"Don't clip my ears or face!!" HELPPPPPPP

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Lill

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I discovered last winter, being the first winter merlin has been clipped properly, that i could not get very near his ears and not anywhere near his face with the clippers.

Being that it was the first few times he had proper clips i didn't want to push the issue too much and turn him into a nightmare for the future.

Would cotton wool in his ears help maybe? Or a sock over each ear??!
 
Never put cotton wool down ears, its asking for trouble with the risk of leaving some or even all in. Tbh, I'd just build up slowly to getting him accustomed to them on a daily basis.
 
I agree, battery clippers are quieter..

I use lickits as distractions with mine if they are getting fidgety. Its the only time they get them. If not twitch, if you're confident.

Each time I clip a youngster I do a little bit more - bib the first clip, then trace, then blanket with half head.. Build it up.

If all that fails, either sedate or don't bother with the head.
 
Sponges! I swear by them! If you get one of those big yellow "Jumbo Sponges" from the pound shop or petrol garage and chop it to the desired size it means that you can fill the ear up plenty but still have enough on the outside to grab hold of to pull them out.

Whilst I find ear plugging works wonders it doesn't for all. I have a horse at work that I won't let anyone else clip. The first time I clipped him I got battered, and I mean battered off of walls, floors, ceilings, you name it - I hit it! At that pointhe was a lamb to do all over his body, underneath, behind but was iffy about his chest and as of half way up his neck it was a complete no go. Time, patience and no end of batters to myself later I can now clip his chest, his neack and all the way up to his ears and round his cheeks. I can't touch his head with the clippers and to be honest I don't think I will ever get to do that without sedation but gradually showing him that I am not going to hurt him has won me enough trust to make him look sensible for the track rather than a zig-zag line I used to get from him.

Plug him, take your time, be patient and if needs be move back onto a part of his body that you know you can do before going back up where he doesn't like if he gets fractious.
 
I spent all the first 4 years building him up to it, i would always get him in when i clipped any of the others so he got used to the noise, then i would hold the clippers on him, then clip random little patches when he was 2/3yo just so he got used to the feel of it.

Then last winter started with tiny bib, then made it into a chaser with head on, it was only when i did the final clip and wanted all off apart from half head and legs did i discover he wouldn't let me near his head!

I sort of half wonder if he's having me on?! May try locating some human clippers!
 
Another point - a lot of us leave heads and fiddley bits, that are more sensitive, til last. Try doing it a bit earlier when the clippers are cooler?

Our Section A would never accept the clippers near her head. We had some mega "I might be 12h but I've 17h of attitude" battles! Not that I ever clipped her, just used to play with her and the clippers when I clipped the others!
 
My gelding had 2 lots of sedative last year to get under his jaw & his throat/between his front legs done, with 3 people holding him still. Madness. This year, armed with a load of sugar lumps, I got him clipped, alone, in a total of 3 days.
1st day I spent 20mins with a friends small, battery clippers. First I got Dante to touch them with his nose, turned off. Then I ran them all over his body turned off (no issues there tbh), then I gradually persuaded him to bring his head close to them when they were on (holding them so the blades were pointed at me!), and then I popped them near his head & ears. Treating every time he made a positive move towards the clippers, or let me bring them to him without moving away. I would have used the clicker too but had him on the leadrope - loosely - in case he swung right round in a paddy & did decide to do anything silly!
Second day, I clipped his body. All of it! I gave him a tiny, tiny bit of sedaline to calm my own nerves ;) but it has no effect on him anyway I don't think. Got on with it and he stood nicely, with my boyfriend holding him on a lungeline from out side the stable, and both of us patting/treating when he was very good or I had to do a fiddly bit. I even managed to get his cheeks, behind his ears & most of his chest & throat done, but then lost the light! doh. I was stopping approx every 8 mins though to let the clippers cool, as I am very wary of them getting warm!
3rd day I used friends small clippers again, no sedaline, neatened up behind his elbows & his chest first, then gradually worked up towards his head. In the end I found that he was a LOT better if I just stuck the clippers on & clipped, as he is extremely ticklish around his lower jaw :( So would pop them on his face near his cheek, and pretend to clip downwards until I got to an unclipped bit, whizz a strip off and so on! Neatened the last tiddly bit right down near his mouth off with scissors.

Lots of sugar, but NO sedative really, which is quite a feat for the little horse I think considering that previously he's reared & hit a roof, flung his legs around & awful lot, headbutted the clippers nearly breaking them, and so on... it's always been an ordeal, but this year I went at it like I had a month to do it (and fully expected it to take that long!), and was pleasantly surprised :) I never thought before that we'd be able to do him without any sedative at all.
 
I suppose he doesn't actually need it all clipped but he is a hairy mammoth welsh d so gets a proper winter beard and everything!

Sol - sounds like the more stressed everyone around him was getting the more stressed he was getting by it all! Hopefully it will take you 2 days next time instead of 3, and then the next time, just the 1! :)
 
I suppose he doesn't actually need it all clipped but he is a hairy mammoth welsh d so gets a proper winter beard and everything!

Sol - sounds like the more stressed everyone around him was getting the more stressed he was getting by it all! Hopefully it will take you 2 days next time instead of 3, and then the next time, just the 1! :)
 
Look up Michael Peace's clipping video... I used that to re-educate Ron that clipping wasn't frightening after he put his head through a stable roof before I got him. I usually only clip half his face (behind the cheek pieces) but I can clip his face and ears without him even being tied up now. :-)
 
might have missed this as I only skimmed through , but what about a twitch? My horse hates face ears and legs being clipped, but i'd already started so had to get the rest off- I didnt want to twitch, but after a broken toe and a kick to the face I put it on and he stood perfectly still- got the lot done quickly and very neatly!
 
Rather than the noise of the clippers it is probably the vibrations against his face that he doesn't like, especially as their faces aren't fleshy like the rest of them!

If he really doesn't like it just do a neat line and leave the face unclipped. I wouldn't press the issue, just try a little bit more each time you clip.
 
I have a little set of masterclip trimmers that are good for more sensitve areas - they are tiny but can cope with a lot. I do my cobs legs with them.

Not done his face yet other than his beard but going to see if I can work up to the ears - unlikely though as more often than not he won't let anyone touch his ears nevermind trying to clip them!
 
I would definately recommend getting a set of trimmers - I have these (http://www.easytreksaddles.co.uk/ou...TER-PROFESSIONAL-CORDLESS-HORSE-CLIPPERS.html) and have found them really good. They're quiet with very little vibration. I wouldn't do a whole body with them bu they are perfect for the face.
Also with the gaurds on you can just remove the excess beard hair without giving a clipped appeareance and doesn't require as much skin contact so may be easier for the horse to cope with
 
Just be warned that of you switch to other clippers...do check how closely they trim. Says she who gave her horse a much closer shave on his face than I had on his body. Was pretty peed off as was using smaller trimmers to mouth and chin, but had to then redo those head.

But another who says, if he really hates it do you need to? I am all for smartness etc but might think twice if my horse really created. My old mare is staying unclipped, albeit she won't throw much of a coat, but she needs to be heavily sedated to clip. At 24 she can do without clipping and look a little less than perfect over winter!
 
I have never had to twitch a horse before so not too sure how you do this?

After my not being allowed to clip his face last winter i then tried to trim the hairy beard with scissors and he did not allow that either... which is what made me wonder if he is just making a fuss ? But then i am unsure and don't want to make him a nightmare to clip for the rest of his life by forcing it on him!
 
Get a cheapo set of dog clippers and try with them. Dont make to much noise and nice and light. My previous horse was a nightmare to clip, I could just about do it when he wasn't sedated but you had to get in and out and do it as quick as possible. It never looked very neat, but did the job.

I got some dog clippers for his face, and whilst it didnt match the rest of his clip, it did what was required. Never could get near his ears though, so just left those on
 
First, does he in all honesty need his face clipped?

Personally on my girl I trim under her jaw line. This gets rid of the beard, stop hairs being caught in buckles, is the sweatiest area & makes her face look neat. There is no need to go up the sides or trim the face off. I find doing under the jaw less stressful as they don't see the clippers or have the noise close to their ears.
 
pip6 said:
First, does he in all honesty need his face clipped?

Personally on my girl I trim under her jaw line. This gets rid of the beard, stop hairs being caught in buckles, is the sweatiest area & makes her face look neat. There is no need to go up the sides or trim the face off. I find doing under the jaw less stressful as they don't see the clippers or have the noise close to their ears.
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Please tell this to my gelding, who'd sooner have you clip inside his ears or round his eyes than his jaw! :o
 
After 13 years of struggling with this with my cob, and variously resorting to twitching (him), crying and begging(me), bribing and shouting (husband mainly).......and buying several types of trimmers, I have at last sorted it.

Clicker training!

I have been training him just for a laugh really, and it really has been amazing, but I didn't do it with clipping in mind as I've always got round the ear problem (see above!). However this weekend I thought I'd give it a go and because he understands what the clicker means, he just stood still and he has beautiful clipped ears. And not only that, I did it with my big clippers! No stress for him or me and he enjoyed it because of the clicking and treating.

I'd thoroughly recommend giving it a go. It's hard to learn how to do the clicker basics though - the horse and I went on a days workshop organised by the local BHS branch, but now I understand the fundamentals we've moved on in leaps and bounds. I had tried it without help and successfully taught him how to bite my hand!
 
Lill said:
I have never had to twitch a horse before so not too sure how you do this?

After my not being allowed to clip his face last winter i then tried to trim the hairy beard with scissors and he did not allow that either... which is what made me wonder if he is just making a fuss ? But then i am unsure and don't want to make him a nightmare to clip for the rest of his life by forcing it on him!
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I get a hoof pick with a hole in the end (or something similar) tie a loop of twine through, then I measure how wide the loop needs to be to fit the top lip in when squished up (without pulling the nostrils). I then put in a knot where this is, put the lip through and twist until it is tight and will not fall off- if it is a hoof pick, i hook the end through the headcollar to keep it secure or get a friend to hold it. I don't leave it on for long periods of time though, take it off for a break every so often.

I was clipping the last week and got a broken toe and a kick in the shin- put on a twitch and the pony may as well have been a statue :eek:
 
For those that are difficult with the head, we have a decent holder, cotton wool in the ears, a chifney or half bridle and a twitch. Nickel is great to be clipped, even his legs but is not so keen on his ears or jaw, so we do everything else first, then pop on the twitch, whip it all off quickly then it's job done. It's the only time he ever gets twitched, I see no problem with doing it, but we all work with horses full time and are very quick to make it as less stressful as possible.
 
Leave his head on and just trim his beard with scissors, or better still, hand worked dog clippers. If he allows you to do this progress to tiny battery trimmers, and take half a head.

Please don't use a hoof pick to make a twitch, if they throw their head, which they do frequently, there is a metal hook flying about his and your face, not good.
 
Well, as an update i was as predicted unable to clip half his face as i wanted so it is currently still hairy.

I may ask one of our instructors to show me how to twitch and try that next time, probably December!
 
Twitch him. If he's really dreadful, stick a chifney on and then twitch him.

I've never had a horse that I needed doped, including clipping young racehorses for the first time in their lives. The twitch is a life saver.
 
Starzaan said:
Twitch him. If he's really dreadful, stick a chifney on and then twitch him.

I've never had a horse that I needed doped, including clipping young racehorses for the first time in their lives. The twitch is a life saver.
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Totally agree and good on you OP saying that you will get someone who knows what they are doing to show you how to do it safely. I have to say over the years I have seen a rise in the amount of horses that people have gone for the dope with. When I first started clipping I only knew of one horse that we had to dope (full vet sedation) and that one did gallop round the box when we clipping anything else on the yard. I used to do all the racehorses with none, but 5 years later, we were being told to dope everything. Mainly due to the lack of time/decent holders. I really do not like clipping on any sort of dope as I've had far too many wake up suddenly. A bit of ground work as people like to call it now or manners as I was taught, a decent holder if the horse is tricky, chifney and twitch are all you really need for the majority of horses.
 
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