gettin good at clipping and fitting

[BROOKS SHOW CATTLE]

how do ppl get good at clipping and fitting. do ppl practice fitting at home

 

[Cardinal_Crest_Shorthorns]

lots and lots of practice, you gotta mess a bunch up before you get good

 

[BROOKS SHOW CATTLE]

would practicing at home be fine liike fittin him like you would go out to show

 

[Aussie]

Pratice on any thing that will stand still and be prepared to muck up lots. Don't try to do it all at once little at a time.

 

[dutch pride]

Two things have helped me a lot;

Observing and asking questions at big time shows. Some people are helpful and some are not but you never know unless you ask.

The second is practice like others have said. Use a spare one if you have one. Also, have others who are knowledgeable, critique your work.

DLZ

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

Practice will help, observing and asking questions will also help but I'm a firm beliver that some people are born with the "touch" and that is what seperates the good fitters from the great fitters. RW

 

[SteerLaw53]

I think there are 2 very important keys to getting good (and all of the DVDs and instructional vids in the world can't take you to the top of your game IMO):

1.  Observation is key:  I spent many years going to national shows as a youth just to watch other fit, groom, and clip.  It takes a lot of time and for goodness sakes if you really are lost on a specific technique or style just ask the question because most folks are more than willing to share their knowledge.

AND

2.  DO IT!  No video is going to train your hands to sense when a calf is getting ready to shift on its feet.  I would suggest using older show heifers or young calves (only to minimize any "damage" to your show stock)  however, I do realize this is sometimes a luxury.  I have goofed some calves up pretty bad in my day, bu it is important to remember that the hair grows back.

I know these things have already been said but thought you might like a different perspective.  GOOD LUCK!

 

[mlcattle]

get some clippers and go to town, thats how i learned. i watched a lot of guys clip and fit, seen steirwalt a few times and guyer. but you got to just do it. and you aint clipped one till ya knicked one. hahaha thats from kirk.

 

[The Show]

I always watched people fit, and asked questions. Try to find you a fitter that will drag you along and teach you. That's what I did. One time at Ft. Worth my fitter was staying with me in trade for fitting. I had mentioned to him wanting to learn so the next morning he woke me up and said c'mon were going fitting. I didn't even own a pair of clippers!!! He coached me the whole ride over there and part of the morning when we got there. I was mainly fitting class fillers, but I guess I did pretty good because he let me help fit some of his cattle later in the day. After that one thing just led to another.

 

[Chiquita]

Who was your fitter that took you under his wing?

 

[OH Breeder]

how do ppl get good at clipping and fitting. do ppl practice fitting at home

We watched tons of people and shows. BUT, what helps the most was pulling the old show cows out of pasture that are use to being tied etc and practice practice. I have a younger man help me his hands are steadier , mine not so much.

 

[FutureBreeder2013]

What if you dont have anything you can practice on?

 

[loveRedcows]

Practice will help, observing and asking questions will also help but I'm a firm beliver that some people are born with the "touch" and that is what seperates the good fitters from the great fitters. RW

Oh yeah....there's one in KS can do the job with his eyes closed!!!