What do you all do ......

[Reble]

this is what Genie is talking about.

It works been using it for years.

 

[ruffian]

It's a spring clamp and can be found at hardware stores. usually about 1" or so wide at the tips. They have a rubber tip on each lever. My only problem is that once a horse learns to shake them off, they do it all the time. I like my tried and true regular horse twitch that looks like a nut cracker, kind of . . .

 

[HGFarm]

Yes, be patient. Dont let your clippers over heat and get so hot it burns them. Some folks dont pay attention to that- ow! And if I have to do some one day, some more the next, etc.... then I do that... they get used to it pretty quickly really.

If they truly are scared, I start back on their rear, or maybe by their shoulder and I notice when it hits the spots they like to be scratched, gee, the clippers are not all that bad, LOL

I've never had any that were really that hard to do... even the babies- I just talk to them quietly and work through it. For an adult that is difficult with ears, etc... I will try doing it but if they are too fidgety and just wont go for it, I use a twitch and this allows things to stay quiet and do it calmly, etc... I will remove the twitch often to see if I can finish without it- sometimes I can, sometimes not.

Patience, patience, patience.

 

[topnotchminis]

Thank you all so much for the replies! I have one horse that hates his ears and legs done. The others are wonderful and seem to enjoy clipping. I can't wait to get clipping.

 

[weebiscuit]

Hi everyone with show season coming in the next few months clipping has been on my brain. I can't wait till it warms up. Anyway what do you all do with those hard to clip horses? Any tips or tricks out there? Any training suggestions? Thanks

You know, everyone says "Start clipping them when they are a day old to get them used to the clippers." Well, I've done that over and over again, and then winter comes and they aren't clipped for 8 months, and all that work of the previous year is out the barn door! LOL!

I have only one horse that's a real bear to clip. that's our senior stallion, and he's just a dream for legs, belly, and even his face. BUT... it's impossible to clip his bridal path or ears. Luckily, we don't show him, so it's not critical. The person I bought him from warned me he'd be bad. He's WORSE than bad for those two areas! And the problem is exacerbated because it's nearly impossible to get a twitch on him, too! And if we do get the twitch on him, he isn't affected by it at all! The only thing I can do with him is ridiculous, but it works. We put him in his stall and have two tie rings in there, one on each side of a corner. He gets crosstied on those tie rings, with his head sort of low. Then my husband gets a 4 x 4 piece of plywood and stands next to the stallion, sort of using the plywood to push him against the wall, while I stand just outside the stall, reach in and clip as quickly as possible. It's so ridiculous! Once the bridal path and ears are clipped, I untie him and he stands like a perfect gentleman while I do his body and legs. At other times, when my vet comes to float his teeth, I always make sure I give him a good, close clip while he's in la la land from the rompin!

With my other horses that I know don't like getting ears clipped, I just clip them while they are in their stalls. I don't know why, but they are always so much more reasonable if they are in their stalls and there's a horse on each side of them that they can see. A few I just have to read out and twitch their noses with one hand while I quickly clip with the other. I don't think there are a whole lot of horses who are as good about having their ears done as they are about their bodies, but I have two that I don't even have to halter to do their ears. Geeze... I love those two horses! haha!

Another thing I've noticed is that most don't mind their faces done but hate getting clipped under their chins. I've found that if I clip that area first, before the blades have a chance to get warm, it's easier to do them.

 

[LindaL]

My vet gave us Dormosedan gel last August and we ended up not needing it til just recently...and I had forgotten the part about it MUST be placed UNDER the tongue. If it isn't it does not work...

I have one horse that is highly sensitive to anything near his mouth and is also the same horse that needs the Dorm

, so this does not work for him, because it is nearly impossible to get the Dorm under his tongue. They also don't recommend re-using the leftover gel for another use, but my vet said it was OK as long as it isn't expired of course and you keep it capped and in its original packaging.

Every horse is different on what they do and don't like, what will work and what won't...just work with your horse and see what does work. Fighting doesn't work and just makes everyone cranky.

Trust me, I know...lol

Luckily, there is a lady here in Florida who does clipping as a business and I do not have to worry about clipping my show horses anymore...YAY!!

 

[mydaddysjag]

I know the gel has to be used under the tongue, if you give the injectable orally does it need to be under the tongue too?

I occasionally clip a few horses who are hard to even paste deworm, so Im not sure how I would be sure to get it under the tongue. Normally I just fight with them to clip them, because Im still scared to give shots of a sedative.

 

[HGFarm]

I NEVER give a sedative for clipping.... I know a couple of horses that almost died from that and a bad reaction. I would only do that under a vet's guidance and being there, just in case.

Interesting about squeezing the horse against the wall... hey, what ever works, LOL

By the way, I have seen many folks clipping legs while the horse is standing there, but some are sensitive or ticklish about their legs and the vibration of the clippers. For those, I pick their legs up- like cleaning their feet to do their legs.

 

[Minimor]

I thought that the clamp to use as a twitch was the kind with the flat surfaces--a flat, square surface--where they come together, not the narrow edged ones pictured above. The flat surface one is the kind that was recommended to me. I've never bought one and have never yet had need of one.

I've had some that have been fussy about having their ears clipped, but with a bit of patience and perseverence I've been able to get them clipped. I have one pony that just hates to have his legs clipped. Drugs might help get him done, but I haven't resorted to that. I have progressed to where I can clip his hind legs with the clippers; his front legs I clipped with scissors the first time and the second time I did him partly with clippers and partly with scissors. I do not body clip my ponies so do not have to shave his legs--fortunately! It is just a matter of taking off the long hair on his fetlocks and down the back of his legs.

 

[topnotchminis]

Thank you all. Lots of great advice.

 

[srpwildrose]

Amy and I can give you a crash course at the clinic next month. It's very helpful with a frightened or resistant horse!

I finally figured out that trick last year. It looks incredibly stupid when I do the legs one day then the body the next but it's so much easier! No fussing over their legs because they're still patient and interested, the hard part is done, and the next day you can just zip all the body hair off and be completely finished. Hallelujah!

It makes so much more sense than doing the body first and dreading that just as you run out of light and patience, your back is killing you and the horse is ready to brain you...you get to do the hardest part. Plus that way I don't have to rewash the legs the next day before proceeding. I just put a sheet on overnight and the body is still clean enough to clip the next day.

Leia

Such good advise everyone. I will try and take two days to get the job completed. And I will also call the vet and get some domesdan gel. Sounds perfect. Looking forward to showing my lil mare now.