Best Horse Clippers (A Buyer’s Guide) 

It is one of the responsibilities of every horse owner to keep their horse well-groomed. Whether you are competing or simply hitting the trails, keep your horse looking at their best with these best horse clippers.

Getting clipped can be stressful for a skittish horse so there are a few considerations to help make it a pleasant experience for both you and your horse. 

You may need something small and simple to use or something built for durability and full-body clipping. 

Whatever your needs, we’ve got you covered in our review. We also include a helpful buyer’s guide to help you find the right clippers and information on how to care for them. 

Top 8 Horse Clippers (Our Review)

Wahl Professional Animal Figura Cordless Clipper (Best Overall)

The Wahl Professional Animal Figura Horse Clipper offers up to 6,000 strokes per minute and 90 minutes of run time. The Figura clipper charges fully in 3 hours, but the optional 10-minute quick charge gave us an extra 5 minutes of runtime.

Featuring 5-in-1 blade technology with adjustable blade sizes #9, #10, #15, #30, and #40, the

Wahl Figura is sleek, quiet, and lightweight. We loved the curved design that fits comfortably in the hand while grooming a horse. 

This product is manufactured in the USA of domestic and imported parts (blades made in Germany). Take note that it is designed for use with USA electrical outlets only and is not suitable for international use.

You’re getting great value with this product. This clipper is ideal for all coat types, which is great if you need to groom different breeds of horses, and the accessories included in the kit make clipper maintenance a breeze.

You get the Figura lithium-ion rechargeable clipper, 5-in-1 detachable blade set, a charging stand, 4 guide combs, a cleaning brush, blade oil, and user instructions, all neatly organized in a 9” storage case. 

Pros 

• Powerful motor
• Quick-charge feature
• 5-in-1 blade technology
• Ideal for all horse coat types
• Curved design fits comfortably in the hand

Cons

• Not for international use

Wahl Professional Chromado Horse Clipper (Best Cordless Horse Clippers)

No more wrist fatigue while grooming your horse, thanks to the Wahl Professional Chromado Horse Clipper. This lightweight, cordless clipper is designed to be used for light-duty clipping and for trimming your horse’s hair on the face and neck.

A rotary motor adjusts the speed for different types of trims, and the 5-in-1 adjustable blade makes this product ideal for grooming your horse’s bridle path, ears, muzzle, and fetlocks. 

This versatile clipper includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that has a battery life of approximately 90 minutes. Wahl products are of the highest quality, and the company provides excellent customer service.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Cordless
• Adjustable blade
• Top-quality brand

Cons

• Suitable for light-duty use only

• The rotary motor may be a little noisy

Lister Legend Large Animal Clipper (Best Horse Clipper For Full-Body Clips)

Lister is a trusted name in animal clipping and shearing products. We found that it’s more than powerful enough to complete full-body clips on horses, but can also be used for shearing sheep, and clipping other livestock animals.

The Lister Legend Large Animal Clipper is equipped with a Lister A2F/AC Fine Blade, with a 3” wide clipping surface for quick clipping, and a 3/64” cut length. This clipper is covered by a 1-year manufacturer’s limited warranty.

A problem with some clippers is the tendency to overheat, but the Lister legend’s ventilated, self-cleaning head prevents the blades from overheating. The tensioning system also makes it incredibly easy to set the correct blade tension. 

This product is not as cheap as some other models, but it is worth it as it includes some extra products that you now won’t need to buy separately: a 2.1 oz bottle of Lister R15 Oil, R2 Grease, and a cleaning brush. These products will keep your clipper in good working order.

Pros

• Trusted brand name
• Powerful and versatile
• Ventilated, self-cleaning head
• Tensioning system for correct blade tension

Cons

• The warranty is only for 1 year

• Not budget-friendly

Oster Clipmaster Variable Speed Clipping Machine (Best Adjustable Horse Clipper)

The Oster Clipmaster Variable Speed Clipping Machine is a corded clipper capable of running at variable speeds. The variable speed adjusts from 700 to 3000 RPM, which makes it suitable for most kinds of light and medium-duty trimming. 

This model is shatterproof and approximately 30% lighter than its predecessor. It has adjustable blades, with an adjustable tension knob. And the integrated ventilation system prevents it from overheating during grooming sessions. 

This clipper is powerful enough for full-body clipping, but also offers precision trimming. It stays oiled for up to 100 hours, to keep giving smoother cuts for longer. However, we don’t recommend it for ongoing heavy-duty trimming.

Oster combo titanium blade sets 83AU and 84AU are included with the kit, as well as a cleaning brush and clipper grease for maintenance of your clipper.

Pros

• Variable speeds
• Shatterproof
• Lightweight
• Ventilation system to prevent overheating
• Adjustable blades

Cons

• Not suitable for heavy-duty trimming

Andis Super AGR+ Cordless Detachable Blade Clipper (Best Heavy-Duty Horse Clipper)

The Andis Super AGR+ Cordless Detachable Blade Clipper is the perfect choice for clipping multiple horses. This is because the battery can run continually for a full hour on one charge. 

This clipper includes a high-capacity battery pack, and it conveniently charges separately from the clipper. The clipper body is polymer-coated, to ensure it will stay looking good for a long time.

Detachable blades offer maximum grooming versatility so that livestock also can be groomed with this heavy-duty machine. 

The best thing about this portable but powerful clipper is that the 4 x 4 blade-drive system offers 25% more torque than most clippers. The average speed was 3,800 strokes/min. 

Pros

• Cordless
• Versatile
• Detachable blades
• Suitable for heavy-duty use
• Durable polymer coating

Cons

• More expensive than some other models on the market.

TAKEKIT Electric Animal Grooming Kit (Best Clipper for Rough Coats)

The TAKEKIT Electric Animal Grooming Kit features a heavier-duty clipper. This compact yet powerful clipper trims even very rough coats with ease. 

It reaches a cutting speed of up to 2400 RPM and runs at 110V, and the ergonomic handle allows better control with reduced vibration interference.

It is suitable for all kinds of trims, but it becomes very noisy at higher speeds. This noise may make it unsuitable for grooming your more sensitive horses. It does, however, remain cool at all speeds. 

The TAKEKIT Electric Animal Grooming Kit also includes a cleaning brush, 2 carbon brushes, and a convenient carry-case. 

Pros

• Powerful motor
• Compact design
• Ergonomic handle
• Remains cool at all speeds

Cons

• The motor is noisy at higher speeds

Wahl Professional Animal Show Pro Plus Equine Clipper (Best Corded Clipper)

The Wahl Professional Animal Show Pro Plus Equine Clipper is another high-quality Wahl product. This equine clipper is corded and can be used for light to medium-duty clipping. It’s great for trimming the bridle path and fetlocks; in fact all the hair on your horse’s face and ears.

High-performance steel blades adjust easily to different cutting lengths. An adjustable lever allows the selection of the optimal blade size between 30, 15, and 10, so you can meet all your horse grooming needs with one clipper.

A patented motor gives this product maximum power, but with much less heat and noise than most other clippers. This is good news if your horse is the nervous type. The kit includes a useful face brush for the removal of loose dirt and fine hairs.

Pros

• Top-quality brand
• Versatile
• Adjustable Blade
• Does not heat up while in use

Cons

• Not suitable for heavy-duty trimming

Wild Edge Horse Clipper (Best Clipper For Large Horses)

The Wild Edge Horse Clipper is a heavy-duty, corded clipper. This machine is ideal for medium-sized and large horses, but can also be used on livestock. 

This versatility allows you to groom multiple horses, as well as your other animals. All you need is this one product.

This 130W heavy-duty horse clipper has a high cutting speed of 2500 RPM in an anti-slip machine casing. It also has a counterbalanced crank for low vibration.

A dynamic ventilating system cools down the machine head and blades while in use. It’s useful that the power cord is 12m long, so you don’t need to be near a power point when grooming your horse.

The Wild Edge STH13018K heavy-duty horse clipper kit includes a set of 3mm medium blades, clipper oil, and a cleaning brush. Keep your horse grooming essentials neatly organized in the supplied aluminum storage case.

Pros

• Suitable for heavy-duty use and on thick coats
• Comfortable anti-slip casing
• Ventilating system to prevent overheating
• Can be used on medium and large horses, and livestock

Cons

• Not suitable for light trimming

Horse Clippers Buyer’s Guide

When shopping for a horse clipper, you should consider the following 5 factors.

Your Horse’s Needs

Firstly, consider your horse’s needs. Does your horse have short hair? Is shedding an issue? Is your horse very sensitive? Do you own more than one horse? The answers to these questions will guide you to make the right choice of horse clipper. 

If you own only 1 or 2 horses, with shorter hair, light-duty clippers such as the Wahl Professional Chromado Horse Clipper will be fine.

Medium-duty clippers like the are a better bet if you own several horses, as you’ll be doing a lot more grooming. 

For horses with very thick hair, we recommend opting for a heavy-duty clipper like the Wild Edge Horse Clipper.

Clipper Blades

Equine clippers consist of two blades, an upper blade, and a lower blade. The thickness of the lower blade determines the type and length of cut that you will be giving your horse. Some horse clippers feature blades that are adjustable or detachable. 

Clippers that have blades that can adjust or detach give you different haircut options with one clipper. These clippers are more versatile and budget-friendly because you will be able to achieve most or all of your horse’s grooming with one product.

Lubricate your clipper blades before each clipping session, and regularly clean them to remove excess trapped hair. This will keep them working better for longer.

RPM (Rate Per Minute)

The performance of your equine clipper is determined by the type of motor it contains, and the RPM of the motor. A motor’s RPM determines the speed and intensity of the cut that the clipper can provide.

Heavy-duty clipping generally requires a higher speed, from about 2400 RPM and up, than light-duty clipping. This is why heavy-duty horse clippers are often a lot noisier than light-duty ones.

Motor Type

Rotary motors are the most commonly used in clippers, such as the Wahl Professional Chromado Horse Clipper. Unfortunately, these motors tend to be noisy.

Magnetic motors operate employing a magnetic field and a direct drive shaft. The magnetic field moves the blades back and forth. Clippers containing such motors are useful for both light and heavy-duty clipping and generate far less noise and heat than rotary motor clippers.

Therefore, it is in the best interests of your horse’s nerves (and yours) to invest in quiet clippers powered by a magnetic motor as these tend to operate more quietly.

Noise & Heat

Your horse might be a bit frightened by the trimming process. Horse trimmers that generate a lot of noise and heat may cause sensitive horses even more distress. A small cordless clipper may be better for grooming the face. A large clipper or cord near the face can frighten a horse with a nervous disposition.

How To Care For Horse Clippers

Keep your clippers working properly by taking care of them before, during, and after clipping your horse. This will ensure that they last longer, saving you time and money in the long run.

Use The Right Tools For The Job

Use a small, lightweight trimmer for tidying stray hairs under your horse’s jaw, on his fetlocks, or around his ears. For a full-body clip, use larger horse clippers that can handle bigger areas without overheating.

Lubricate The Blades

Before switching the clipper on, hold it so that the blades face sideways or down, and spread a very thin layer of clipper lubricating oil across the top blade. Don’t do this with the clipper facing up as the oil could run into the motor and cause damage. 

Clean The Blades

When you body clip your horse, do the following every 15 minutes. Dip the running blades into a shallow container of blade wash , to rinse out any hair trapped between the teeth of the blades. After rinsing, coat the blades lightly with a lubricant spray. Then return to clipping your horse. 

Remove Hair From The Blades

After clipping, carefully remove the blades and use a small, short-bristled brush to get any trapped hair out from between the teeth. For large clippers with two blades, separate them to clean them. The clipper will not function properly if trapped hair is not removed. 

Clipper kits often include a special brush for this purpose. Once you have removed all trapped hair, spray the blades with clipper disinfectant, then lightly oil the blades as described above. 

Store Grooming Items Carefully

If your clipper is corded, fold it carefully and fasten with a soft rubber band, but never wrap it around the clippers. This can cause damage to the cord over time, rendering it unsafe. Wrap blades carefully in tissue paper or a soft cloth if you do not have a special case to store them in.

Many clipper kits come in their own protective case. Keep all of your horse’s grooming items together in this case, and if you do not have one, use an air-tight container to store them in. This will prevent you from losing any items, and also protect them against dust, moisture, and heat.

Best Horse Clipper Review FAQs

What is the difference between a horse trimmer and a horse clipper?

Horse trimmers are only used for light grooming of your horse, whereas clippers can cut thicker hair and help to fill up any wounds. Good quality horse clippers will trim the coat of your horse in different styles, and can also be used to groom its tail and legs, and mane.

How often should I groom my horse and trim its hair?

Most horses should get trimmed every eight weeks. It depends on your horse’s activities and the type of riding you do. Horses that take part in dressage shows and jumping events need to be groomed and trimmed more often to look their best.

Is it safe to cut my horse’s hair?

It is safe to do so if you are careful. However, trimming inside the ear is not advisable, as inner-ear hairs offer some protection against flies and ear mites. Horses often grow shaggy hairs under their chin and jaw. If they are taking part in shows, you may want to trim it off.

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