1st time clipped

Champion1969

Champion1969

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And I'm traumatized at the reaction of my poor baby, yes I was kind of expecting it but shes one of those horses that surprise you when you least expect it. In the end her end she had to be twitched even then she was wild, even banging her head purposely on the pole she was looped to? I cried in the car on the way home, I felt so sorry for her, she NEEDS to be clipped not bothered what she looked like so long as it serves its purpose. How do I go about it next clip? :( :( :(
 
get the vet in to sedate her. It's not fair to put her through the obvious trauma of a clip without sedation if she is reacting that badly.

I had to with my gelding but also worked on getting him used to clippers and now he stands like a lamb eating his hay whilst i clip him.
 
How much desensitising was done in advance, ie. letting her get used to the sight/sound/feel of the clippers before any actual clipping was done? How much was she clipped, and was this done by someone experienced in first-time clipping?
 
Why were you kind of expecting it? I've clipped horses for their first time and they've generally been great. Desensitising with small trimmers first and being calm around them works wonders. The worst I've had to clip is my own, though she's almost perfect now. I do her loose in her box as that's where she's most comfortable.

ETA you should have stopped before it all went tits up and resorting to a twitch on a distressed animal.
 
I started desensitizing her last year and again this year and all was great, left clippers on near stable and she was fine, today she was fine till they were on her. Only had her neck off and under her belly just where she needs, and yes by a very experienced person. She is like this when I bath her with only a little improvement in two years. Its the smacking her head repeatedly that freaked me out. I have felt bad all night :(
 
Champion1969 said:
I started desensitizing her last year and again this year and all was great, left clippers on near stable and she was fine, today she was fine till they were on her. Only had her neck off and under her belly just where she needs, and yes by a very experienced person. She is like this when I bath her with only a little improvement in two years. Its the smacking her head repeatedly that freaked me out. I have felt bad all night :(
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Have you never held them against her so she can get used to the vibration? Obviously not the blades, no clipping involved, just the vibration.
 
Is there any such thing as someone who can tune into her and tell me whats going on and why, money no issue, this behavior is genuine.
Bombproof road safe and a beauty to ride?
 
Some just need sedated :( at least it is only twice a year or once if you get away with it. Try not to feel bad, you are doing something to help her feel more comfortable she just doesn't know that.
 
Some horses just don't take to clipping and need sedating every time which if she is tricky to do could be your way forward. None of my youngsters has reacted badly to being clipped but I did once have a horse that I had to sedate for a number of years before I could clip Her withot sedation.
 
Personally I would pop some earplugs in on a day when you don't need to clip her, see how she reacts and run the clippers over all over her body. If she still goes nuts then yes, sedation is the only answer for now. I hate sedating horses, they aren't asleep - mentally they aare wide awake but they have no control of their muscles or body. But yes, in the end they will get used to the idea that clipers don't hurt them. I have spent 2 years getting a horse at work to be able to be clipped with nothing now - we started with sedation then went onto earplugs and now nothing. She is still tetchy about around her ears being done without earplugs but she'll learn.
 
I know how you feel :(

My youngster had a very bad experience with vets. When he needed a follow up x-ray done, vet wanted him twitched to get i/v in. He was trying to bash the vet with the wooden handle of twitch and twitching was ineffective.

Go back to baby steps with clippers. I appreciate this has been a horrible experience for you both. Time and patience will set you both back on the right track. :)
 
I prefer to use Sedalin but you need to give it when the horse is calm and about 40 minutes before you want to start clipping. The problem with sedation is that the horse can 'snap' out of it. The problem with twitching is that you need sone one to help you. I did get a broken nose whilst clipping a horse that was twitched so I am not a fan of it.
 
Champion1969 said:
Is there any such thing as someone who can tune into her and tell me whats going on and why, money no issue, this behavior is genuine.
Bombproof road safe and a beauty to ride?
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It sounds like she was genuinely very frightened.

If you HAVE to clip her, then go for full veterinary sedation (intravenous) next time.
 
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