Horse Acting Crazy

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hrselvr728

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I just clipped my horse for the first time ever last weekend. He took to the clippers well, except for his legs and ears, but didn't freak out about the process. Now, several days later, he seems to have turned into quite a little beast. Running around crazy, rolling, rearing up, etc. He is still a stallion (coming 3 yr old) and I was planning to probably geld him this year. He is not being aggressive towards me, still lets me catch him, stands quietly etc. The change in his behavior seems to be sudden. He was just at the vet on Monday for a few things (teeth check, health cert for our show, chrypt form) and I've checked him over for injuries or scrapes. He's eating fine, good gut sounds. He seems itchy. The temps here are in the 40's/50s at night and in the 70s during the day, which I have a blanket on him at least at night.

So I my question is, have your horses turned into beasts after you clip them the first time? Do they have to get used to the feeling of the coat? I'm just a bit concernced since this is not what I would call normal behavior.
 
I have never had that happen after clipping, but I wonder if maybe the new hair growth (like whiskers after a shave) would be itchy for him driving him to react in that way? Is there any chance his skin could be burnt, either from sunshine (if he is pinto with large areas of white) or maybe burnt from the clipper blades being too hot?
 
I also wonder if he is just very itchy? Maybe you should put some conditioner on his body?

After I show clip, I put this "Cholesterol" stuff (made for African hair) and let that stay on about 10 minutes, then rinse off.

It's also good to have a fat source in their diet which helps their skin not be dry and itchy. My show horses get ground flax seed.

I know in the past when my former trainer clipped my horses, one especially was very agressive but was basically trying to rub against me and get me to scratch him, not really trying to be mean.
 
Yeah, I don't think he's trying to be aggressive or mean. He does have dry skin, I've seen dandruff in his mane, so maybe it's dry from clipping. He eats Buckeye Grow n Win, does well with it, and coastal hay. I didn't think the clipper blades were hot enough to hurt him, but it was my first time using them as well so I won't count that out. He's a sorrel, no white so I don't think he sunburned, I was outside and didn't get sunburned. Would show sheen help? I'll also say I didn't clip him completely, just head, neck, shoulders, front legs and underbelly. His butt, back, flanks, and back legs still have hair. I tried to trim the hair on his back since he gets quite woolly, but I didn't do so well clipping with the guards on.
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I always bathe immediately following a clip job to get the extra hairs off. But I do have some that "increase their energy level" and I just figure they feel good to get all that hair off!
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Many people don't realize how hot the minis get even in colder weather with their full winter coats. Mine are actually sweaty at temps around 50 when it is sunny out. Most of mine get a bit wild after the first clip I think they just feel good, they are cooler in the morning and it must feel wonderful to get out of that thick sweaty starting to get itchy winter coat.
 
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When I clip mine...they run around like crazy, roll..and really enjoy themselves!! It just feels good to get all that hair off.
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Can even see them smile. <LOL>
 
I clipped one of mine almost two weeks ago and hadn't clipped them since I bought them 3+ years ago. He changed from a mellow guy to a spunky fellow.
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The weather has warmed up to the high 70s/80s so I think it just felt so good for him to get all that hair off. He only seemed itchy on his face. I just clipped my other one yesterday but he's always spunky.
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He might need a nice bath...something to put moisture back in his skin...but, mostly perhaps he just feels GOOD...a new hair doo and a trip to the dentist....and, also that it is spring....everyone gets frisky
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besides it has to feel fantastic to get all that heavy winter hair off...if I were a horse I know I would be making some laps in the barn yard
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Lis
 
Is he just feeling good? Spring is here and I find a lot of the critters get a bit more spunky. It could be just a fluke that it coincided with him being clipped. Or maybe he's just "feeling his oats".
 
Something else to consider. Did you use blade wash, or some other cleaner/lubricant on the blades?

The very first time I ever clipped, I wasn't very careful getting the blades wiped after each dipping into the blade wash; and go figure, the horse I clipped, two days after wards developed red hives in places all over her body. You could actually see where the blades has swiped after each cleaning. She is the only one who is sensitive to this stuff, and even now, when clipping her, I use an air-dried blade each time, instead of cleaning the one I have been using, and wiping it off.

And yes, as already mentioned...he might very well have expremely dry skin. Here is my SECRET...for a beautiful shiny coat on a newly clipped horse...promise not to tell anyone...okay?
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MAYONAISE...the real thing...not dressing...real MAYO. I warm it up a bit, and then totally smear the horse from one end to the other and massage it in...you can also do the mane and tail, but its harder to remove. Cover the horse with a sheet/cooler and leave it for a couple of hours...then shampoo and rinse well. Smells like a big salad until it comes out...but you will notice a huge difference. I also use this on natural coats if they are well-slicked out. I've been doing this for over 30 years with my show horses, and have been told time and time again, that if there was an award for shiniest horses...it would be mine, hands down.
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Thanks for your replies. I still consider myself to be a "green" owner, but I try to be vigilant about observing my horse so I know what his norm is. I have been stalling him at night, and I know that drives him a bit nuts because he's usually out 24/7. We had a tree fall on the property last week and so there's lots of sticks and branches leftover from that mess, and he tends to get himself into trouble. I'm going to chalk it up to feelin' good for now because I know he was uncomfortable in that winter coat. You'd think somebody had slipped him some sweet feed or something!
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ETA: My clipper says not to use a blade wash, just a rag, and I did wipe them off everytime I put oil on. Which brings me another question- how often do you guys oil your blades? I reoiled everytime the clipper started to feel hot.
 
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My clipper says not to use a blade wash, just a rag, and I did wipe them off everytime I put oil on. Which brings me another question- how often do you guys oil your blades? I reoiled everytime the clipper started to feel hot.
I have been using the same blades (Of course I have new ones too, LOL!) for over 25 years, with my Osters, and with my Double K blades for 11 years or so, and it hasn't hurt them at all. I don't oil them or use kool-lube, as I find it actullay clogs and dulls them. What kind of blades are you using?

Edited to say that I mean I don't oil them during useage...but they are always oiled prior to going back into the box.
 
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All good replies.

Check him for lice too.

I'm also wondering if he is chilly. Mine would be frozen if I clipped them right now. You aren't too far from me and its still way too cold here for me to be clipping anyone unless I kept them well covered. Are you blanketing him at night or sheeting him during the day?

Good luck to you!
 
Yeah, I keep his blanket on him at night, only take it off if it's in the high 70's during the day and not too windy. And like I said, he does still have hair on his back, butt, and rear legs. I try to put my hand on his chest to see if he's cold, maybe that's not the right way to check. I probably clipped him too early, a little too eager, a little too much. We have our first ever show coming up and I was hoping to practice with the clippers before I clip him for the show in case I made any crazy mistakes since I've never done it before.
 
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I had a similar experience once, my very friendly lovable gelding was ticked at me for days and wanted to attack me after I clipped him. But he got over it. and returned to my sweet boy. I wondered afterwards.........was he cold ? Who knows? Sometimes they just like to drive us crazy. He will get over it. Wendy
 
hrselvr728 said:
I have been stalling him at night, and I know that drives him a bit nuts because he's usually out 24/7. ... I'm going to chalk it up to feelin' good for now because I know he was uncomfortable in that winter coat. You'd think somebody had slipped him some sweet feed or something!
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My first thought was that he's cold (and he still may be, depending on how heavy your blanket is) but I think you just answered your own question.
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Horses who are used to being out all the time tend to go slightly nutty when they've been stalled and are then released. Kody's normally the quietest of guys in his paddock but when stalled after his surgery he now goes NUTS if turned out in a pasture. Running, bucking, being aggressive towards me and the other horses...it's all bottled up and he just can't stand it anymore.
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I'll bet you huge bunches if you were to leave him out he'd go back to normal within days.

Still, I'd use a wet towel and a shopvac on him if it's too cold to bath and try to get some conditioners into that coat just in case he's itching to death. Good for you on being so vigilant with your boy!

Leia
 
hrselvr728 said:
I have been stalling him at night, and I know that drives him a bit nuts because he's usually out 24/7. ... I'm going to chalk it up to feelin' good for now because I know he was uncomfortable in that winter coat. You'd think somebody had slipped him some sweet feed or something!
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My first thought was that he's cold (and he still may be, depending on how heavy your blanket is) but I think you just answered your own question.
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Horses who are used to being out all the time tend to go slightly nutty when they've been stalled and are then released. Kody's normally the quietest of guys in his paddock but when stalled after his surgery he now goes NUTS if turned out in a pasture. Running, bucking, being aggressive towards me and the other horses...it's all bottled up and he just can't stand it anymore.
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I'll bet you huge bunches if you were to leave him out he'd go back to normal within days.

Still, I'd use a wet towel and a shopvac on him if it's too cold to bath and try to get some conditioners into that coat just in case he's itching to death. Good for you on being so vigilant with your boy!

Leia
I agree with Leia, this would be my best guess.
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When I do the first clipping of my horses and put them back with the rest.....they all go a little crazy.....I think they feel like a new horse in the midst.

My horses always roll....after bathing...after clipping....and right before someone comes to look at them. :DOH!
 

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