Horse Clippers: Buy or Hire?

The three options

1. Buy your own — £180–£450 for a decent mains or battery set, plus blade sharpening (£8–£15 a set) every 2–3 clips.
2. Hire clippers — £15–£25 per day from a local yard, tack shop or Equibase listing.
3. Book a mobile clipper — £40–£90 per horse, they bring the kit and the experience.

When buying wins

• You have multiple horses
• You clip more than 3–4 times a season
• Your horses are patient about clipping
• You have somewhere dust-free to work

When hiring wins

• You clip once or twice a year
• You don't want to store clippers, oil and blades
• You're happy to plan a specific day for it

When a mobile clipper wins

• Your horse is difficult to clip
• You've never clipped before and want it done properly
• You want a specific clip pattern (blanket, hunter, trace) done neatly
• You have a young horse being introduced to clippers for the first time — a calm experienced professional is worth every penny

Whichever route you take

• Bath the horse the day before (dry, clean coat is essential)
• Have blade oil and a brush on hand
• Keep sessions short with breaks
• Rug appropriately for the level of clip you've chosen