Horse Care For Beginners

Does your horse show signs of fear during grooming?

This article deals with the subject of grooming and, in particular, body-clipping. Although the following discusses the body-clipping of Gypsy Vanner horses, the principles outlined are common to the grooming and clipping of all breeds. The following  is supplied with the compliments of Lisa the groomer for Gypsy MVP, America’s most trusted source for Gypsy Horses.

We all know it is body-clipping time if you work with Gypsy Vanner Horses. When the temperature in your area is above 70 deg F it is time to dispose of that fuzzy undercoat . Most Gypsy Vanners are used to being body clipped if they are from a warm climate area. If they haven’t ever been clipped, they may be afraid of the clippers.  So if they have never been clipped before, you’ll need to take the time to introduce them to the clippers.

 Introduce your horse to the clippers slowly.

We’ve found that if you hold the clippers on your horse and also give him some loving , he will begin to understand that the clippers will not harm them.  Horses are prey animals in the wild , so they are naturally afraid of many things.   As a horse groomer it is your duty to make this as good an experience as you can.  Should the big clippers scare your horse, try starting with smaller ones (the ones used to trim the face).  The large clippers (the ones used on the body) make a loud noise, so understand that it is a fear reaction, not misbehavior.

Start with a clean horse

Brush and thoroughly clean your horse’s coat.   At Gypsy MVP we use a medicated shampoo from EZ-Groom. We find that this shampoo prevents irritation.

Be sure you keep the clipper blades cool and clean.

This makes  horse grooming job much easier plus it will give a better clip for your horse.  Keeping the clippers cool and clean is very important. Clippers can get hot rather quickly , so make sure you study them often. And if they are dirty they are louder and clip slower.  

Offer treat when you are finished with the grooming session.

When you’ve completed your grooming session , make sure you give your horse a treat, so it makes it a good experience for him .  This way the next time you put your horse in a stall for clipping (or any other reason) he will look forward to the experience.

Related posts:

1. Grooming Tips For Horses ~ A Major Part of Easy Horse Care.
2. A Horse First Aid Kit Could Save Your Horse’s Life ~ A Few Helpful Tips!
3. Make it easy for your Farrier to pick-up your horse’s feet.
4. A Tip On Dealing With Problem Horses.

Tags: coat clipping, easy horse care, Equestrian, gypsy vanners, Horse, Horse grooming

Trackback URI | Comments RSS