How much to charge for clipping?

[Costa06]

I’ve always done my own horses by this year it looks like I’ll be doing most of the client horses at our farm.

How much is appropriate to charge for a full clip including legs, excluding legs, and a trace clip?

I’ll be using my own clippers. Do you have clients buy their own blades (several horses will need to be clipped 2-3 times over the winter), or do you just buy several sets and build that into the cost?

Thanks!!

ETA: I’m located in Connecticut if location makes a difference. Barn is a high end dressage barn, most clients are in full training.

[Highflyer]

I use all my own stuff and just build the cost in. It’s easier than keeping track of other people’s stuff. I charge $75 for an Irish/ trace clip and $90- $100 for a body clip (no legs). The lower end is for the average horse, the higher end is for the yak type. I’d charge a bit more for legs. I do an okay job but I’m not brilliant by any means and I mostly do backyard types.

[mfglickman]

I am also in CT and just paid a high end H/J groom from a different barn to do a full clip on my daughter’s pony. He does amazing work, full clip including legs, and she looks great. It took him about 3 hours start to finish. He charged $150 but I saw that he had to toss one of his blades while working so I paid $200 to cover the equipment loss.

[jawa]

I am assuming that the horses are coming to you clean and slick and that they stand beautifully for clipping. You may want to discuss with your clients a surcharge if the horses aren’t clean or they take more time due to poor manners.

[Costa06]

I have already discussed horses coming recently bathed! And all horses I’ve been asked to do stand well.

I’m thinking maybe $125 for a full clip and $75 for a trace clip.

Thanks everyone!

[MysticOakRanch]

I think your prices are about right. I’ve paid $100 to $125 for body clip, with a clean horse. Most of the time, I do my own clipping. I figure it is about an hour’s work, plus equipment use - a blade should last for more then one clipping if the horse is clean, but figure I’m paying for both time, plus use and wear/tear on equipment.

[fourfillies]

I thought I was speedy. Even in my clip 100 horses a season, two old fashioned ClipMasters oiled and ready to go and an A5 to finish ears, face, small parts of legs hay day I was rocking at 90minutes a horse. Maybe pony in an hour but “nooks and crannies” are smaller so a good job on a pony took almost as long, even with less “surface area”.

[fourfillies]

Metro area east more like $200. If you can do show quality.

[TwoSweetPeas]

[QUOTE=fourfillies;8333279]
Metro area east more like $200. If you can do show quality.[/QUOTE]

This is what I would say. Before I started doing my own clipping, I don’t think I ever paid less than $150 and remember paying as much as $200 (this was at mid-range to high-end barns in NY, CT, & MA). And if you’re clipping the full training clients at a high-end barn, I bet you do a high quality job.

[Costa06]

[QUOTE=TwoSweetPeas;8333684]
This is what I would say. Before I started doing my own clipping, I don’t think I ever paid less than $150 and remember paying as much as $200 (this was at mid-range to high-end barns in NY, CT, & MA). And if you’re clipping the full training clients at a high-end barn, I bet you do a high quality job.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the input! (And the confidence!) I think I do a pretty show-quality job, I did clip the trainer’s horse for his trip to Devon, so I suppose I could charge a bit more–I almost feel bad charging so much though, all of the clients are so good to me (having me over for dinner, giving me old show clothes, you name it.)

[MysticOakRanch]

[QUOTE=fourfillies;8333277]
I thought I was speedy. Even in my clip 100 horses a season, two old fashioned ClipMasters oiled and ready to go and an A5 to finish ears, face, small parts of legs hay day I was rocking at 90minutes a horse. Maybe pony in an hour but “nooks and crannies” are smaller so a good job on a pony took almost as long, even with less “surface area”.[/QUOTE]

Skipping legs, it takes me between 70 and 90 minutes (depending on how thick the hair is) - takes me longer to CLEAN my mare who is a total dust bunny. I start with the big heavy Oster Clipmasters, take off the majority of the hair, then go to Andis to finish up. The pro clipper I know does them in an hour - she is fast. She carries 3 clippers, so one gets hot, she drops it and gets another. I figure the pros have it down to a science!

[mfglickman]

[QUOTE=fourfillies;8333279]
Metro area east more like $200. If you can do show quality.[/QUOTE]

This. My daughter’s pony was clean, and she falls asleep while being clipped. The quality of this guy’s work is stellar; she could have gone into the ring the next day (no lines, no unevenness) at an A show. The face and legs take him a long time but his attention to detail is amazing and well worth the cost.

[AA_Hunter]

In my area (SE Pa.) I expect to pay $150 for a show quality body clip. The clippers use their own equipment. And yes my horse is well behaved and squeaky clean!

[happilyretired]

Just had my barn manager clip my two geldings. I’m in Central Florida – she bathed them and clipped them (did a very nice job). $125 for each horse.

Edited to add – both horses well behaved for clipping.