# Bathing and clipping



## Roasted Chestnuts (31 October 2017)

Who clips a horse without bathing it first?? 

I usually bath before I clip as I find the coat quicker and easier to get off. Kia was supposed to be clipped last weekend, then he decided to pretend he had an abcess. 

So he was turned on Sunday and throroughly Coates himself in muck, he then went out yesterday and did the same 

I popped a rug on him last night (No I didnt groom him I was having to go back to my new job for and evening let) but had a loo k and he is bogging right down to the skin pretty much and Id like my clippers not to blow up  

Are there some of you who just from off the surface dirt then start clipping?? Its an alien concept to me lol


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## iknowmyvalue (31 October 2017)

I never bath mine before they get clipped! I don't do the clipping myself, but YO does it while I hold and it always seems to be fine. Although I do keep them pretty clean, and they're always rugged before we get to clipping and I'd always give them a thorough groom before clipping (if just to limit the amount of dust). But to answer your question simply, yes you can definitely do it!


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## MouseInLux (31 October 2017)

I generally don&#8217;t bath but mine don&#8217;t turn into mud monsters. I do a good groom Though. So far my clippers are still alive and kicking.


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## paddi22 (31 October 2017)

i don't bathe. I groom like crazy. I did bathe a friends horse last week before i clipped it, and didn't notice any different to be honest


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## 3Beasties (31 October 2017)

I tend not to bath as the reason I clip is so they don't catch a chill trying to dry off. Sometimes they are so fluffy by the time that I get round to clipping that bathing them just wouldn't be fair. I do bath after they've been clipped though!


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## PapaverFollis (31 October 2017)

I didn't bath. Did what I thought was a thorough groom.  Then we clipped her and I realised how much scurf was hiding in her coat! I'll bath next time I think although the clippers didn't seem to have too much of an issue with it. If she'd been muddy I'd have bathed first.


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## Mike007 (31 October 2017)

Bathing removes oils from the coat . These oils help with clipping. Washing also drives the grit particles deeper into the coat .Its not worth the effort.


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## Equi (1 November 2017)

I full clip my mini show horses and they clip much better hot washed (with conditioner too) and blow dried. Blades last longer too.  but Big horse hasnt got the Home luxuries at the livery yard so he gets clipped by someone else...


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## claireandnadia (1 November 2017)

I'm planning on clipping Saturday but she could really do with a bath. Think i'll just give a good old groom though instead.


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## Greylegs (1 November 2017)

Clipped mine for the second time yesterday. I didn't bath him first because I never knew you were supposed to (?!) and also he's a highland with a massive coat and if I'd bathed him first he wouldn't dry until some time next week!!! I just give a thorough brush down too remove any mud etc and get on with it. I do wash off the clipped bits afterwards though, of course.


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## xgemmax (1 November 2017)

No I don't bath usually before I clip. if you spray them with coat shine first it helps the clippers go through the coat


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## Pinkvboots (1 November 2017)

I never bath before clipping never really had a problem a good brush before hand is enough.


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## Annagain (1 November 2017)

Clipping makes mine angry enough. He'd be apoplectic if a) I bathed him first and b)he had to stay in long enough after the bath to dry off and then get clipped . 

I get him in as late as possible the night before, let the mud dry then turn him out in the school in the morning for a roll (all is well with A's world after roll and it gets rid of some of the mud) then give him a really good brush before sedating and clipping.


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## MissTyc (1 November 2017)

I charge less if the horse has been bathed the day before. My blades just last that much longer. But I don't mind clipping unbathed. Keep my blades sharp so it's not a problem ... You can catch the unlucky bit of grease and blunt them in one shot though. That is upsetting.


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## Annagain (1 November 2017)

claireandnadia said:



			I'm planning on clipping Saturday but she could really do with a bath. Think i'll just give a good old groom though instead.
		
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Wipe her down with a flannel dipped in water as hot as you can handle with a splash of vinegar in it after clipping. You'd be surprised how much loose hair, grease and scurfiness it will remove - almost as good as a bath!


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## Roasted Chestnuts (1 November 2017)

Thanks all 

He does have Cushings so his coat is thick and very soft, prone to being almost felt like if he doesn&#8217;t have the sweat etc removed after riding etc. 

i normally give him a hunter minus the saddle patch. This year I&#8217;m wanting to do some sort of trace as he keeps getting sores under his mane at the bottom if I have to use a neck rug so this year I was wanting to avoid using a neck rug and leave the neck on as much as I can.


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## Little-miss-perfect (1 February 2018)

xgemmax said:



			No I don't bath usually before I clip. if you spray them with coat shine first it helps the clippers go through the coat
		
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Would mane & tail spray do the same thing?


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## Hoof_Prints (1 February 2018)

never bath before a clip, I usually bath after though if it's warm enough, we have a hot shower but it's still no fun in the cold.


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## BSL (1 February 2018)

annagain said:



			Wipe her down with a flannel dipped in water as hot as you can handle with a splash of vinegar in it after clipping. You'd be surprised how much loose hair, grease and scurfiness it will remove - almost as good as a bath!
		
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Hot clothing.. works wonders.


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## Mule (2 February 2018)

I didn't bath the last time I clipped. I used a magic brush rather than a curry. I was surprised that it worked out okay.  He gets such a long coat and is a muddy monster ( typical grey) but it was cold and I wanted to avoid getting him wet. He also lives out 24/7, but it worked out fine.


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## dizzyneddy (2 February 2018)

l try & bath mine a couple of days before clipping & l prefer to do this if l can. As when lve only groomed thoroughly on the lead up to clipping my clippers have found it harder to go through the hair & the blades have sharp & the right tension setting. On the three yards l was on always used to recommend horses were clean prior to being clipped as we were told it doesnt do the blades good going through dirty coats as it blunts them. Its everyones personal choice but l dont clip my ISH as her coat is thin & she doesnt do much work but the natives have such thick coats & do more.


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## Honey08 (3 February 2018)

I was taught that you should, but never have really as haven't had washing and drying facilities.  But my mare is the sweatiest horse ever, and gets dusty, dried sweat deep in her coat, and now has Cushings so it's worse.  I found bathing her in Autumn really helped.  I need to re clip this weekend and unfortunately she looks like she will definitely need a bath first (not good when snow is forecast!).  My gelding will be clipped un bathed.

I do find that I can get away with it if I'm not doing a full/hunter clip.  It's the top of the bum part that gets the deep dust.


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