Do people still use a twitch?

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weebarney

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The chifney thread got me thinking about this. Do people still twitch horses or is it frowned upon now ? I don't remember seeing them in the more modern horse catalogues but maybe that's because I haven't been looking for one. I don't remember any vet requesting I use one either .
 
I saw one used at my yard the other day but before that not since I was a teenager and that was in the 90's, purely circumstantial of course but since you got me thinking, I very rarely see it used. Certainly never used it on any that I have had or even been associated with. Not even seen friends use it either.
 
I don't particularly like them but they serve a purpose so I still use one if necessary for the safety of me or the horse.

I've never bought one though, I use a homemade one.
 
I think with improvement in use and safety most people now used sedation rather than a twitch but to be honest in an emergency a twitch can be very useful in spite of me not liking them much I will use a hand twitch to improve a naughty pony or a proper one to clip or inject a pony as it is quick and recovery is quick. Doesnt work for some horses though.
 
My dad made mine out of a cricket wicket.
If I can I would rather twitch for something and avoid sedation so the horse does not have drugs unless I can't avoid it.
 
I don't know why they are not more commonly used. I don't own one myself as if the vet wants to do anything that might be a bit intrusive or annoying it's always a sedative given.
 
Very useful piece of kit. I have to confess that I am useless at applying them myself, there is a knack about popping one out without upsetting the horse, but I haven't got that knack! I can hold one confidently, though, if someone else has put it on.

The effect is miraculous.
 
I've not problem using it if needed, but i have never actually needed to. My horses are all very well handled and don't mine me poking and prodding them in sensitive areas and my tone of voice soon makes them stop pratting about. I tend to go for quiet horses though.
 
I use one to clip my mares legs. She is fine to clip her body, head, etc, and down to the knee, but below there, and she would kill me. She suffers with skin problems, so has to be clipped roughly every 6 weeks. I used to get her sedated, but to be honest, it is too expensive, and I got concerned about sedating her so often. The twitch works, and can get all 4 legs done in about 10 minutes now. (OH made the twitch for me with a hammer handle and some rope).
 
Yep,...use a homemade version when having to clip the ears...self preservation for me and the horse is necessary and alot cheaper than sedation!! I don't want to have to inject my horse with drugs if not absolutely necessary.
 
Twitches are so useful. Not a chance I could pull my mare's mane without one- she can pull out some pretty funky moves with her front feet! Also super great for clipping to keep them still to avoid unsightly wobbly lines... Just be careful when you take them off, their noses become hypersensitive when they have them on...can cause explosions!
 
Goldenstar said:
My dad made mine out of a cricket wicket.
If I can I would rather twitch for something and avoid sedation so the horse does not have drugs unless I can't avoid it.
Click to expand...

My very posh neighbour has one made out of a stirrup!

Totally agree, would rather not sedate if it can be avoided!
 
I twitch my boy for the last 10% of clipping - armpits, nether regions and near his ears. He's a bit special so getting the twitch on him is the most difficult part as he thows anyone who tries around the stable. We now get a humane twitch on him as it's quicker and easier to get on, but it doesn't have such a good effect, so once we've got hold of his lip we then get the homemade type behind it and then take the humane one off. It sounds a faff but it's much easier than trying to get the homemade twitch on him straight off.

Twitching has a much better effect on him than Sedalin and it's quicker, cheaper and more easily reversed. IV sedation has him knocked out for hours on end so I only use that as a last resort and never for clipping -just for veterinary treatment.
 
My extremely well mannered chap, who is a 100% to handle cannot be clipped without sedation AND is twitched to do his ears but he does look handsome once he's done and yes, we do his head first whilst the sedation is at it's strongest.
McCauley said:
Yep,...use a homemade version when having to clip the ears...self preservation for me and the horse is necessary and alot cheaper than sedation!! I don't want to have to inject my horse with drugs if not absolutely necessary.
Click to expand...
 
Have to twitch my mare whenever a needle appears, its a full on battle otherwise and just results in her getting very stressed out!
She can be quite nasty with her front legs when she feels like it too so i would rather twitch her than risk her injuring people, if more time is needed though she's twitched then sedated. Wouldn't leave one on for any longer than necessary
 
I've never seen one being used around here, even not with difficult horses, and I wouldn't want to use one myself, although it seems better than frequent sedation.
 
My lad is the most laid back horse on the planet, you can do anything and he will just stand there.

However, when he had a corneal ulcer he turned into a fire breathing dragon (bless him, he must have been in so much pain) - the only way I could get the ointment in his eye was by twitching him.

He ended up going to hospital anyway, but....

When he got back from hospital, getting the ointment in his eye was imperative to his recovery. Without the twitch I wouldn't have been able to get anywhere near his eye with the ointment, or I would I poked him in the eye!
 
I twitch when I clip especially when doing heads, just safer than them moving even slightly. Use a homemade one out of a crop and bailing twine though. Don't see much harm if done properly as releases endorphines. One horse I clip refularly I can twitch by twisting his ear - only need my hand then and nothing else.

I guess why vets don't ask for twitches to be used is because they wouldn't make money out of it. Which is sad when you think they should be looking out for horses welfare not the profit.
 
If you have trouble clipping, send her to my mate in Somerset! I've seen her turn around nutters into little lambs - no twitch in sight!
 
Ned used to have one for the farrier, until it started making him rear :(

Turns out it wasn't the farrier, it was the yard! He was just too unsettled there, even after a few years. I barely even had to hold the rope yesterday :)
 
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