>>>You did a beautiful job. Your lines are so straight.
Thanks. They aren't exactly straight, but I am getting better. The first couple of years I did it, they were wearing the infamous Patchwork cut - it wasn't pretty at all! That this job isn't a total embarrassment should serve as encouragement to all. I was HORRIBLE at first. >>> I have to do something like that to Nanna soon, but, first she has to get desensitized to the clippers. I've found mine do better if they are loose when I clip them, even though that seems counter-intuitive. Most horses don't like that trapped feeling of being tied if they aren't comfortable with something, and being tied can't make them panicky. At the beginning, I do some "approach and retreat" with the clippers running on low speed - but only after I've let them smell the clippers not running. And I do some "chase the clippers" with the clippers not running. They don't literally "chase" the clippers, but I encourage them to follow me to get a treat from the same hand that's holding the clippers. Then when they are reasonably comfortable, I put the horse in a stall with a halter on, but no leadline. I have a pile of hay in the middle of the floor. I let them walk away when they feel too overwhelmed at first, but by that point, they aren't in a panic - Melnir IS very ticklish about his flanks, so I let him walk away for a few seconds when he needs to "compose himself." They were all very good yesterday, very quiet and cooperative. After I thought about it, I realized it was the first time Melnir had ever been clipped, so he didn't get a lot of desensitizing. He was a good boy too. I didn't have any help either, so that tells you how good they were. And, you really can get a better clip if they are clean. They all got a bath first and a light spray with Show Sheen, to make the clipper blades slide easily. I have the big old Oster Clipmasters. They are heavy, but once you get the hang of it, you can really clip them quickly. Karen Thomas, NC
