Miniature Twitches?

[Jill]

I'm trying to figure out what to use as a twitch for a mini. I ordered two different twitches from different miniature tack vendors -- both of these are NOT designed for minis and I can't get them to stay on. Both are supposed to be one person things where you can leave the twitch on the horse and do something (in my case, clip the lower legs of a filly).

Not looking to debate to use or not to use twitches. I think they are appropriate for the situation I'm facing and do not feel they are inhumane.

I'd like to have a twitch I can put on the horse and tie the horse, then work on the horse (vs. needing H to hold the twitch in place as I clip).

What about potato chip bag clips? Wonder if they'd stay on? Hair clips don't. Binder clips would seem too extreme and I do think they'd actually hurt a horse so won't be trying that. I'm going to try and find some small vices at Home Depot and think some of them made to hold light pieces of wood together might work on a mini and have hinges vs. screws...

My vet has one I like made of a square stick of wood and cotton covered rope loop at the end, however, this is something that requires a person to hold the stick continuously to twitch.

Thanks for any ideas you all may have!

 

[disneyhorse]

Yes, Jill... I have seen a lot of people use the clamps from Home Depot.

I can't help you much, as I don't ever twitch... I just fight to the death! Maybe when I'm older and can't do that anymore

: Most horses get over it with enough patience, realizing I'm not trying to kill them.

Andrea

 

[Jill]

Thanks Andrea

I feel more optimistic now about the Home Depot shopping trip panning out!

If I had patience, I think your way of just plowing through IS probably best, but to be totally honest, my nerves and my temper will just not allow it. I was in tears last year clipping a couple of mine when they were not even fighting me at all, just fidgeting too much on the legs (that Double K cord was cumbersome, will be using Andis on legs this year). I just now my filly, Flirt, will be heck based on how she was for a rough body clip and I want to be prepared.

Last year, I did try some sedative from my vet, a combination of two things, but neither H nor I thought it helped. But, again, they weren't "freaking out", just fidgeting and I hadn't thought to use an easier to manuver clipper than the Double K's on their legs. However, with Flirt, I am expecting a bit more than fidgeting. OMG -- A LOT more!

Of all the horse chores, this is something I would LOVE to hire out to someone who knows horses and would get the job done w/o hurting the horses. I just felt like I'd have a nervous breakdown last year and had to keep walking away and taking deep breaths. But, I did feel a real sense of accomplishment at the show know "I" had done all it took to have them looking like they did.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

I bought a twitch from Mini Express and am totally happy with it. I also use a clamp as a twitch, those are pretty nice as you can buy different sizes with different tensions for different horses.

 

[user 488]

"Clamps" from HD work great. We use them for tons of stuff including keeping horse coolers closed in front. Tip......take some vet wrap and wrap it around the clamp part so the metal isn't actually on your horses skin. Also we use it on the chin as it seems to work best on problem horses who have figured out you are going to twitch them and elevate their heads to Mt. Everest heights.

: (talking big horses of course)

 

[eagles ring farm]

we also use a twitch from mini express adjustable which works well

mostly i like to just twist and hold top lip myself and hold with my hand

but of course you need 2 people and it is not as affective as a twitch

good luck let us know how you make out with the HD clips

Lori

 

[Floridachick]

Why not just take the time and train your horses?? Twitches are painful, and to be honest no one should be driving or showing a mini that can not mind their manners and learn to stand still. THat said I have had some rescue horses that were scared to DEATH of clippers, it takes time and training there is no easy way out. Why would you want to drug or twitch a horse just to clip it?

 

[Sun Runner Stables]

Another person here who uses the Home Depot clamps here. (The little orange ones.) We use vet wrap on ours also, but they are awesome! Hands free, and used right (For us on the nose), they are quite humane and the horses can't get them off asides rubbing them off on the walls, and even then, they have to really worry at them.

Good luck, I even have one who I have to give a cocktail and a twitch too to make it a safe experience for everyone involved when we clip, so I understand that!!

 

[Neil]

I'm trying to figure out what to use as a twitch for a mini. I ordered two different twitches from different miniature tack vendors -- both of these are NOT designed for minis and I can't get them to stay on. Both are supposed to be one person things where you can leave the twitch on the horse and do something (in my case, clip the lower legs of a filly).

I use a twitch simular to or maybe the same as the one shown on the SED web page.

http://www.supremeequinedesign.com/cgi-bin...=&BAG:list=

To add to the tennsion I bowed in the parallel bars inward and added vet wrap to cushion it. It has worked well for me.

 

[joyenes]

Jill ,I'm so glad I'm not the only one who needs to walk away!!

: It can be so frustratingly clipping especially on one that has been done a million times and still thinks the clippers are some big bad monster

: I must say the last three I have clipped have just stood and let me do their whole body without any fidgeting or problems, and the scary part about it was these where yearling and two year old stallions that have never been done. Boy that just makes me crazy. You'd think the seasoned ones could learn a thing or two from them

:

On the tough ones I have help from my daughter and a twitch if necessary. I would rather twitch then risk either of us being hurt because maybe some horse is having a bad day and won't behave. I don't have time to fight them when preparing for a show when there are several to do. I do not believe twitches are harmful in the least. Most of them close their eyes and sleep.

For those of you who don't have the need of a twitch, Thats great, but I don't think you need to look down on those of us who do twitching but I guess any topic can become a controversy. Just human nature.

: Joyce

 

[Sue_C.]

Twitches are painful,

If properly applied...a twitch is not painful. What has been proven, is that it actually causes the release of endorphins and the horse will actually stand there half asleep. Horses do not fight a properly applied twitch...if they fight it, they have been hurt with an improperly applied twitch, and can easily, with patience, be re-educated.

And to be honest no one should be driving or showing a mini that can not mind their manners and learn to stand still.

There is a difference between manners, and fear-driven response, IMHO. The quietest and best trained horses in the world, may still be the ones who are apt to fidget and move when clipped.

I had one stallion that would stand for ANYTHING...but would not allow his ears to be clipped, unless I put cotton ball plugs in his ears. I figure it was the exact decibles of the sound that he just couldn't tolerate. A horse that is fidgeting or "afraid", I woulds rather twitch and quietly go about my business, than make it a fight to the "death"...what IS the point in that??

Why use brute force when it is SO very uneccessary? Would you use it in any other training aspect, or simply use your superior ability to reason?

I know...this wasn't suposed to be a controversy on use-'em or not...but it became one. :bgrin

I too use the clamps if I need to, but read the horse first, so as to apply it before it becomes scared or nervous. Then, I let the horse "fall asleep" first, before I resume my clipping.

 

[Becky]

This is the twitch I use One Man Twitch.

I find that it works on any size miniature horse from weanlings to adults if you wrap the end that goes around the horses lip with vet wrap. I clip a lot of horses and twitching is sometimes necessary to keep the horse from injuring you or itself.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

LOL topic couldnt be more timely.. I just came in from clipping 2 horses my Champion Farms Nighthawk son Manny is a dream I LOVE that horse if for no other reason then I just walked up to him no halter no lead no nothing and did his ears inside and out gotta love a horse who lets you do that. HOwever his little partner in crime Casper has decided this year that clipped ears are just not an option for him

:

He is way tiny and even the twitch i do have is hard to get it small enough on him however that said I have somewhere (or did at Nationals anyway) this kind

Adjustable Twitch - One man twitch. Simple to use. Grip-and-lock handle with five positions for the right amount of pressure - not the one with the red handles and the rope that ties it is all metal and a bit funky looking with different notches for pressure. Just vet wrap the part that goes over there lips. That kind does even fit little Casper

JMO it isnt always a matter of "training" and most times it is a matter of safety for both handler and horse - some horses will never be ok with the process of legs and ears some get better but will never be wonderful trust me.. NO amount of training ever would have me sit calmly for a bikini wax good thing we dont twitch humans and that screaming and yelling is allowed during that horrid process

:

 

[Sun Runner Stables]

Now Sue!!! You know better then to feed the Trolls! :lol:

Well stated post btw, I have both big and little horses, (too many of both really), and I gotta tell ya, there are Plenty of horses out there that are Fablous for one aspect of their human/horesy relationship, and are dangerous in other aspects.

Twitching of All the things, is Not a horrendous experience for the animal when done right.

It blows my mind how many people are coming from No horse back grounds, jump right into minis or big horses, and want to treat horses/minis like dogs or some other type of pet, and then point and say, "Oh That is just Horrible what you are doing over there! The inhumanity!" Often for something as common as twitching.

K I'll stop feeding them now, sorry Jill!

 

[Floridachick]

Now Sue!!! You know better then to feed the Trolls!

Why would you call me a "Troll?"

I SERIOUSLY asked why she couldn't use training methods instead of "making" a horse stand still with a twitch.

I feel a Twitch is painful but we each have our own opinions.

See here for additional info on training your horses instead of restraining them. http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/20041219124358.phtml

 

[user 488]

I'm trying to figure out what to use as a twitch for a mini.

Not looking to debate to use or not to use twitches. I think they are appropriate for the situation I'm facing and do not feel they are inhumane.

The original poster asked specifically that this topic not turn into a debate on whether or not to use a twitch. Maybe we should just answer her question. I think Jill knows enough to decide if she feels it is necessary or not to twitch a horse.........

BTW......Trolls? We have no Trolls. This is a TROLL FREE ZONE :saludando:

:

 

[Leeana]

I've seen Connie Ballard use a blanket clip at McCabes clinic and it works wonders!!!! I think after seeing that everyone ran out to the star lake tack boothe and asked of they sold blanket clips LOL. It looked like it worked to me

 

[Dream]

I use the metal cooler/blanket clips which I'm sure are the same idea as the HD clamps everyone is talking about. They work really well on little noses which are so hard to twitch! I was working on a small pony the other day trying to block out a lameness. We could not even get the regular twitch to stay on his nose at all! Made my job a lot more dangerous....big twtich fan here<G>.

All of my horses are excellent to clip but they all need "the clamp" for ears. It's not worth the fight.

 

[GREENWOODMINIS]

Jill...I invested in stocks several years ago...can I say they are worth there wait in gold

:

: I even raised it a bit so my backs not so jacked up clipping. With the stocks they really cant get away from you...hence your fight to clip is soooooooooooooooo much better...I really dont need to twitch...even with the young ones...its awesome.

good luck

lis

 

[Jill]

Thanks for the input! You all have given me some ideas.

One thing is I'm kicking myself. We had a mini stock that was made by Dick Dady when he worked with Marilyn Hoffman. We cut it up to make something for our goats to play on figuring we'd never need it for the minis -------- URGH! I'd actually forgot about it until I read Lis' post so I am kicking myself!

Carol, as usual, you have such good insight! I will be sure to use vet wrap. I'm so dumb about stuff, that I had been trying to figure out how to "cushion" what clamps I find and you know I got gobs of (purple!) vet wrap!!!

Can someone show me a picture of the Mini Express one? I couldn't see it on their site.

Becky, I cannot get the one man twitch to come up. Does it look sort of like a nut cracker? I do have one like that but can't get it to stay on poor "Sunny" who has been my model and is one who'd never need a twitch but is a patient practice helper. I also cannot get one that has like a chain, a ring and a clip to stay in place.

And, Floridachick, check out my website -- www.whinny4me.com -- and get a clue about the time I take with my horses, the level of accomplishment, and horsewomanship I possess. I'm not new to horses, new to minis, nor an uninformed or lazy horsewoman. I take the time to train my horses. They all have manners and many are very well trained in hand and in driving. You may want to educate yourself on the proper use and reasons to employ a tool such as a twitch.