Twitches

[CheyAut]

Clips are an interesting idea! I hand twitch my horses if they start acting up for the farrier, works well.

Nathan, why can't you ace a stallion? Never have, but have also never heard that, so I'm curious

Does it mess up their sperm or something?

Jessi

 

[Debd]

Jill, what area of Walmart did you find these clips? This is a great topic. I've got the vet coming out on Tuesday for shots and one always tries to rear when he comes near. I'd love to try this out. Thanks

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ace can cause penile paralysis in intact males. If they get sexually excited while sedated they can increase their chances of this career ending problem. If they can not retract their penis it will collect edema and will eventually die. Amputation is not an uncommon fate if the paralysis can't be managed. Obviously, this is bad for a breeding stallion.

Ace's effects are also risks for geldings, but the risk is 100x less, plus, amputation of a gelding, while still horrible, is not career or life ending. Ace is commonly used to help geldings relax and drop allowing their sheaths to be cleaned.

 

[Leeana]

On the horses that are a complain pain to clip, i've given them a shot of Rompun to help calm the nerves and it works well for me and always sends them off to la la land for long enough to allow me to do ears and legs.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Alright, went to Home Depot, didn't see anything close to what Jill posted but found some other clamps. One set, I thought would work really well, but they hurt my finger when I put them on. So I decided on another pair and was beyond excited to try them out.

I got stepped on, three smashed fingers, and a blow to the knee. Nope, clamp did not work! Even with the clamp on, she would start to do the pee dance before the clippers even touched her. Decided to blindfold her along with the clamp, and had no luck there either, although it did seem safer. She tried rearing, and she started kicking at Mark with her hind feet.

Finally decided that enough was enough and gave up on it. Got her back to her pen, and now she won't even let me pick up her feet to clean them out. Now I'll have to get her to trust me again before the vet comes out to trim.

Next year, I think I'll PAY to have someone do the horses for me. Anyone know of anyone in Southern California???????

 

[maplegum]

Jill, it seems you are being flooded with questions about these clamps!

I'm also going to ask a question.

Might actually sound like a stupid question, but I'd rather ask than do it wrong. OH!

When you apply these clamps to the lip, do you have to twist the lip like you do with a rope twitch or simply clamp it on to the lip as it is?

I'll ask hubby to go and get some while he is in Canada!

We had to remove a grass seed from Bailey's eye a while ago and grabbing his lip was the only way he would let us get near it. These clamps sound like a good idea.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

The hand twitch that my vet uses is a shortened wooden hammer handle with a hole drilled through it with baling twine tied through the hole it works VERY well.It does require another person to hold the twitch tight but once they are through the first couple of minutes they almost fall asleep.

 

[susanne]

Yes, it is definitely better to twitch than for you or the horse (or your vet) to get hurt. I've done it before and will do it again.

But, I would (and do) still work on desensitizing them. Don't just give up on training because you have a shortcut. I've used clicker training to put the idea in their heads that a calm response on their part gets a reward. Even if it doesn't work 100%, just reducing the stress level (for both of you!) is worth the effort. Obviously, your vet doesn't have time to wait for you to dink around, but with clipping and hoof handling you can take your time and work toward your goal.

Again, I don't feel twitching is bad, but it can be a missed opportunity for training. Stay safe, but if you use the twitch as a tool and not as a crutch, you and your horse will be ahead.

 

[sedeh]

I used to think using a twitch was "cruel" but I have a mare that was very much like your mare. We used to have major fights with clipping her legs! Then I discovered the humane twitch and now I use it as soon as they start resisting/acting up. It puts them into a trance......looks like they're drugged!! I only leave it on for max of 10 min and then I can usually continue clipping for a while before they wake up. I always praise them and give them treats and now I don't have to use the twitch on that mare hardly ever! I do wrap vet wrap around the handles.....makes it softer for their noses and the twitch won't slide off as easy, and then I clip the rope end to the halter. I do the majority of my work with the horses myself and the twitch has certainly made my life easier.....and safer for me and the horse! I use it routinely when I'm vaccinating.....I hold the twitch in one hand and inject with the other and they don't jump around with a needle sticking out of their neck! I'm going to have to try the clamps like Jill uses though......I already have some in the garage!

 

[Windhaven]

The clamps that Jill uses work great on most horses, but there are a few that still need the two man twitch (stick with rope). I have some horses that won't stand with the clamp but will with the twitch. I usually have to work fast on these horses because they won't stand long. Clipping can be challenging with some horses.

 

[kaykay]

we also use a clamp. We have a couple sizes as the shetlands need a stronger one then the minis. Also keep in mind you can wrap the ends in vet wrap to soften the grip if you need to. Too light of a clamp wont work. Remember a horses mouth is much thicker and tougher then a human mouth.

I ALWAYS try the easy way first and only go to a twitch when I have to. We also train ours to cross tie. And as mentioned we keep working on desensitizing. Also we remove the twitch and then keep clipping. You usually have about 5-10 more minutes once the clamp is removed. This seems to also help getting them used to being clipped. Do not overuse it though as that can be cruel.

Always please always be sure to touch your blades and make sure they are not hot as a twitched horse cant let you know

 

[maestoso]

I look at it this way, clipping the legs, ears, or muzzle can take a few minutes, nice and easy and then move on using a twitch.

OR

It can take hours of time and frustration from both me and my horse, one or both of us getting hurt, etc.

I choose option 1. If the horse was in pain when being twitched he wouldn't just stand there.

We have one horse that won't respond to the twitch at all, no matter how much we tighten it. She just keeps pulling and rearing. She will be getting sedated.

I was at a clinic this weekend and the clinician suggested tying the horse and then tying the horses tail to the ceiling, so that the tail is lifted, but not too taught. He suggested this would prevent the constant moving back and forth. Not sure how I feel about that, but he said it worked and it didn't take long before the horse would just stand there and he didn't have to tie the tail anymore. Personally, I wold worry about one good pull and an inured tail bone.

 

[kaykay]

matt one way of twitching a horse is to hold the tail straight up so that is what the trainer is in effect saying. You can do it by hand and I have had to do it with a foal a few years ago that a vet was workign on. but you must be very careful or you can break the tail bone

 

[evedex]

Please be careful when tail jacking....on a foal, the bone structures are soft and maliable, not so in a full grown horse. Jacking a full grown horse's tail can cause permenant damage to the 'swishing mechanisms' and leave your horse without the ability to chase flies.

It can only take one little pull the wrong way and the damage cannot heal.

I like the clips for twitches but if I have a really bad horse, or a young one getting his first few trims, we sedate....easy and non-stressful for all included as well as being safe for ME. A badly injured owner cannot care for their beasties!

 

[Jill]

I like the clips for twitches but if I have a really bad horse, or a young one getting his first few trims, we sedate....easy and non-stressful for all included as well as being safe for ME. A badly injured owner cannot care for their beasties!

Exactly

 

[bingo]

Most things will not work including mild sedation if your horse is already worked up and fighting

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I'm sad to say, but I am so glad that I am not the only one having troubles with clipping! I often feel like the more experienced horse owners have no clipping problems, especially when you do such gorgeous jobs.

I just don't get it. Zoey has always been really good. The first couple times I clipped her, I didn't even need to have a halter on her. Then all of a sudden, she's a monster. I guess I should have expected it...she has no problems lifting her feet for me, but the past couple times the farrier has been here, she's been giving him a really hard time.

I've been sick lately, so I guess I haven't been spending quite enough time with them. I'll have to go back to desenitizing her, so that we can establish that trust again. We even tried to take her mind off of the clipping, by feeding her treats. She'd take the treat, then strike at Mark. Clever little thing!

How exactly does a twitch work? I know the clamp goes on the lip, but should it be a tight fit, a semi tight fit, or just snug? Also, is the clamp supposed to go along the outside of the lip pinching it together, or over and under (like a peircing would)??? Maybe I'm still confused on what it is supposed to do? And how do you keep their lip in something that isn't "pinching" it? :stupid

 

[ROSEMILL FARM]

I also use a Clamp, works Great I don't have to have another person there to hold the twitch.

I always give the horse the chance to be good first, but if they show there butts then they get twitch.

I just think that is better off to twitch them if they are being bad, then to let them hurt themselfs

or hurt me.

Sarah~

Rosemill Training Center

 

[CheyAut]

Nathan, thanks for the info!

 

[minimomNC]

My daughter clips not only her horses but for other people as well. We use the wood clamps with the covered ends like someone else mentioned. We have several sizes and several degrees of tension. With a horse that just needs mild control, the easier ones can be used, but we have a couple of horses that will hurt you during clipping, they have always been that way and no they didn't start out with us. We have a clamp that it takes two hands to open, its hard but it sure works. Thats what we will use if we can, otherwise we give dormasadan. I will not fight a horse, I will not let my daughter fight a horse. You leave a bad impression on the horse and it will never get any better. I would rather they be out just enough to not care what she is doing, let her get the job done faster and it be over with. With the number of horses she shows herself, she doesn't have time to fight a horse for hours. The drug leaves no after affects and within two hours they are back to normal. No one gets hurt and the horse has no bad experiences.