Advice on How to Care for Your Horse's Coat

In preparation for winter, horses' coats will become thicker and their finer summer coat will be shed, making way for a warmer winter coat. Between September and January we will see hair just about everywhere as it is shed from our horses' coats. So very soon, many of us will be reaching into the far-flung corner of the tack room to find the clippers we stored last year.

There are many styles of clip that can be applied to your horse's coat and the choice of clip will primarily be dependent on the type of work you require from your horse. The purpose of clipping is to prevent the horse from becoming chilled after exercise if they have worked up a sweat. Having a longer coat will mean that the sweat will stay on the horse and become cold. If the horse is clipped any sweat can easily be absorbed by a cooler rug.

The purchase of clippers should be looked upon as an investment and quality and performance should always be high on the purchasers list of requirements. If purchased second-hand this can be compromised and often they will not come with a manufacturers guarantee. There are different clippers available and your choice will be dependent on weight, noise volume, grip, requirement and size. Smaller clippers (many can often be battery-powered), can be used for trimming whiskers, whereas larger, more comprehensive clippers that run at a higher speed will be required to clip manes and tails. Trimmers should always be used around the more delicate areas, eyes, hooves, bridle path and ears.

Horses should be clipped throughout the season to prevent the coat form becoming too thick. Horses that are more nervous when being clipped should be clipped using finer blades. This can help the clip to last for longer before it needs doing again. Blades can be purchased from 1mm to 7mm coat thicknesses. Generally they will last between 5 and 10 full clips. It is recommended that a spare set of blade be available before beginning any clip to prevent having to continue clipping should the blades become too blunt mid-clip. Blunt blades should never be used as they pull the coat and are particularly inefficient.

Clippers and their blades are not an inexpensive item so should be looked after well.  If the blades become hot when clipping, cooling agents should be applied before continuing. Before putting the clippers away they should be fully cleaned and oiled in order to prolong their life.  It is important to note that WD40 should never be used as a lubricant as it can be electrically conductive. There are many ranges of specifically formulated oils designed just for clippers that should be used instead. Oil should be applied in 5minute intervals, in between the blades in order to fully lubricate the entire rotating crank mechanism. The air filters of most clippers can be soaked during cleaning then rinsed. The blades should be removed, cleaned then fully smeared in oil.

Erin is a freelance interior designer and in her free time she enjoys going out to the countryside, whilst wearing her equestrian clothing to go riding. For more information on the issues raised, visit Anything Equine.