She recommened a particular set of body clippers - and although I thought clipping retired horses was vain, I learned that the shedding process can be reduced, making the next 5 months easier on everyone, even our neighbors, who suffer from Baasha's hair blowing onto their land.
He started shedding on Christmas, on schedule.
I bought the clippers Friday and they arrived Saturday (one thing that works really well here in Germany is the postal system).
Baasha is now a statue of a horse, more elegant looking than I've ever seen him, because they actually took his coat down to below Summer length.
I was so nervous, but I got the hang of it and didn't worry about mistakes. Today I fixed them, and the lines, Melissa says, will grow out in a few weeks.
Baasha seemed to like the experience, and I kept giving him treats every 10 minutes, every time I re-oiled the blades. He did not itch or want to rub or roll afterwards, I think maybe he likes being 30 pounds lighter, I cannot explain it. He especially liked when I did his back and withers. It must have felt like a massage.
I did the right thing wearing a rain slicker zipped all the way up. That hair is microscopic, like dust and gets all over you.
The clippers were phenomenal. I am indebted to Melissa because she advised me on the brand. They never even got hot in the 2 hours.
Ooops. It was inevitable that I screw up somehow. Despite braiding his mane, I got a chunk of it. *sigh* Oh well, it's a piece of Baasha I'll keep - I put it in my keepsakes.
How do yo do around the eyes on the face without the horse moving and almost putting an eye out? I was so nervous I just left hair there. I also left the ears cuz it could get cold here still. It's been a Seattle Winter so far with just rain and 45F. That's why I think he only needs the one blanket+hood now - I had two on him last night and he seemed too warm.
He is a dainty thing now, and I just love it.
The most salient part of the experience was stuffing the hair into bags and throwing them in the trash. Bye bye winter coat.
It may grow back, but I'll get it. Below are the photos:
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21 comments:
What a handsome boy! Jaz is freckled in the summer, too, but almost completely white in winder except for the bars on his muzzle.
So are you saying your neighbors are allergic to Baasha's hair or do they just not like it?
Oh my! he looks amazing!! What brand are your clippers?
What a difference those few pounds of hair make! He's looks absolutely elegant! For your first time, you did a very nice job. (It's been a few decades since I've done a full clip.) And he'll be so much easier to keep clean now.
I need new clippers--can you reveal the brand/model of the clippers? They obviously worked really well (perhaps it will improve my technique???)!
The brand Melissa recommended is Andis and the model is Progress. I was unable to find this in Germany but I found the exact same device (I hope) under a different brand, Heinigier. The blades made in Switzerland. They are not the most expensive clippers you can buy, but I cannot speak from experience - they are my first. I'm hoping Melissa will confirm they are precisely what she recommended.
OH, and I should say, unless Melissa has better information, that StateLineTack had the best price in America (at 250 American dollars!). They just wanted 150.00 in shipping and customs, so I started looking here. Whew!
Great job there!! Look at him, he totally adored the vibrating -clip -massage!
And how smart are you to wear a raincoat. I think my sis and I had Pantz and Wa's hair all over us..but Baasha's coat of -fine white- is quite different!
I'll have to look at my sister's clippers brand. Orrobably Whal or Andis. But they too kept totally cool, they have an air vent.
When they got clogged, we'd loosen the blades, spray coolant oil on them.
Then , pick up the smaller cordless ones, do the refined areas- Like face, armpit, between find legs.
He is so regal!! Love your shots of him gazing upon his world!!
Happy New Year !!! Praying that you and you man with animal family enjoy the rest of winter into spring.
Looking forward to summer!
Kac
Ohh He looks soo good!!! I sure wish I could clip my horse down to summer coat! But still way to cold here I would have to leave face and legs and thats just silly, but maybe in spring as soon as they start shedding I may have to do that it sure would speed up the process.
He does look smart. Last time I clipped my horse I gave the sack of removed hair to a restorer of old buildings. He used it to make hair plaster (as used in the medieval era) to restore part of a very old chapel. It was a nice way to create a sort of memorial to an old horse as well as a very unusual form of recycling.
Wow, he does look great! I've never had to body clip a horse. It looks like a lot of work. Rain slicker is a great idea!
Wow, thank you for the credit Lytha, especially since I didn't actually do anything!! I do love my Andis Progress clippers. They stay quiet, don't get hot, and best of all they are not heavy.
Each time you clip you will develop more and more feel about how to go against the hair and not have any lines. Baasha will be so much easier to clean now and shedding will be a breeze!
Oh, and when the weather permits I actually prefer to body clip a wet horse. It eliminates most of the flying hair that gets in every nook and crevice on your clothes and body.
Hey, there's a gorgeous horse under all that hair!!
Smokey changes colors altogether in the winter. He literally looks like a different horse. I wonder if he is still buckskin under all that.
I have always been confused about clipping (we dont clip here).Why remove a horse's coat if you still have to put a blanket one them? (sorry, I'm sure this is a dumb question)
I'd swear that horse is smiling.
OOO, been there done that, not a fun thing, horse hair where it don't belong!! My clippers are the big Oster clipmasters....I could use a smaller set for the tricky spots...and the plus cleaning the mud off him will be easier...I havebeen thinking of doing a trace clip on my two...
I know I left a comment here, but it seems to have vanished somehow. Hmm!
Anyway, I think I remember commenting that Baasha looks naked and cold without all his fur, but that just because it's still winter here and my horse's fur makes her look like a wooly bear. We won't have any shedding here until late March/April.
The clip makes Baasha look so fancy and I'm sure that the lack of hair will make it easier for you to bathe and keep him cleaner, too.
~Lisa
Breathe, I always wondered this too. Why clip and then blanket, if the horse isn't in work? Well, I have to blanket anyway, so adding the hood or a second blanket isn't a big change. The main reason I did this is to cut down on the shedding over the next 5 months. He starts shedding in Dec and doesn't stop til June so it's a real pain. Although he'll be shedding little bits of hair, I have been told it's much easier this way. I guess I'll see, since all horses are different! I will also let you know. The second reason is that the mud won't have anything to stick to. That is just gonna be so nice! I always thought it was vain to clip a horse not in work, but maybe I was wrong. We'll see.
You did a fine job and he looks gorgeous!
This is completely off topic but I have tell you that we just acquired a new salesman from Germany - he is disdained at our lack of Ketchup flavors, like almost to the point of obsessing over it. LOL!
I thought about ya - not because of the ketchup thing but the fact that he was from Germany.
He is so cute. I love that last picture!! :D I'm glad you got nice clippers and that they worked well. :)
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