Finish Line

I think I finished my annual Body Clipping Marathon today. I have one more horse that I'm keeping my eye on, but it looks like a couple more rounds with a shedding blade may actually be enough for him. The final tally of 2015 body clips was 12 body clips over a two week period. I have crossed the finish line of the Body Clipping Marathon and I am ecstatic.

I have breathed in enough hair and dirt to choke . . . a horse. I am hoping now that I am done with body clipping for the season my marathon sinus infection can finally die. I will not mourn its passing, and I hope it does actually pass for good. 

Every year I am always asked what clippers I use. I use Andis Progress clippers. I really like them. They are easy to hold, they cut well, they aren't loud, they are just easy. Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of using Oster Clipmasters would appreciate my Andis Progress clippers. The Oster Clipmasters feel like you are holding up an anchor powered by something as loud as a jet engine. In my opinion this makes for an unpleasant clipping experience. The Andis are so much lighter and much quieter. 

I also need to give a shout out to Gil's Sharp Shop. After dithering around with some local options the last few years for servicing my clippers and sharpening blades with extremely lackluster results, a friend recommended Gil's Sharp Shop. I packed up my clippers and all of my blade sets and mailed them off to Gil's in March. About ten days later they arrived back at the farm. 

It was like I had brand new clippers and brand new blades. The difference was so remarkable it made me wonder if the local people I had worked with in the past actually did anything to the clippers or the blades. My clippers ran better than ever and my blades were sharp. In addition Gil told me he could tell I was not tensioning the blades correctly and sent me a packet with step-by-step directions. Now I know, without question, when I have my blades tensioned correctly and it has made a big difference. He also set me straight on the best blade wash to use (one that contains NO water), the proper blade oil, and basically spent 45 minutes on the phone giving me a free lesson on how to properly use and care for my clippers.I learned a lot and it all made noticeable differences in this year's body clipping marathon.

Sebastian and Blu galloping off after being released back into the wild this afternoon. They were not going to give me the opportunity to change my mind and do more bathing or clipping. This was the end of the 2015 Body Clipping Marathon.

I plan to send my clippers and blades back to Gil's Sharp Shop soon to have everything ready to go for the next round. I consider Gil's to be my best find of 2015 and Gil gets five stars from me. 

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furry Sebastian

Sebastian says "skip the after picture and just let me go out!"

 Blu in progress

Blu and Sebastian wanting to skip the after picture and get back to their group

more pictures of Sebastian and Blu galloping madly away

Levendi, Moe, Homer and Tony looking less than thrilled to have halters on and be waiting for the farrier yesterday.

 a closer look at Tony

Homer

Moe and Homer

Elfin

River, Rocky and Rubrico

Jingle and Joy chatting with our stray cat Oscar through the kitchen door

Lucky and O'Reilly

Faune and Flyer

Hesse, Bruno and Remmy