Best Horse Clippers for Stress Free Equine Grooming

Overall wellbeing of your horse or pony largely depends on the proper and regular grooming for the animal. It not improves its appearance, but keeps it safe from health problems and possible injuries. This is why you need to ensure that you have all the proper tools and knowledge about keeping your horse well-groomed at all times.

Horse clippers are one of the most important grooming tools which you need, so we have created a shortlist of our top rated horse clippers for you which are available at the market at the moment.

Top picks for the best horse clippers:

Best cordless horse clippers – Andis Super AGR+

This Andis cordless clipper is one of our top choices for horse body clippers due to a number of factors. Andis Super AGR + is very easy to use, can work for an hour before re-charging and is very comfortable to handle.

Here are the characteristics which we were most impressed by:

• At 1.1 lbs. Andis AGR is very lightweight, and its contoured body is 7.63” which makes it very easy to grip and use and reduces the strain in the hand and arm which can happen after spending an hour of grooming.
• AGR plus is a model that is perfect both for big horses and smaller ponies.
• The powerful rotary motor works at a speed of 3,800 SPM.
• A sharp and precise size 10 ceramic cool running blade is included in the kit which allows for easy and safe use. It is detachable which allows for easy cleaning and improves versatility, as the horse body clippers can work with a wide variety of the most common brands and types of blades on the market.
• Andis AGR + has a housing that is ergonomically contoured and is made of a durable shatter free material.
• The battery needs 1 hour for a full charging and can run for a whole hour
• The Andis clipper comes with an additional high capacity battery which can be charged separately as well.
• An overall excellent tool both for professional and for DIY horse and livestock grooming.
• It has a charging stand, plus oil for easy maintenance and a hard case to store the clipper and accessories safely away when not in use.

In conclusion we must say that this pair of clippers is one of the best ones avaliable which are suitable for proper, quick and safe grooming of all kinds of horses and livestock. Cordless, and providing an excellent grip, you will be able to get your horse groomed without hassle. It can work for about an hour, and if this isn’t enough, it takes only an hour to recharge the battery. The blades are sharp and durable, but if you prefer, you can use the clipper with nearly any other type of blades available. Quiet, powerful and sturdy, this Andis clipper is an excellent choice when you want the best clippers for horses.

Best heavy duty horse clippers – Oster ClipMaster

The ClipMaster by Oster is our top pick among the professional horse grooming clippers available. The Oster is powerful, extremely durable and will allow you to easily groom even the biggest horses and the thickest hairs.

So the main features of this clipper which you should know about are:

• Lenght: a whopping 13 inches long and is quite heavy which will provide you a wide and steady grip so that you can groom even the biggest horse with it.
• The Oster Clipmaster’s housing is very sturdy and shatter resistant.
• The heavy duty rotary motor works at various speeds, starting from 700 to 3,000 SPM, allowing for slower and more precise or faster horse grooming.
• The size 10 wider Cryogen X blade is mold resistant, anti-bacterial allowing for precise, sharp, hassle free and safe grooming of horses, large dogs, llamas and livestock.
• The blade features a comfortable and easy to use adjustable tension knob.
• These Oster clippers are easy to maintain and will stay oiled for about 100 hours of use.
• The kit also includes a set of 83AU and 84AU Oster combo titanium blades.
• It runs relatively quietly and without much overheating, which is essential if you are expecting a safe and stress free clipping.
• It features a strengthened, professional, 15 foot power cord.

Overall, if you want a grooming tool for bigger horses, or ones with very thick hair you definitely want the very best clippers for horses you can find. The Oster is made in the USA and is big, stable and professional. The adjustable motor speeds (700 – 3,000 stokes per minute) allow you to perform various horse grooming tasks on various body parts and different animals. The Oster Clipmaster is a very sturdy tool, which is not as quiet or as light as the other horse body clippers on our list, but it will last and serve you for years, and will ensure that you properly and safely groom even the biggest of animals. It requires proper maintenance and frequent stops to prevent overheating when doing full body clipping. This is why we recommend using a blade coolant when the Oster is used at its highest speed, but for a precise and reliable clipper this is totally acceptable. Plus, the blades are protected from rusting and bacteria, so you don’t need to worry about the safety of your animals and pets.

Oster Golden A5 – small horse clippers

The Golden A5 is a perfect choice for a clipper for smaller horses and for animals with hair which is not extremely thick. This makes it our top budget choice, and is easy to hold and use with an excellent, sharp size 10 Cryogen X blade and a powerful dual speed rotary motor. Here is what we liked the most about it:

• The Oster A5 comes at the affordable price for small horse clippers.
• Like the previous Clipmaster model, the Oster Golden housing is sturdy, break resistant and weighs 1.97 lbs. which makes it semi-heavy as compared to other horse clippers.
• The dual speed powerful motor can be adjusted to work at either 2,100 or 2,700 SPM, so you can choose a slower and more precise mode or a quicker and more powerful one depending on the specific body part or grooming job.
• This Oster blade is a size 10, mold resistant and antibacterial Cryogen size 10, which will allow you to achieve a 1/16” cutting length. It is detachable, and the clipper will work with all types of Oster A5 blades for a larger versatility.
• The power cord is 12 feet long which allows for comfortable maneuverability during the grooming process.
• Much like the previous Oster model we reviewed, the Golden does require regular maintenance and cooling, this model is an excellent choice for owners of smaller horse breeds.
• You can purchase various sized guide combs separately to increase the efficiency.
• It comes with a 1 year warranty.

Budget friendly, easy to use and reliable, this electric horse clipper is a perfect solution for your DIY grooming needs if you have a smaller horse or a bigger dog. The Oster Golden is durable, powerful and easy to maintain and is our top pick for affordable heavy duty clipper for shih tzu dogs too! The housing is quite sturdy, the blade is sharp, precise and antibacterial and rust-free, plus the Oster A5 golden is compatible with all other Oster A5 blades and a wide variety of different sized guide combs for a more precise and efficient clipping.

Budget pick – Wahl Show Pro

This Wahl equine clippers is the most suitable grooming tool if you need one for touch ups and light trimming, and for other delicate grooming tasks. The Wahl Pro plus very affordable and efficient for such jobs, while not recommended if you are looking for a clipper for full body grooming. Here is why you should choose the Wahl Show Pro as your supplementary equine clippers:

• Wahl Show is very compact and lightweight, so there will be no strain in your hand and arms when you use it. Its length is 6.5” and it weighs only 15.8 ounces.
• The rotary motor is quiet and powerful with a speed of 7,200 strokes per minute.
• Perfect for partial and more delicate equine jobs, such as of clipping: the face, ears, fetlocks, bridle path and other finishing touch up jobs.
• The powerful, medium duty, quiet rotary motor works at 7,200 strokes per minute and allows for hassle free, and stress free grooming.
• The Wahl’s blade is made of sharp, strong steel and it’s size can easily be adjusted from a size 10 to 15 or 30.
• The Wahl pro is sold with a 2 year limited warranty.
• The kit includes a DVD with basic horse grooming instructions, a face brush, a cleaning brush, oil and an adjustable patented control blades.

This compact horse clipper is very comfortable to hold and use, Wahl Show very compact and light and yet powerful enough for some partial and smaller grooming tasks. The motor works at 7,200 SPM and the blade can easily be adjusted from a size 30, 15 and 10. Wahl Show pro is quiet and doesn’t heat up dangerously during the job. The kit includes a useful DVD manual for beginners, a face brush and oil and a cleaning brush for the sharp, patented blades. This is a perfect, affordable medium-duty clipper which is suitable for  small horses and certain delicate  jobs. While not to be used as a main clipper, this one is great for finish up and more delicate jobs.

Characteristics to look for when choosing equine clippers

Getting the best horse clippers for body clipping is a matter of personal choice, the type of horse and animals you plan on grooming, as well as on a wide variety of different characteristics. Overall, there are several important features to take into consideration when you are looking for the most appropriate one for your pet grooming. In any case, choose clippers which will enable you to do the job planned, be it – delicate trimming, full body clipping or just some finish up jobs. Even dealing with hair on unusual or difficult to reach places becomes easier with the right tools.  Once you know what type of clipper you are after, here are the main features and useful tips to keep in mind when shopping:

1. LIGHTWEIGHT OR HEAVY DUTY CLIPPERS?
   Get familiar with the different types of clippers, as well as the various models and brands. The manufacturers usually provide their customers with very detailed information in regard to the products they offer. In order to make the best choice for your horse, understand the different types of tools sold on the market.

• “Trimmers” are tools which are very useful if you need to do some tidying up or finish up jobs, such as ear and whisker trimming. They are great tools for finishing touch ups, rather than for full body clipping.
• The “ear trimmers” and “quiet trimmers” are the best choice for gentle and stress free, quiet ear and face trimming.
• Heavy duty horse clipper – designed and made for bigger jobs, such as full body grooming of bigger horses. These are larger, heavier and with more powerful motors, which can make them much too loud for trimming the ears and other delicate areas. They make the best full body clippers for horses you can find.
• Medium duty clippers are suitable both for full body grooming of smaller horses with thinner hair or for partial, delicate trimming jobs.

2. MOTORS:
   Differentiate between the different types of equine clipper motors. While the quality and functionality of the tool is a combination of a number of different components and features, there is no doubt that the motor is the heart of the equine clippers. This is why it is important to know how to differentiate between the basic motor types, so that you get a model which features a motor that will serve your needs best. Here are the four main types of clipper motors available:

• Universal rotary motor. This is the most heavy duty and powerful motors suitable for the thickest and most matted hair and for big horses. It can be quite noisy and generate a lot of heat along the way. Plus, usually most clippers with this type of motor are quite bulky and heavy.
• Magnetic or pivot motor. These provide less power, and are thus much quieter than the universal rotary motors. This though makes them suitable for lighter to medium horse clipping tasks.
• Permanent magnet motor. This type of motor can be used in both light and professional clippers. It is quieter and produces less vibration than the other types.

3. POWER and SPEED
   Determining and comparing the power and speed of the different clippers can be quite tricky. Understanding what the wattage and the strikes per minute really mean can differ in the different models and brands. In general, wattage is the amount of power consumed rather than the power produced, so the power produced actually depends more on the motor’s efficiency. If every other feature in two good horse clippers is equal, then the wattage can be used as a meaningful comparison method – the one with the higher wattage will be the more powerful one in such a case. Otherwise, wattage is very difficult to be used as a method for determining which pair of clippers is more powerful.The other measurement used by the manufacturers is the strokes per minute (SPM) measurement. Again, this is not a definitive comparison method, because some manufacturers quote the motor’s SPM when the blades are not cutting through hair, others will measure the strokes only when it moves left or right and back. Even so, the general rule is that the higher the SPM is, the faster the clipper’s blades will cut. This though is strongly affected by the blade’s width as well. The distance between the teeth is essential for determining the exact speed and power.

4. BLADE TYPES
   In general each horse clipper has two main blades: the comb which is stationary and the cutter blade which moves during the trimming process. The most suitable blades for horse clipping can range from a number 40 which cuts the hair to 1/100 of an inch up to a number 3 ¾ which cuts the hair to ½ an inch. This means, that the blades must be chosen in accordance to the horse’s owner needs and preferences and the type of horse which will be groomed with it. The most popular, general use blade is the number 10 which cuts the hair to 1/16 inches which is why most of best equine body clippers on the market come with it attached. Thankfully, most good quality equine clippers have detachable blades and can be fitted with other blade sizes and guide combs as well. The ease of its detaching, cleaning and changing is also essential when searching for the top horse trimmers.

Useful tips for horse grooming with clippers for beginners

Here is a quick and useful video if you prefer to watch how to do the clipping the right way:

1. Thoroughly brush the hair before clipping it – this will make the pet grooming more hassle free and quick and will keep the clipper blade from overheating and will make the session less painful and stressful for your horse. Plus you won’t have to use the blade coolant every so often.
2. Follow the direction: Remember to always brush and clip the hair in the direction of growth. Remove the clipped hair as you go, so it won’t jam the clippers.
3. You may want to consider giving your horse a bath beforehand.
4. Ears require special care. Horses and pets get stressed and nervous when they hear loud noises, so either use a slower setting or carefully place cotton in the horse’s ears when working on and around these sensitive and delicate areas.
5. Make sure you clean and maintain your clippers properly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for oiling, cleaning and cooling of the blade in order to ensure its proper functioning and better longevity.
6. Remember that the clipped hair simply won’t shine for certain time. Its brilliance will return in about 10-14 days, so keep that in mind and do the clipping well in advance before horse shows and competitions.

Further reading: 

Horse Grooming Tips and Tools on The Horse Magazine

15 Ways to ease winter grooming on the EQUUS magazine