Horse doesn't like his head being brushed

My share horse is the same, he hates anything near his ears, he only just tolerates hands. And he has a habit of mashing his poll in the mud when he rolls so it's caked. And to get the bridle on comfortably I have to get rid of it as much as possible. I have a mitt thing like a magic brush, with nobbles on one side and squiggly bits on the other side. It works okay to get mud off but he still doesn't like me doing it. Even with a soft brush he makes a fuss, holds his head as high as possible and screws it to the side to get as far away as possible.

I've tried everything with him and now I just have to keep going, even when he screws his head away. Luckily I can reach but it does drive me potty! Funny thing is he loves me brushing the front of his face and his forelock!
 
LOL - wrong copy and paste (you can tell what I was preparing for my breakfast!)!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roma-Massag...d=1395674029&sr=1-138&keywords=horse+grooming

Fabulous things - just bought a new one (last one lasted 10 years and was looking a tad tired!)

Regandal said:
aran said:
http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/overnightoats

That's what I use for mine who is anti-face grooming but loves mud bathing
He's really good with that but really complains if I forget and use a normal brush

Definitely worth a try![/QUOTE Are you sure that's the correct link?
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Mine is really head shy, it's taken about 4 years for him to tolerate me gently brushing his cheeks and near his ears with a face brush. He will sometimes let me do above his eyes sometimes he flips and won't.

I can't cut a bridle path or trim his ears or pull the top half of his mane unless he is sedated for clipping. He is also being funny to bridle atm. He is worse if he gets cold rain on him as if it mmakes his head hurt? Know an RS pony who would head shake if it rained he is now fine on homeopathic tablets

Mine, again if the brush is making a loud noise on the dried mud will throw his head up and run backwards causing him to scare himself. If he's having one of those days I either use my hand or brush what I can and just ride anyway, it's not worth stressing him and undoing what I can now do. He usually wears his synthetic bridle when it's muddy anyway and hasn't rubbed him.

The vet who I use thinks he was ear twitched in the past :( he is most sensitive just behind his ears. I will scissor the top of his mane sj style if he will let me as he is also scared of scissors. Fortunately we don't compete so it doesn't matter if he looks a bit tatty. Forelock there is absolutely no chance of me touching let alone pulling! Fortunately he is a D so long Forelock suits him.

Can be v frustrating though when he's letting you brush his face, he then screws head away, brush catches him/ makes noise so it scares him further.
 
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I use my hands to get dry mud off my horse's face - takes longer but it's the only thing she likes. When I cut a bridle channel I find it helps to stand on something so I'm doing it from above - for some reason she seems to freak if you come at her face from below, but is fine when you are above her eyeline. She also hates the click of the scissors so I try to cut small sections which I can cut without clicking.
 
How is he to stroke on his head? My headshy mare wouldn't let a brush near her but loves one of those rubber mitten things with tiny rubber bristles, if you know the thing I mean? I'm sure she thinks its just my hand turned green and she loves nothing better than a nice itch with the green hand
 
Hi, I use one of those little round plastic dish cleaning things sort of soft plastic mesh in a round ,usually come in packs of 2 brightly coloured and mega cheap. Used in on all sorts of sensitive tickly bits but great on faces as really flexible and gentle.
 
Firstly, metal and plastic curry combs should never be used on the face. They can scratch skin that is so close to bones.

Use a handful of hay scrunched up to break up the caked mud and only use a body brush on the face.

A face cloth, damped with hot water is great for horses that don't like being brushed

Finally, have you had a chiro check out his poll. Horses that have pulled back at anytime in their lives will often have the poll out of alignment which can make that area very tender.
 
My (chestnut!) ISH is a sensitive soul too and thin skinned. He'd totally freak if I tried using a plastic (or metal :eek: !) curry comb on his face!


I've found a magic brush very effective. I use it gently and slowly and scrub in circles and found he tolerates that and it gets dried mud off well. Once the worst of the mud is off, I use a soft body brush. If the hair is very short (like over the cheek bones, round his eyes and his muzzle) then gentle brushing with a body brush is fine for removing mud and doesn't need the magic brush (which would be too harsh for such soft skin anyways)

I've accepted that he's thin skinned and sensitive and that being rough hurts him, so I make sure there's a little extra time to be slow and gentle.
 
I use the metal comb 'gently' to remove dried off mud from the beard area. Generally I use my fingers around the eyes and sensitive areas. If a horse doesn't like being brushed why prolong the experience? A weedy little 'soft' brush will take ages... Do it with sensitivity and do it as quickly as practicable! The metal comb does from Tb to cob effectively if used with consideration ...
 
How is he with your hand? If he's ok, I would try one of those black grooming blocks that are like a hard sponge. You can break smaller bits off them and use them in your hand. They are fab for removing dry mud.
 
PerfectPony said:
I use the metal comb 'gently' to remove dried off mud from the beard area. Generally I use my fingers around the eyes and sensitive areas. If a horse doesn't like being brushed why prolong the experience? A weedy little 'soft' brush will take ages... Do it with sensitivity and do it as quickly as practicable! The metal comb does from Tb to cob effectively if used with consideration ...
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Not if you've got a thin skinned sensitive horse it doesn't. It's just not possible to use a metal curry comb carefully enough. All it take is them to move and you've jabbed them with it. A thick skinned cob won't mind. Sensitive little flowers with rice paper for skin will burst into tears and never speak to you ever ever again.
If you are scrapping hard enough with a metal comb to get the mud, it's too hard for most sensitive horses. It'll hurt and just reinforce their fear/dislike of having their face brush. They dislike it because it hurts, not because it takes time. Being slow and gentle will teach them to tolerate it far better than being as quick as possible.
A cheap option to try is a washing up sponge/ pan scourer. The sponge ones with the green rough bit attached.
 
My thin skinned TB doen't like his head touched, in the past he has been ear twitched and had a horrible experience with his teeth,(not with me), resulting in him having to be sedated for teeth, anyway, if I use a body brush on his head very gently, he accepts it, I break up clumps of mud with my fingers then brush the dust off, seeing how scared he is around his head, never again will this horse be twitched in any form
 
I have used the dreaded 'metal' comb on a sensitive chestnut mare, a fine TB, my two year old WB and everything in between. They all enjoy the post-winter fur removal feeling. Horses are sensitive beasts but need boundaries. If they don't like a saddle being put on do you never ride them? Head shy horses are worried about being hurt, not what they are being brushed with? Building trust means you can touch any part of your horse. I can do anything with all four of mine.. they trust me. My flighty one was scared of tractors... put a polo on one (or anything else he is scared of) and give him time and encouragement and he will tackle anything... It makes him proud of being brave and he improves with every new experience...
 
I think you're confusing a headshy or ear phobic horse with a thin skinned sensitive one. Although you're absolutely right about a headshy horse being worried about being hurt. But in this case it's by what you're brushing them with! !
Your analogy of not saddling a horse who doesn't like it is actually a good one although you've not come to the right conclusion. If they don't like it, you find out why, you make it comfortable for them and you do it slowly and gently. What you DON'T do is use hard rough materials and do it as fast as possible on the basis that a) the quicker the better and b) they have to get used to it. That won't give you a happy horse!

My sensitive thin skinned horse loves having his face brushed, esp now he's moulting, but with something soft and gentle. He'd hate being scrubbed with a curry comb ( even the rubber one's too hard for the soft thin skinned parts)
 
Where have I said rough, get on with it? If I wasn't thoughtful the horses would not tolerate it? Why is it all the other liveries have bought a metal comb or borrow mine.... Put a scrunchy in your hair, you either don't feel it, or it feels like a facelift...
 
Just buy the cheap metal pan scourers, they get mud off very easily without scratching the skin like a brush, my mare has had a poll injury so is very sensitive there and she is fine with a scourer.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Just buy the cheap metal pan scourers, they get mud off very easily without scratching the skin like a brush, my mare has had a poll injury so is very sensitive there and she is fine with a scourer.
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I take it you don't mean a Brillo pad? At least I hope you don't, as that would leave small wire pieces behind that could get in the eyes.
 
charlie76 said:
Have you checked his ears? The reason for asking is I have had several 'head shy' horses who have had aural plaque in their ears, they were as bad as your horse, as soon as we got rid of this the head any behaviour stopped.
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How so? My vet said there was nothing that could get rid of it?
 
Mine will get upset if I use anything apart from a soft brush on his face, and I can't blame him, I'm the same ;) I just pick the mud off with my hands and then use the soft brush to remove the dust.
 
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