To achieve the best clip on the day, here are a few pointers to note for pre-clip preparation between now and clipping day! - By The Horse BarberA cleaner horse makes for a crisper clip! Although it isn’t always practical and possible for horse owners to bath pre-clip, there are some things you can do to enhance the clipping experience for both your horse and clipper! And walk off with the smartest horse on the yard!When horses have dirty coats the clipping process is lengthened considerably. A common thing I hear said is ‘ I didn’t see the point in washing the fur if it is being cut off, so what does it matter?’ So alas, here is my answer; Dirt and grease build up within a horse’s coat creates a ‘resistance’ to the blade and clipper. This is sometimes minimal, if the build up is minimal. However when the grease and dirt is excessive, this hinders the equipment’s capacity and as a clipper we have to work much harder to create a flawless finish... and even then it will never be as fabulous as that of a sleek clean coat. Although I do work with a large selection of top quality equipment, I like to make their job easier, not harder. Some horses will tolerate the process of a 'dirty coat' clip no problem, however other horses can have lower tolerance levels and do not appreciate us taking any longer than is absolutely necessary to remove fur. Some horses are sensitive to the very action of blade meeting the fur and so in this case we have to work slower and more tactically to remove the fur. Sometimes dirt and grease creates a ‘snag’. If the coat was clean this ‘snag’ is eliminated and the blades cut through fur like a hot knife does butter. Not only does this speed up the process but it is also a pleasant experience for the sensitive horse. This in turn is more pleasant for handler and clipper, everybody is happy! When a coat is loaded with grease, the grease blocks the action of the blade and often can create an unsightly line – imagine if the hair dresser cut your hair when you hadn’t washed it for weeks – the cut wouldn’t be correct and true, hence why most of the time a hairdresser will wash before the cut NOTE (when using scissors, cutting wet hair is ok, as scissors cut through wet hair – Clippers DON’T. The reason clippers don’t is the action of the very cutting blade, side to side, high speed – a scissor is a one stroke motion, at the barbers leisure, so no opportunity for ‘snag’) So, pre-clipping bathing should be done a day or two prior to clip day. Now, back to those that are unable to access hot wash facilities in winter. Washing in cold water in the height of winter is nothing less than a torture method for both you and your horse! So lets discuss the next best option. Looking back at traditional horse care - we have the good old faithful dandy brush. A good firm brush for ten minutes a day over the body, paying (particular attention to the hind quarters) is more than adequate in lifting the dirt from the roof of the coat up to the surface. Yes your arms will probably ache a touch, so use a step stool to get above where you are grooming; put your shoulder weight into it as a pose to reaching up – its allll about making things easier and not harder. And this will definitely lift the grease out of a horse’s coat, enough to create a clean finish close to the root of the hair; where the clipper blade will be meeting the fur, below the surface. Often people will be under the illusion that a brush on the topcoat is adequate. But when we get down to the nitty gritty well, there’s no hiding what lays beneath! A plastic currycomb is also a key tool in coat preparation. Using the dandy and the plastic currycomb with some hefty elbow grease will suffice. Expect some arm and shoulder ache, this isn’t an easy task if left until last minute. Hence why the build up of a ten minute groom a day over the space of a week will be easier than one mammoth grooming session where it is more likely that you will tire, before the grease is removed and the job is done to perfection. There is alas one exception. This is the Shetland. You are forgiven for feeling like this is an impossible task. Some shetlands are so dense that a skin wash is almost impossible. So again, resort to a brush, this time with the curry comb. Anything is better than nothing. A spray with mane and tail conditioner may help. This is of course part of daily horse management anyway, but when a horse has been wearing a rug for a few weeks, the task becomes much greater! Think oil inside an oven closed for weeks! Yuck! And sand? Well this is a major no no. Sand particles do not back down, or ‘give’. The blade will back down first in a fight with ground stone. Hence why stone can be used to sharpen – when done correctly. It is also in the same token, detrimental when used incorrectly. As any competent blade sharpener will know well. Watch out for more hint and tips of ‘Top Tips For Top Clips’!!