grandmaweloveyou
Well-Known Member
Hi Everyone (or the few that are reading this haha)
I have seen alot of posts on clipping terrified horses.
I had the drama with mine initially involving a whole tube of sedolin & 5 hours of try try try again - all in a massive fail (he would almost be on his knees with sedation but as soon as the clippers started, wide eyed and terrified)
Well we have come on leaps and bounds - knowing we are clipping tomorrow & it being another year on from the last clip (which was relatively stress free) I took 2 pairs of human clippers to the yard this morning, 1 larger & louder than the other.
Started grooming & holding the smallest set of clippers & acting all nonchalant....got closer to his head & he panicked, I only lost 5 toes though when he trod on my foot ouch....kept going & chatting & putting them down (still on) & starting again & he settled.
Started to clip his freezemark out, high on his neck, he panicked so I changed sides & held them with a brush & treat & let him sniff them (the "can it eat me" test). I then encouraged him closer and he did the "can I eat it" test. I was so glad he did the predictable thing that the horse behavourist told me he 'should'.
Started clipping again then swapped to the loud ones, nothing, not a flinch & clipped a big square, painfully slow as they are too small, but I AM SO PLEASED.
He then had a breakfast & lots of praise so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
SO a pretty pointless post but I just thought maybe it would encourage someone to try but very slowly (an elec toothbrush is a good start) oh and I was told never in the stable.
I have seen alot of posts on clipping terrified horses.
I had the drama with mine initially involving a whole tube of sedolin & 5 hours of try try try again - all in a massive fail (he would almost be on his knees with sedation but as soon as the clippers started, wide eyed and terrified)
Well we have come on leaps and bounds - knowing we are clipping tomorrow & it being another year on from the last clip (which was relatively stress free) I took 2 pairs of human clippers to the yard this morning, 1 larger & louder than the other.
Started grooming & holding the smallest set of clippers & acting all nonchalant....got closer to his head & he panicked, I only lost 5 toes though when he trod on my foot ouch....kept going & chatting & putting them down (still on) & starting again & he settled.
Started to clip his freezemark out, high on his neck, he panicked so I changed sides & held them with a brush & treat & let him sniff them (the "can it eat me" test). I then encouraged him closer and he did the "can I eat it" test. I was so glad he did the predictable thing that the horse behavourist told me he 'should'.
Started clipping again then swapped to the loud ones, nothing, not a flinch & clipped a big square, painfully slow as they are too small, but I AM SO PLEASED.
He then had a breakfast & lots of praise so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
SO a pretty pointless post but I just thought maybe it would encourage someone to try but very slowly (an elec toothbrush is a good start) oh and I was told never in the stable.
