoulders, and belly. Overall, this clip balances the need for cooling with protection from the elements.

How to:
Start to clip from the underside of the neck, work your way to the entire chest, belly, and flanks,  making sure to leave the hair on the back, loins, and upper legs intact, leaving the remaining hair resembling the shape of a blanket.

Full Clip:

Removes all hair, leaving only the legs and sometimes a patch of hair on the saddle area for protection. This style is typically used for horses in heavy work throughout the winter, as it helps them stay cool during intense exercise.

How to:
Starting from the face, work your way back to the neck, down to the entire chest, hind and finish up with the underbelly and legs.

Hunter Clip:

Keeps the legs and saddle area covered while removing the rest of the body hair. This clip is popular for horses in regular, strenuous work during the winter, such as hunters and jumpers, as it helps regulate body temperature during exercise while providing extra protection to areas prone to cold and friction.

How to:
The main focus here should be on the lower body, neck, and hindquarters are clipped, leaving hair on the legs for protection and a saddle-shaped patch on the back for warmth and cushioning under the saddle.

Which Clipper Blade is right for me?

Short Cut – Fine Blade

A2F/AC Fine blades come standard with our clippers, they leave our factory having a set fitted.

A firm favourite as it gives the perfect short cut for when you want to give a full body trim, this close cutting horse clipper blade will accentuate features and provide a smart finish.

Leaving 1.4mm on hair, this blade produces a smart, clean finish, ideal for horses in heavy work.

 

Lister Fine Blade

Clipping Season Choices – Lifter & Coarse Blade

During clipping season, we recommend you to use some of our more specialised blades, either use the Lifter Blade for when a coat needs tidying but still requires a good covering of hair, it leaves 13mm of hair, giving you a longer, but cleaner coat.

We also think that the Coarse Blade is a great option for those tougher coats. The blade leaves more hair on the animal than a fine blade (2.5mm) and is ideal for general grooming.

 

lister blade

Post-Clipping Care:

After clipping, it’s essential to maintain the horse’s coat and skin, follow our guide below for the full guide on how to maintain your horse’s coat far beyond the initial groom:

 

Washing Your Horse:

Once the clipping is complete, give your horse a wash to remove any loose hair or clipper oil residues. Use a gentle horse shampoo and ensure the horse is properly dried to avoid chills.

When cleaning, make sure to use a gentle shampoo and add a conditioner afterwards. With their fresh coat,  it’s important to keep their natural oils to act as a natural protection and shine for their coat.

For easy removal of knot and tangles, ensure your horses mane and tail is clean. Wahl Shampoos and Conditioners can aid in detangling, making brushing more comfortable for yourself and your horse.

Shampoos & Conditioners
lister equine washing

Brushing their coat:

Regular brushing post-clip helps distribute natural oils and keeps the coat healthy.

To get the best out of your horse’s new coat, it is good to spread their natural oils all over their coat using grooming tools.

The best equine grooming tool for body grooming is a curry comb. The Wahl Rubber Curry has been specifically designed for easy, effective use and comfort for your horse. This short-toothed horse grooming brush is made with rubber and can be used to rub or “curry” the loose hair, dirt, debris and other particles from under your horse’s coat surface. In addition, when using in a circular motion it can stimulate the skin for healthy blood flow and the production of natural oils.

Combo Body Brush
brushing

Blanketing to keep them safe:

Depending on the clipping style and the weather, ensure your horse has an appropriate blanket to stay warm.

Blanketing your horse after grooming helps maintain cleanliness by preventing dirt and debris from settling on their coat. obviously once the weather starts to get cooler, it also keeps the horse warm, reducing the risk of chills, and sickness.

Additionally, a blanket can protect the horse’s skin and coat from environmental elements, preserving their groomed appearance longer.

equine blanket

Health and Hoof Care:

Maintaining your horse’s overall health during the colder months is vital, especially when it comes to foot health. Wet and muddy conditions can increase the risk of conditions like thrush and mud fever. Read below for a few tips on what you might want to look out for and how to pre-emptively watch out for issues.

Cleaning and inspecting their hooves:

The ideal thing to do after a full day in the muddy or wet weather is to clean your horse’s hooves daily. You can do this by Use a hoof pick to remove debris that might have gotten lodged in.

In terms of inspecting the hoof, you should regularly check your horse’s hooves for any signs of infection, such as foul odour, black discharge, or swelling.

Hoof Pick
hoof pick

Preventative care

In order to maximise the safety and make sure issues don’t arise, you can always apply hoof treatments designed to protect against moisture-related diseases. Products like anti-thrush solutions or barrier creams can help prevent bacterial and fungal growth

However, If you notice any signs of hoof disease or other health issues, consult your vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.

 

hoof treatment
By combining regular health checks with a thorough and gentle clipping routine, you can keep your horse comfortable, healthy, and looking great throughout the colder months. Using Lister clippers ensures a smooth clipping process, making it easier for you to manage your horse’s coat while also keeping their skin and hooves in top condition.

Browse Helpful Tips & Guides:

Frequently Asked Questions

The lister Sar, Eclipse & Fusion all come with the Fine Blade as standard, which gives you a 1.4mm length cut.

We suggest gradual exposure to the noise. Start by introducing your horse to the sound of the clippers without actually clipping. Turn the clippers on at a distance and slowly bring them closer over time before actually clipping them.

You can also do the same thing but introduce a treat so they associate the noise with something good.

Consider positive reinforcement: Reward your horse with treats or praise when they remain calm during clipping sessions. This can help build a positive association with the process.

Make sure to take breaks: Clip in short sessions with breaks in between to prevent overwhelming your horse.

Lister Approved Repair and Blade Sharpening Agents:

 

Searching to get your horse clipper repaired or your equine clipper blade sharpened in time for show season?

Located across the UK and Ireland, there are a number of Lister approved agents that can be found below:

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