Keeping your horse's mane looking its best isn't something to leave until the day before a show. Clipping and trimming a little each week will result in a better finish, a healthier mane, and a happier horse. And of course, for some working horses, clipping the mane is essential for comfort and safety.
Where do you start?
First you need to decide on the best look for your horse. Some breeds, like Arabians and saddle seat horses, have breed requirements for showing that will tell you if you need a short mane, or a more natural look, and how long you need to clip the bridle path. Polo ponies and cow horses often have 'roached' or 'hogged' manes. That means the entire mane is clipped away, except for a tuft at the withers and the forelock - this keeps the reins and ropes from getting tangled up. If you show hunters or dressage, you'll want to trim the mane with braiding in mind. All of these factors will help you determine how you want your finished mane to look, and horse clipper is best for you.
Let's start with the bridle path. For most horses, this will be a short clipped section just behind the ears, about two inches long. This keeps the mane from getting caught up in the headstall, and makes the horse more comfortable. Some breeds will have longer bridle paths, up to 12", depending on your horse's conformation and your personal preference. The best way to start is to clip the bridle path back a half inch or so at a time, leave it a few days and see how you like it before clipping any further. It's a lot easier to clip a little more each time than to go too far and try to grow it back out!
If your horse has a thick neck, or is a working horse where the mane can get in the way, you can consider roaching or hogging the whole mane. The first time you do this, you might want to use more robust body clippers, but for regular maintenance - again you should do this weekly - opt for the small hand clippers. Keeping the hogged mane short and neat will make it easier to keep clean, and it doesn't have to grow out much to look pretty unsightly! Leave a tuft of mane at the withers to protect them from saddle pads, and leave the forelock - it isn't just for looks, it helps to protect the horse's eyes and ears.
Why trim the bridle path every week? First of all, it makes keeping the area clean a lot easier. The horse's poll is sensitive, and under the headstall can get dirty and sweaty. A closely trimmed bridle path is easy to keep brushed clean, and prevent any sores or scurf building up. Also, if you let the bridle path grow out to even a half inch or more, the hairs will fold over under the bridle path, causing pressure on the poll, and an uncomfortable horse won't be easy to bridle, and won't perform its best. This is why your hand clippers are going to be an important tool in your horse grooming supplies!
Why buy hand clippers?
The best finish always comes with small hand clippers or trimmers, and a set of these will be a great addition to your horse grooming supplies. Scissors never get the same results, and if your horse moves around, you can easily make a mistake, or even injure yourself or your horse. You'll want to choose clippers that are easy to use, so you keep the bridle path neat and tidy with weekly clipping. Your hand clippers aren't just for the mane - you can use them to keep up with regular clipping and trimming, such as around your horse's face and hooves. In an emergency, hand clippers can be a real asset to clean up wounds or help bandages stick. A good quality set of battery powered or rechargeable hand clippers will be one of your most useful equine grooming supplies!
Which clippers should I choose?
Choose clippers from a reliable manufacturer. This way, you will get a good warranty, and replacement blades will be easy to find. Plus, you can be sure that by sticking with the best suppliers, like Wahl, Andis, and Oster that your clippers will be safe - and that's important anytime you use electrical products around horses.
Which one you choose depends on a number of factors. You'll want a cordless one if your horse is jumpy or you want to take the clippers with you to shows. If you roach your horse's mane, or you have a very woolly horse, a more robust model is best. If your budget is tight, or you have several sets of horse grooming supplies, you might want to look for the best value. Here's a quick selection of good mane clippers from the main manufacturers:
Wahl horse clippers. The Wahl Mini Arco is a great choice for routine trimming. It's quiet, and stays cool, and blade changing is quick and easy. It runs cordless, but for quiet horses or longer jobs, you can run it with the cord attached.
Oster horse clippers. The Oster Mini Max trimmer isn't rechargeable, but it's comfortable, easy to use, and very economical. The low price means you can keep one in your horse grooming supplies, one in your first aid kit, and one in your truck.
Andis horse clippers. The Andis Power Trim is a good choice if you have a lot of trimming to do. It's rechargeable, but the batteries last well and it's quiet so it's good for nervous horses. Best of all, it has an ergonomically designed grip, so you're hand won't get tired.
Simply put, a correctly thinned mane, and a regularly clipped and trimmed bridle path don't just look good, they are easier to keep clean and healthy. Keep a set of good quality hand clippers in your horse grooming supplies, and you will have a happy, healthy, good looking horse every day!
