Buying guide for best horse clipper
A neatly clipped horse looks elegant and refined in the show ring, but there are other reasons why a horse gets clipped too. In the winter, a clipped horse takes less time to cool off after a sweaty ride, which makes them less susceptible to getting chilled. Horses with clipped legs and bellies are easier to clean after cross-country or beach rides. In the summer, horses that are unable to shed their coats are more comfortable after a full body clip.
The Wahl Professional Animal Creativa Cordless Horse Clipper is a heavy-duty set of horse clippers you can take anywhere.
What are the best horse clippers to buy?
Top horse clippers
Wahl Professional Animal Creativa Cordless Horse Clipper
What you need to know: Cordless clippers are great for clipping on the go, and these are powerful enough to do the job.
What you’ll love: The adjustable blade and quiet operation mean even sensitive horses can tolerate these clippers on their body. They are lightweight, cordless and come with accessories for grooming.
What you should consider: Horses with winter coats need more power for a full-body clip.
Top horse clippers for the money
BEETRO Electric Horse Clipper
What you need to know: These horse clips have enough power to get through any type of hair.
What you’ll love: The powerful 500-watt motor made short work of full-body clips on coarse, long hair. BEETRO clippers feature six speed settings for their sharp blade and also come with a carrying case with accessories.
What you should consider: Some users found that these clippers were heavy and ran hot.
Worth checking out
Oster Clipmaster Grooming Clippers, Large Animal
What you need to know: These affordable clippers are a good middle ground between the most expensive brands and the bare-bones models.
What you’ll love: With enough power for a full-body clip and the ability to clip even the most unruly manes, these sturdy clippers are easy to use. The blade is fully adjustable and comfortable in the hand.
What you should consider: These clippers get hot after a while, and there is only one speed.
What to know before you buy horse clippers
Type of power
Horse clippers are available in either corded or cordless versions. The most expensive cordless brands pack quite a bit of power, but if you need an affordable set of clippers that can still clip a full horse, corded horse clippers might be the best option.
Consider also where you’ll use your clippers. If you frequently travel away from the barn for horse shows, you may want clippers that you can use anywhere, even when there are no outlets.
Level of work
Clippers come in three main types: light, medium and heavy-duty. This defines not only the sturdiness of the clippers themselves but also the type of clipping they can handle. Lightweight clippers might be best for fine-trim work around your horse’s ears and coronet, but heavy-duty clippers are definitely necessary for clipping a shaggy horse. Medium-duty horse clippers fall somewhere in the middle and can handle both full-body clips completed a little at a time and fine-trim work.
Noise level
Most horses can be trained to stand patiently for clipping, but some horses are more sensitive than others. If you have an extra-sensitive horse who struggles with staying still, you might want to consider buying a whisper-quiet set of horse clippers to help them feel more comfortable.
What to look for in quality horse clippers
Rechargeable batteries
Cordless clippers can really go through batteries. If you need the flexibility that cordless clippers allow but don’t want to blow your budget on batteries, look for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. These will last longer and cost less in the long run, as you won’t need to continue purchasing additional batteries.
Multiple speeds
Sure, one speed will get the job done, but for complicated clips, such as creating designs or for sensitive areas of the body, the ability to slow down and speed up really helps. Horse clippers with multiple speeds are a great tool to have in the grooming box.
Accessories
At a minimum, your horse clippers should include a blade brush for cleaning out stray hairs. Many clippers come with more than that though. Look for horse clippers that come with accessories like different blades for designs, hard-sided carrying cases, combs and clipper oil, too.
How much you can expect to spend on horse clippers
Horse clippers can get rather pricey, but there are affordable options available. Expect to spend between $90-$300 for horse clippers.
FAQ
How do you clip a horse?
A. Every good clip starts with a totally clean horse. Dirt will dull your clipper blades and make your job harder than it needs to be. Make sure your horse is desensitized to the sound of the clippers before you begin.
Oil your clipper blades first, then clip by moving the clippers smoothly against the hair growth. Try for smooth, sweeping strokes that are consistent in pressure. Overlap your clipping strokes to make sure you clip all the hair.
Oil and clean your clipper blades as needed during the clip. If your clippers get hot or the blades stop clipping, this could be a sign of a jam. Turn off the clippers, clean the blades and proceed. If you have never clipped a horse before, it can help to watch someone else do it first.
What are the different styles of horse clips?
A. There are many different styles of horse clips. The following five types are the most popular. A full clip removes hair from the entire body, including the head and legs. With a hunter clip, hair is clipped all over except for where the saddle sits. A blanket clip leaves the hair beneath the blanket unclipped. A chaser clip leaves more hair on the sides of the body but is similar to a blanket clip. A trace clip is a very minimal clip that only removes hair underneath the neck and belly.
