clipping question

[chevycouple]

I have a yearling colt that got chased/heeled by some dogs. Now he doesn't like his legs clipped mostly his back legs. I've backed off from clipping them and just rub the on or off clippers on his back legs and he is getting better. Do any of you guy/gals have any other idea's to get him over this fear/irritation?

PS he seems more irritated than scared

Thanks

Leigha

 

[stormo41]

have you thought of twitching him while you do his back legs?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would twitch him- I think most of the time we make "excuses" for our horses and I would find it unusual if your horse were still remembering being heeled by the dogs- he may be a little shy of dogs but he would not remember where they nipped him, only the chasing bit.

So...he is reacting normally to clippers on the legs and batting out at you??

Twitch him, as lightly as possible, with someone helping you, if possible.

As he starts to settle down take the twitch off slowly and see, if he starts up again put it back on.

Remember to keep the clippers running ALL the time you are clipping, do not turn them off and do not take your hand off the horses body- keep contact at all time.

Just a tip I thought I would pass on- I do not know why it works but it does!!!

:

 

[Jill]

We had a little trouble clipping legs on DunIT and Bacardi. Sunny was a good boy. DunIT and Bacardi were just fidgetting, not kicking out like I've seen MANY minis do, but we're not very good yet at clipping and if they don't hold still, it's so hard. I got some Dormosedan sedative from my vet to help, only I honestly do not think it did. Maybe it is more for if the horse is flipping out vs. just fidgeting. I ended up twisting ears while H clipped the legs. They weren't done perfectly, but it was good enough for us

 

[Feather1414]

I know that Dealer can't STAND having his back legs, groin or his ears clipped.

What I do for his legs, is he has a rearing issue. I have my friend stand at his head and put her hands on both sides of his halter and hold him down. He does the sit down thing, but I go with it. Eventually he gets tired and will stand back up, but it's not easy.

What you can also do is twitch them, and then have someone put their head in the persons armpit, aka wrap your arm around him, and that has always works for me.

 

[Pepipony]

Patience and time and maybe a tad of a 'this will not kill you' mentality. As for not remembering, I have a qh mare that was roped by a drunk yahoo, burned up one rear heel really bad. That happened well over a decade ago and if she has something wrap that heel, twig/rush etc, she will really lash out. However I can do anything to her and I have put ropes etc on it to teach her that it wont kill her. Think they can recall things longer than we give credit for. At the same time they can learn if they throw a fit, they may get out of doing something. We just have to decide if its a real scare, or a fit.