Feeling guilty

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minions

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Hello

Long time lurker, first time poster so hello.

My horse has a fear of clippers - she's really nervous. I have borrowed some cordless clippers and was doing some work with desensitizing her a little while ago for for various reasons sort of stopped.

Yesterday I got them out again and she started out really brave, touching them with her nose (with them off) which was better than before, and I eventually turned them on at a distance from her. She got a little worried, but held it together. I turned them off again and praised her, and then put them on again. She went to touch them with her nose, and jumped back and got a bit snorty. Waited for her to calm a little and turned them off again, but then she was really wary of them again, even with them off. Eventually got back to being able to touch her with them off, but even when I put them away it's like she was scared of me - if I raised my hand she'd pull back, and when I put her back in the stable and then went to stroke her nose over the door she pulled right back, all worried.

I went in and reassured her, and didn't leave till she was happier, but now I feel really guilty and like I have destroyed any trust she had in me :(

I think I am just going to leave it with the clippers. She was done earlier in the year by someone else, using small hand held clippers, and she was worried but ok, and I don't think she'll need another this year. This is the first year I've had her, so I might just get someone else to do it again next year with small clippers and not worry too much about it. She is a very sensitive person, and I don't want her to lose any trust in me.

Just a feeling guilty ramble really. Just hope she'll be ok with me when I see her later.
 
Aw bless you. I have the same issues with my horse who I don't think has ever been clipped before, despite being 11.

It is a work in progress but it is really helpful if you have someone to help you with the desensitising process. I have a friend who stands and scratches his withers and stuffs him with fibre nuggets while I get to work with the clippers. Through trial and error, I have discovered that he is more comfortable in his stable than outside, even though it makes a mess of his bed and I don't really like working in a confined space.

It is probably not a good idea to let her touch them with her nose straight off. I would aim to be able to rest them on her near her shoulder and work forward from there. My horse is very reactive to sound and therefore the closer I get to his head, the more scary it is.

Little and often is key. Don't worry, I am sure you have not destroyed her trust. She is just having to learn to trust you with something new for a while.

ETA - PS, welcome!
 
Please Never ever clip in a confined space, a friend was very nearly killed by a previously good to clip horse, clipping her in a stable. Also anything nervous I sedate, sorry but its safer than you or the horse getting hurt to any degree.
 
The Tank said:
Please Never ever clip in a confined space, a friend was very nearly killed by a previously good to clip horse, clipping her in a stable. Also anything nervous I sedate, sorry but its safer than you or the horse getting hurt to any degree.
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Thanks for this but I wasn't clipping in the stable...

ETA Oh do you mean the other poster?
 
Thanks The Tank. I would not by choice but over the years have had to clip many horses inside due to no other cover from the weather. I've never been on any yard with a covered area unfortunately and was on a yard for 16 years where I had to clip six on the day the generator was hired, wet or dry, calm or galeforce, every year.

Outside, my horse rears at the first excuse when stressed, whereas inside he is much calmer. Part of my reason for clipping inside is not to put my helper in the way of him rearing. However, my long term aim is to clip him outside and that is what we are working towards. This year's tiny clip was mostly done outside and then finished off inside after a tantrum. I now rest the running clippers on him occasionally when in.
 
You have to think of this from her point of view. Her nose is the most sensitive part of her body. Many horses that are fine to clip don't like it on their head area. I would not let her touch clippers at all. I would work on desensitising her to the noise first. Then hold them near her shoulder then touch her with the back of your hand firmly while holding the clippers then once she's used to that touch her with the clippers. It's important you move them off when she stand still. If you always break contact when she flinches she will always flinch.
 
hello and welcome!
i'm not sure if this will help but i watched a brilliant desensitizing episode once but i can't remember if it was Parelli or Kelly Marks but it involved getting the horse used to a hand held massager first by running it over them,and then swapping it for the clippers, perhaps you can find it on google.
please don't feel guilty, i have never clipped a horse in my life, wouldn't have a clue where to start, did shave one of my long haired cats last summer and i gotta tell you it did not go well and he did not look good afterwards! best of luck to you
 
when you were in school did you ever touch a tuning fork to your nose? No wonder he jumped a bit, but it will have tickled not hurt.
Don't feel guilty - feel good that you were taking the time to desensitise him, rather than just going straight in with force or drugs.
And as MSM said - we all have to learn - I wish I never did anything wrong!
 
Could you maybe switch them on (take blades off if safer) and keep them going while horse eats her evening feed? done a few days in a row and I am sure the noise would be less of an issue. when you touch her with the clippers the shoulder is a good place to start
 
Horses are very unpredictable animals. My really calm ISH (6) had his first clip last year and he was ok to start with but then just freaked and got worse. He is grey so very ticklish and went to kick out. I stopped and the next week I got the vet to sedate him. He was sedated this year as well. I don't think it is worth risking your life for the sake of a clip! get the vet and get her sedate-much less stress for you and her. Welcome to the forum xxx
 
Hi,

I would agree do not feel bad, you are at least looking for answers.

It may help, I did a clipping diary on my blog for a previous horse who was clip phobic, he used to be sedated until he needed propping up, and still he needed clipping over a door, and put someone to hospital. When I got him I decided it was safer and nicer for us both to sort it out properly, and it took two weeks, but he has been just fine and confident ever since.

I can't put "Sherlock's clipping diary" as a link on here as it shows my website details and would be advertising, but if you would like me to cut and paste or whatever then please PM me.

I started with noise training, and it was in the arena, as he would attack if he could not escape, so we did the training outside for my safety, and he learned to come to me.
 
Thank you everyone. Red-1 I would pm you but apparently I don't have privileges yet as a new member....is there any other way I can find it?
 
Michael Peace used to do a good DVD on clipping, I don't know if it's still available so it might be worth a quick visit to his website, Think Equus.
 
FfionWinnie said:
You have to think of this from her point of view. Her nose is the most sensitive part of her body. Many horses that are fine to clip don't like it on their head area. I would not let her touch clippers at all. I would work on desensitising her to the noise first. Then hold them near her shoulder then touch her with the back of your hand firmly while holding the clippers then once she's used to that touch her with the clippers. It's important you move them off when she stand still. If you always break contact when she flinches she will always flinch.
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This is how I was advised to start with on my (spooky) mare, she jumped when my firm back of hand with running clippers made contact but soon settled, I did this for a few days then clipped on the weekend, she in fact snoozed so I need not have worried. Not sure if the desensitising worked or if she would have been like this anyway, she's the type to freak at a crisp packet smile at a juggernaut so who knows.

Either way you've done no harm, I'm sure she'll be fine, just get her used to. Ise and sensation was how it was pitched to me.
 
minions said:
Thank you everyone. Red-1 I would pm you but apparently I don't have privileges yet as a new member....is there any other way I can find it?
Click to expand...

Well that is a strange one. I tried to message you and there is not that option, then I added you as a contact and tried again, and you are not allowed...

I can't really cut and paste the diary into a post as it is two weeks of twice daily detailed procedure, so I am at a bot of a loss as to how to get you the info. I don't know if you could simply search the phrase.
 
When I once had a horse that didn't like clipping, I was advised to put an old electric toothbrush (on) in a bucket with the feed bucket on top to desensitise him. It was such a long time ago I can't remember if it worked!
 
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