HELP!! Horse has issues

[Katie Iceton]

Ok I have a littel gelding, sweetest littel guy, you can do anything with him, nothing phases him. I can clean his feet, farrier has no problem trimming the feet, and I can brush his legs. I cannot clip this horses legs...from about the knee down, especially the front, he rears up and strikes out, making it impossible to clip, back legs he picks up and coils and makes it generally difficult, but somewhat do-able. His front however, are virtually impossible to get a nice clip. Ive twitched him, kind of worked, would rather not do it because I dont like this means of control....Only did it because I needed him clipped for a show. So any ideas on what to do? HELP!!!

 

[Reble]

Have someone hold and use a deep bucket with grain, they get more interested in the feed than what you are doing.

:

 

[backwoodsnanny]

What about picking up the foot in question as though you are going to clean the hoof and rest it on your leg knee whatever just hold it off the ground and see if you can fool him into thinking you are picking his foot? None of them really like lower legs or ears done that I have seen. Get a helper as suggested and just go for it and work as quickly as you can. Good Luck.

 

[Miniv]

In addition to the good suggestions made already.........be sure to read the thread started by MiniHoofBeats about her mare rearing.

MA

 

[Katie Iceton]

Thanks guys, grain, well he would eat and prance at the same time, I have tried distracting him, he just gets angry because he cant eat when im clipping his legs, and resting his foot helps him rear all the more....

 

[CLC Stables]

A twitch is by no means a bad thing. Thing of it that it will make it easier on both the horse and you.

Giving grain is not a good thing because it might click in a horses brain that he is being rewarded for what he is doing.

 

[sedeh]

I am a twitch convert!! I always believed that if you had to revert to "those means" you were not a good horseperson. Hah! I have a mare that was a wild thing when we got her. She slowly settled down and had great manners in all aspects except getting her legs clipped. She'd go beserk and fight you every step of the way. Believe me I tried everything. My friend would end up pinning her to the side of the wall so I could clip. It was a giant battle every time. I finally broke down and bought a twitch. I take vet wrap and wrap the metal bar pieces that go on their nose and make it really soft. Twitches when applied properly actually release endorphins and make the horse feel better. I put it on and after a minute or two they get sleepy eyed and I go to work. I take it off frequently and praise the horse(and give them treats). I use it much more often than I used to......usually ears and feet are the biggy. I always give the horse a chance to do it without, but I'm not going to fight with them anymore and risk getting them or myself injured. It also works great with horses that don't like shots.

 

[targetsmom]

This seems to be a closely guarded secret about miniature horses - in my limited experience, almost ALL of them hate to have their legs clipped! We use the twitch technique too - you can see them relax and almost go to sleep when it works correctly. But we still have one that can rear and do damage even when twitched. We tried desensitizing him to the clippers during the winter, but I think he is smart enough to know that we wouldn't actually CLIP him when it was that cold. So of course he was fine with the clippers being run up and down his legs with the motor on! Any ideas for someone as hard core as this one??

 

[HGFarm]

Are you trying to clip his legs while he is standing there with all four on the ground? I pick up the legs on my fussy ones, as it 'tickles' or vibrates on some and they fuss a bit. I pick them up, as if to clean or trim feet, and clip that way. That way you have a bit more control also. Then if you need to do touch ups in front, the leg comes out that way (as if a full sized horse has it's foot on a shoeing stand) and that can get clipped.

Have patience. He may fuss some but just keep after him and talk to him- he will get over it.

 

[Jag and Inti's Mom]

OO! OO! Pick me, Pick me for the answer!!!! I have a 30 inch stallion who is best known as Dennis the Menace. All at the barn refer to him lovingly as the "Little S___!" I have tried to desensitize him over winters, he has been around clippers from the time he was 2 weeks old. He is just a pistol. What he would do is rear, flip and then lay down with his legs underneath him. Try fighting that one. It was just every clipping we would get into a battle when it came to his legs. The rest of him, ears, muzzle, etc he is just fine. While perusing a catalogue, I saw one of those 3 inch belt type things that go around a big horses neck when you camp. Guess what, it fit perfectly around his middle (where the saddle would go). It has a great big D ring attached. So I put that on, and then wrap a lead rope around a stall board and clip him to it. He can no longer lay down. I then hold his hoof out and begin to clip away. He is safe, I am safe, no one gets hurt, except his pride. I also had to add a grazing muzzle because he learned he could bite me! He really is a pistol. Loves everything but his legs. This also stops rearing. They can't go up, down, forward or back more than an inch or two. The best part is there is no fight. I can give him a pat and a carrot when done and say "good boy". Let me know if this might work for you.

 

[targetsmom]

"It has a great big D ring attached. So I put that on, and then wrap a lead rope around a stall board and clip him to it. He can no longer lay down. I then hold his hoof out and begin to clip away."

Could you explain this a little better? Could one use a training surcingle for this? Where is the D ring? Could I use this to keep them from rearing UP??

I don't even try to do legs while they are standing on them. I wish!!! No, I pick them up and then wonder how anyone ever does the backs of the knees? I have to do three of them this week - including our raving maniac - but at least 2 of them were done last week and I only need to touch them up and fix the spots I missed. Oh, our raving maniac is a gelding and also HATES to have his ears done. He doesn't even like his ears touched and of course we work on that frequently. And don't even mention fly spray. He is 3/8 Rowdy blood and we think we know how Rowdy got his name!!!

 

[HGFarm]

When you have their legs picked up, you can still do the back of the knees- just 'unbend' it a bit, without it reaching the ground.

 

[Samm S]

Wow, i have a 37 1/4 " gelding and he is TERRIBLE with lega, ears, and suddenly the rest of his face this spring, (allways been bad with legs/ears) i have trried pretty much everything with this boy, and it always ends up with me getting hurt, last summer, i got bucked in the face.. (well that wasnt his fault, it was completly mine, i let down my guard for one second.) so, he is a bit of a brat, and i cant do his legs, last show season he went the whole season without his legs even being remotly close to having them done, he doesnt like getting his legs brushed either. i am quite curious to see how others do it, so i will keep reading the posts being made, so far. i have tried everything except for that ring around his tummy, i even tried having bucking hobbles and i tried rearing ones too. He is VERY pushy. he will try to throw me into the wall, if i let him. he is a big mini and its sort of hard to keep him under control, without me or him getting hurt. im almost glad to see that my horse isnt the only one with this problem. i hope i can get them clipped this year.

 

[Cara]

. my mare is kinda like that. she has a really hard time with her head but she is getting there, the most important thing is to not get mad. i just recently cliped her , well yesterday lol and it took maybe a hour to do her legs, just be gentle it will take time to get her used to it. umm i duno i don't ever hit her unless , she does sumthing really bad(she never does) and she is slowly getting better. this will be my 5 year showing and over the years and as many times that i have cliped , i would say she is for sure getting better. so it just takes time. i just remeber to stay calm , what ever you are feeling the horse is feeling. so i would say just keep working on it . another thing is i can sense when she is gona kick or move her leg. so when i feel her muscle move i take the clippers off and , she gradually starts to trust me and it works. so i wish you luck. :bgrin

 

[susanne]

I don't see twitches as a bad thing, although I prefer to use one as part of long-term training.

Horses tend to upset themselves; if you can prevent them from getting upset in the first place. With a twitch, they can relax and get used to it without even realizing it.

Before you even start, run and handle their legs all you can. Rub them firmly to prevent tickling. Clicker-training can work great to let them know there's a light at the end of the tunnel -- I taught the idea of the clicker with treats, but now they just get a verbal reward.

Do not treat (as was mentioned, you're rewarding them for being bad), but talk softly and turn it into a massage/scritch fest. Start with an area they don't mind, then gradually expand their comfort zone. Take your time -- don't try to rush through to get it done. Take frequent breaks.

Don't ever use hot or dull clipper blades, as that can u ndo all you have done. Don't wait until right before a show...if you're rushed, you'll communicate your stress.

Use this as an opportunity to let him know he can turn to you for comfort, and always end on a good note.

 

[WICKERSHAM MINIATURES]

I know it is too late for this one, but when my babies are born, within the first 24 hours, I plug up those clippers and turn them on and rub them all over the baby until it calms down. Clipping from then on is a breeze. As for the older horse who wasn't imprinted like that, I always touch the leg (a lot ) thatI am about to clip to let him know that I am going to be working on that leg and like everyone else has said, it tickles them, so I sort of streach the skin across the bone of the leg before I begin touching his leg with the clippers. That seems to take some of the tickle away. I will never let the horse win. Even if I have to TWITCH him.

So far, I have never had a really bad horse and never have had to twitch but I may get to deal with that this year since I did not clipper imprint any of my babies this year. I may be asking the same question in about a week!!!

Buy, I would rather twitch than have my horse or myself get hurt. Good Luck!!

Cindy Wickersham

 

[wiccanz]

I haven't ever really had any major issues clipping legs, whether they be first time foals or older horses.

However, here's a few suggestions:

If you clip the legs last, put some travelling boots/wraps on while you do the body, that way they get the feel of something on their legs (I've never had to use this technique myself yet, but have been told it works well).

Try clipping the legs first - blades are cool, horse is not getting tetchy from standing around too long, and you tend to have more patience at the beginning! This is what I do

Use a twitch - it's not cruel, and it could save a big battle and lost tempers.

Pick up the near fore while clipping the inside of the off fore etc.

Have another horse tied near where you are working - sometimes a bit of company can work wonders.

If you have another person around, they can help to calm the horse by whatever means, if you have to work alone (which I usually have to ) then take a break, sit down or grab a coffee.

Good luck! :bgrin

 

[Fred]

I know it sounds funny but try clipping the horse wet, the blades tend to stay cooler it really does work and you get a better clip with less lines [at least I do]. The other thing is this is ALL part of basic ground manners. Every horse is different and you have to learn how to improvise with each and every one. Time and consistancy are the best things. I will tell you as a farrier nothing ticks me off more than someone feeding a horse I am working on ESPECIALLY when they are misbehaving, it just trains them to misbehave. Handle the feet and legs for longer periods of time than you normally do and that will help also.

 

[shane]

today i clipped my stalions legs i had to have my hubby twitch him, he is an explosion on legs!!!

hes great at every other part ...just the legs, i must say i love the idea of the d hook and the surgicle, maybe you should patent that...and well all buy it lol

i remember last year waiting to go into the ring and i was watching the sheep shearers,toss the sheep every direction and had them clipped in about five minuites, ....i seriously considered throwing twinkle toes up on the stage, as hes white and could pass as a sheep

:

 

[wildoak]

I have a couple of terrors here as well - one is a 5 year old gelding who was clipped and shown as a youngster, and I don't remember such battles then. The other is a yearling colt, he's a nightmare on his legs. I do twitch - it's a lifesaver if done correctly. Biggest thing to remember is to check your blades often - esp on legs and face, they seem to heat up in an instant and once your burn a horse with a hot blade, they do not forget. I'm a fan of clipping wet too - or at least damp, blades do stay cooler.

Using Calm & Cool or something along those lines isn't a bad thing either, prior to clipping.

Jan