Horse afraid of vet - advice please?

[Shilasdair]

Hi all
One of my three horses is frightened of the vet.
Does anyone have any tips to share on how to calm her down? She has to have her wolf teeth out next week...and I'd like to make it as easy as possible for her....
Thanks in advance!
S

 

[meandmyself]

Book a call out and get them to feed her lots of treats?

I think sometimes the 'vet smell' is what scares them. A friend of mine borowed a vet's lab coat, and hung it over the door so her boy got used to the smell.

 

[The Original Kao]

i thought they'd be more scared of you than any vet

maybe you could ask for some ACP or sedalin so you can have them sedated a little before the vet arrives?

 

[Skhosu]

we have a vet phobia. I put the lunge rope through a metal tie up ring and I hang on to one end while the vet gets the necessary injection in...Mine is needle phobic rather than say vet phobic, and he does fight like hell but its the best thing we can so

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I guess it depends whether it's real terror or just I'm Not Bloody Doing That So Get Stuffed! My rescue mare is firmly of the latter mindset. No vets, no beard trimming, no leg trimming, no anything unless she felt it was in her job description. The list was pretty short! She's been away to boot camp coz I'm too soft and didn't know how to deal with it and the trainer did exactly as TripleSandH says: lead rope through the metal ring and had her so tight that she was virtually kissing the wall. Any calmness on her part and the rope relaxes. The beard trimming took a 1 hour battle and mare and trainer were knackered but the beard got trimmed! Everything else is now accepted sweetly with just the tiniest of crabby looks out out of the corner of Angel's eyes! And she got mastitis 1 week into the 6 week boot camp stay (she's being backed too) and from trying to crush the vet to death for a simple jab for feather mites (no longer necessary as all feathers gone!) she let the vet prod her udder and even milk some disgusting goo out. Certain death a week or so before!

So I guess Shils, if it's just No, Not Gonna Do It, you can be firm and Take No Nonsense! If it's the real thing, I guess sedation/twitching is your only option in the short term? x

 

[Shilasdair]

Thanks for your responses.
I didn't make myself very clear. I have no behavioural problems at all; she is as good as gold for the vets (just as well, she is rather large

)
I have her treated in her field (she lives out 24/7) and she never tries to get away, or be naughty, the opposite in fact - when I take the headcollar off her, she sticks to me like glue as she trusts me (not helpful when I want to hold the others)
She is just very frightened, heart rate leaps, eyes roll...and I was hoping for some suggestions to make it easier for her.
It stems from colic surgery about 18months ago.
S

 

[hadfos]

How old is she???If she is in work you could just treat it as a normal day...if not maybe take the opportunity to teach her something to take her mind off things...maybe set up things in the school and get vet to join you in school whilst she is thinking about other things

 

[Shilasdair]

She is just 4yo...not broken yet (due to late teething)...
Thanks for the ideas...but the school is so far from my field...
S

 

[hadfos]

[ QUOTE ]
She is just 4yo...not broken yet (due to late teething)...
Thanks for the ideas...but the school is so far from my field...
S

[/ QUOTE ]
difficult one...had to have my lad sedated to have his taken out when he was three,was so much easier than the argument as he hated anything in his mouth

hope you find a way that suits your girly!!

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Perhaps trying a calmer , what exactly is it that she doesnt like ?

 

[henryhorn]

I think only rescue remedy might work, we have quite a few retired ones here who react the same way, they shake and look incredibly worried.
Having taken the stuff myself for the dentist, it worked best on me every 15 mins for at least half an hour prior to the visit , it makes you feel slightly spaced out and not really aware of anything. The other thing is give sedalin prior to his visit if he is a fixed appointment.
The ones here who are terrified get a sedative before treatment via IV, but of course the vet does that so catch 22...

 

[*hic*]

As hh says, try the rescue remedy - for both of you!

Also can you get her used, during this next week, to a large and smelly set of overalls that the vet can put on. Preferably have someone she doesn't know very well in them to feed her treats, give her a quick groom etc.

If you are good enough friends with your vet that they will pop in when passing and give her a treat then that might help too.

Best of luck

 

[Donkeymad]

Was going to suggest trying some Rescue Remedy too.