Clipping a nervous horse!

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Roc87

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Hi, my 23 yr old welsh cob is absolutely petrified of clippers, this is through no fault of his own as I've had him since he was 5 but never felt the need to clip until recently (suffers with sweetich/very itchy when he sweats) so he's just not used to it. I have to have him sedated for this but its so expensive, I've tried cheaper over the counter sedatives but has no effect. I've read a lot of suggestions of using an electric toothbrush to get him used to the sound, does anyone find this helpful? I am aware that this will take a long time to cure with a lot of persistence and patience. He's just such a worrier, I tried turning my friends small face clippers on the once near him he freaked out and even after turning them off he was shying at me touching him as he thought I still had them. I wouldn't bother but it's such a relief for him to get the air to his skin, and he's sweating a lot due to freakishly mild weather for October which makes him itch uncontrollably. Any tips welcome
 
I am going through the same battle, but maybe not quiet as extreme.
I have had them turned off and rubbed it all over him. He was fine.
I then turned them on in his stable, he walked away a few times but eventually stood at his hay eating his food. Not ideal in the stable but worked. I found not having him tied up meant he was free to move away but would always come back for food :P

I actually have a horse trainer coming out to help as it was suggested to me that it is really easy to teach a horse not to like them. If you turn them on, he reacts and you turn them off he is learning that if he reacts it stops :o when really they should only stop when he stands nicely....which is a ridiculous thought when they freak out every time you go near them with them. By boy isn't so bad with the small ones but the big ones he cant stand.

I will be interested to hear the responses!
Good Luck

very tri
 
Foe one of my ponies I left the clippers running in the stable (minus the blades) and that worked well, you can also get phone apps that mimic the noise and vibration of clippers

For my other pony the noise isnt a problem its the actual cutting of the hair and thats harder to overcome, we will be sedating this winter as its safer for all involved but I have had some really good suggestions on my recent clipping thread which should still be no more than a few pages in to the forum if you want to look
 
Have you tried ear plugs? The majority of horses that don't like being clipped is down to the noise. Take away the noise and you just have a nice long grooming session in the horses world.
 
thats interesting way to think about it, might try it but not sure how well that would go, depends how big the freak out is lol! Be nice to know how you get on with horse trainer
 
Do you clip in the stable or outside? We used to have to sedate the pony as he was petrified. With some desntising work with the trimmers then clippers he can be done without. Has to be done outside though. If you try in stable he goes mad and will try and crush you against wall to get away x
 
Sparemare said:
To be honest I would get the vet to sedate and clip. Ours do it at a reasonable cost, if needed.
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The trouble with sedation via intravenous, is that usually it makes them sweat, sometimes soaking wet. Then you got an issue in that its almost impossible to clip a wt horse without causing discomfort.
 
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