Prepping to be Clipped

The foundation of a great clip is planning and preparation. Bathing, drying, keeping appointments, organization, and honesty ensure a quick, professional, and show-ring ready body clip for everyone. Please inform your clipper of first timers, biters, kickers, and just plain "I hate getting clipped"ers. 

As a professional, I make myself available for last minute phone-calls. Horse popped a coat and it shows tomorrow? No big deal. I have it covered. I do, however, expect full preparation. Cold weather does not emit the need for a full blown bubble bath - no bath; no clip! Last minute requests need to be accommodating to an "off" schedule. Your horse may get done in the middle of the night. Please be respectful of my schedule.

If your horse/pony is getting clipped, it will require a bubble bath. No exceptions. Dirt, grime, and sweat need to be completely washed away to ensure a quality and consistent body clip. Only dry horses will be clipped.

A good bath entails lathered soap on every square inch of the horse; scrubbing the haunches, back, belly, face and legs. Dirt settles in these places, making a perfect clip out of reach. If you do not do your part to prepare, your clipper and their equipment cannot do their job to fulfill your expectations as well as their own. Dirty horses will receive a "dirty horse fee".

Bathing can be difficult. Especially during the colder months. Lathering in soap, currying, and scrubbing the haunches and back (this is where outside grime settles the most) is very critical (and required). The question to ask yourself is ..."is it getting clipped?". If yes, it needs to be bathed. Ears, face, privates, butt cheeks, jowl, armpits, belly, legs; you get the point. "Lucky Braids" all purpose shampoo is wonderful for dry skin and those susceptible to skin fungus. Spritzing showsheen on wet horses allows the hair to dry quicker and "lighter", allowing for easier and more efficient clipping.

What Blade do you use?

T-10/T-84 blade.

Can you do large groups?

Yes. Max of 13 per day is preferred. 

Do you travel?

Yes. Up to 3 hours. 5+ horses required for more than 2 hours away.

Are you taking new clients?

Not actively, but will do my best to accommodate everyone.

Do you clip non-showhorses?

Absolutely! Retired horses, trail horses, and pasture ornaments get the exact same quality clip as any and all show horses. 

Body clipping has its many benefits. Horses in full work need to be clipped year-round to stay comfortable and to ensure rapid and safe "cool down". Horses grow hair according to daylight, not temperature. Come October, the days are getting shorter, but the temperature is not letting up - therefore making horses very uncomfortable and difficult to manage. 

Some horses and ponies are unable to shed their winter coat on their own or in a timely manner come spring. Body clipping allows them the comfort of dealing with warmer weather without the stress of not being able to shed their thick, hot coat. Cushings horses have this issue.

Convenience. A lot of times, horses are clipped for pure convenience. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not! Grooming, cool down, and general health is much easier to maintain and do properly when a horse is clipped. Horses should still continue to get proper grooming even though they do not have a lot of hair. Blood flow is key to a healthy happy horse!