The Best Horse Clipper for those New to Clipping

Horse Clippers for Beginners

Horse clippers are a huge investment, but in the long run can save you time and money.  It is also far better for your horse to be clipped by somebody whom they trust and who puts their needs ahead of speed.  But it is important to ensure you are investing in the right set of clippers for both you, your horse and your budget.

You need to consider:

- how many horses you are planning to clip

- the type of horse hair you are cutting

- if you have access to the mains of if you need a cordless clipper

- the strength of your hands

- the type of blade you need

- budget

- the needs of your horse - are they nervous and have they been clipped before

As you are a beginner, you probably don't need to look at the heavy duty clippers like the Heiniger Xperience or the Lister Fusion.  These aree powerful clippers designed for very challenging coats or for lots of horses.  They are louder and heavier.

You may want the ease of a cordless horse clipper because these allow you to clip wherever your horse is most comfortable and they are safer because you don't need to worry about the horse treading on the lead.  They are also, typically, slightly more expensive.  The Heiniger Xplorer and the Lister Eclipse are very similar clippers.  Both are from excellent brands. The xplorer is quieter (so better for nervous horses) and has a 3 year warranty, but the Eclipse is lighter (so better for small hands) and takes the popular and unique Covercote blade - but has a 2 year warranty.  In truth, both are excellent clippers and it is a little to do with the offer in the market and personal preference.  Another strong option for cordless clippers is the smaller Heiniger Saphir Pro.  This clipper takes the snap-on style blade, so you don't need to worry about tensioning the blades which can be difficult for people new to clipping.  This clipper isn't as powerful at the Xplorer or the Eclipse, but it can handle normal and easy coats and doubles up as a trimmer if you get a narrow blade.  It is also cheaper than the full size clippers and quieter.  It is ideal for people with small hands or nervous horses - so long as it is not a difficult coat to cut.

The best value and most popular clipper is the Lister Star horse clipper.  This is a 'starter' clipper.  It is a bit louder than the options above and is a mains clipper.  However, it takes all the lister blades, comes with a 2 year warranty and can handle up to about 3 horses and most coats except the very challenging ones.  Look out for the amazing deals on this clipper - it is where Lister tends to be most generous in order to introduce people to their brand.

The Liveryman Black Beauty is a good option for anyone wanting a clipper that can run from the mains and from a lead (make sure you pick the right version).  However, prices have gone up a lot recently.

For your blade selection, you need to consider your horse's hair.  For 'normal' hair you will be deciding between the Medium (clips to about 2.4mm) of the Fine (clips to 1.4mm) blades.  Medium blades tend to leave less 'tram lines' and are easier for beginners.  Fine blades reduce the amount of times you need to clip your horse, but skin can show through on some horses.  The Lister Covercote blade (clips to 5mm) is very popular for poeple who show their horses and for those who want a more natural look.  If you want the Covercote blade you must have a Lister clipper.  Typically you want at least 2 sets of the same blade type, so if one blade goes blunt you can complete the clip.  The full size blades can be re-sharpened.  The 'clip on' blades cannot usually be re-sharpened.  

At FarmCare UK, we are happy to switch blades to get the right blades for your needs.  There is no point in buying a clipper with a Fine blade if you want a Medium blade!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  We are a family run business and we are happy to provide advice.  Please email sales@farmcareuk.com.

Please CLICK HERE to view more details about our clippers and offers.  We try to have the very best offers in the market and if you find the clipper somewhere else at a better price (and in stock), please let us know and we will try to price match.

www.FarmCareUK.com

Clipper Specialists