Is there anything your horse won’t let you do?

[doodle]

Was pondering this while pulling his mane. Robin is 100% in most ways but the one thing he will absolutely not let me do is trim his ears. The fluffy tufts that stick out. I can do whatever else I want to do with his ears with absolutely no issue. I can be as rough as I want, stick fingers down them, hold on to em, scrub them with a brush. I can use scissors and trim anywhere else I like. But trim his ears with scissors? Nope absolutely not, never, ever. I have no idea how he knows I have scissors in my hand, I can block his view totally but still as soon as I raise them NOPE. I spent 3 years trying and eventually gave up. I have decided as he lets me do anything else he can have fluffy ears!

 

[DirectorFury]

Mane pulling and fly spraying are big no-nos for mine.
I understand that the mane pulling probably hurts so I just chop it with scissors now. I've been working on the fly spray problem for the last 6 years with not a single positive result so now I just spray her while she walks round me on the end of a lead rope. I'm sure someone better than me could probably fix it very quickly but she's stuck with me!

 

[redapple]

We get through most things with enough time but there are definitely things she'd rather I wasn't doing!! Washing, clipping ears, carry a whip are the main ones. I can do all but she's not a happy camper!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My mare won’t let me go 5 mins without needing 95% of my savings.

 

[milliepops]

no mane pulling here either. Both object strongly to even the suggestion of it. TBH I haven't pulled a mane for years. I used to do hunters and their owner was very old fashioned and insisted it was done. I just solocomb them off with mine.

I don't think I could cut the fluff from Darcy's ears either. He's very earshy (it's taken 6 months to get a good routine to get his bridle on that doesn't result in me getting headbutted ) fortunately as a TB his ear tufts are quite minimal.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

The loan pony I had wouldn't let me near her ears and she regularly had dirty tufts sticking out of them. She was a saint to handle otherwise but ears were a total no.

 

[meleeka]

Main pulling would be a no-no for mine. I wouldn’t do it anyway and use w razor to shorten manes.

Fly spray is a definite no for one of mine, but the others are fine.

Basically, two I can do anything at all with, 2 most things and one very little (good job she’s ancient and doesn’t need much fuss)

 

[scats]

Mane pulling. Sends them into a frenzy. I’ve figured a trick now with Millie. She has to have her mane thinned because it’s like an out of control hedge, so when I brush it daily, I just grab a few strands and pull them out as I brush. She doesn’t even notice so I do it every day to keep it a bit thinner, then I solo comb every few weeks to take the length off.

Polly’s big issue is fly spray. Talk about complete and utter breakdown! I now spray it on a sponge and apply it that way but she knows what I’m up to and she’s still not happy about it.

I also can’t get clippers or trimmers anywhere near Polly. I don’t bother sedating her to do it coz she’s not in much work and doesn’t grow much coat, it would be nice to tidy her up every now and then with the trimmers but there’s no chance.

 

[Green Bean]

Head in general is a no go zone, unless it’s the mouth for carrots and apples. She doesn’t like me cleaning her teats. You have to ask nicely and depending on her mood at the time will determine whether I am successful or not.

 

[SEL]

Mare won't let you open her mouth - have to advance warn vets if that want to look at gum / tongue colour.

Gelding hates hoses (apart from that day it hit 37 degrees last summer), sprays, hot shoeing, smoke, odd noises.and people touching his legs. Luckily he does like food so is up for bribery.

 

[ycbm]

I can't touch my TB's ears. He has plaques and he simply won't allow it. I bridle him by undoing it. I can't even flip the reins over his head. I was going to train him to let me but I never got round to it.


.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Not for long

 

[Leo Walker]

Bobbie used to be like that about ears, which was a nuisance as her ears would then get hot and sweat and she would start wanting to rub her heard so unfortunately for her she was twitched a couple of times to get over it. She no longer goes completely beserk, and if I am quiet and do it slowly we can do all the outer ear with no real fuss now.

She also really hates her tail being pulled. I use one of the rake thingies so it doesnt hurt, but she still doesnt like it. She behaves now, but at first you would have thought I was shoving red hot pokers up her bum!

 

[Carlosmum]

Ears are a bit of an issue, currently de-sensitising in the hope I can get earplugs in. Was 4 years before I could clip him, but now he is fine.

 

[scats]

Ears used to be an issue for Polly as she has a few aural plaques and seemed a bit sensitive about them, but I can touch her ears now no problems. She doesn’t like other people going near them though.

 

[milliepops]

Carrots have been the thing that has brought Darcy round to my way of thinking with his ears ?? he also has plaques.
He's not very food oriented in general but he loves carrots so I have a pocket full of small pieces and he gets to munch away so long as he lets me touch his ears quietly. The right ear is worse than the left but I can now funnel it into his bridle without getting nutted ? he was utterly hysterical and paranoid about them before but this bribery has been very effective.
I reckon we could stop the carrots soon (down to one piece from about 20!) But he's not rude or grabby so no rush.
I tried so hard to teach him without treats but he just couldn't cope!

 

[fabbydo]

Go a few months without a vet bill! (And it's usually an out if hours emergency visit £££££££) Other than that, they're both pretty chilled about life.

 

[ihatework]

Big fella, no - he tolerates anything bless him. As does the little knackered one who is out on loan.

Little 4yo is generally a complete twerp about anything new, but seems to come around pretty quickly if you are patient. The only big no from him so far is mane pulling, which is fine - I don’t blame him!!

4yos mother absolutely would not be clipped (even with battery trimmers) without heavy sedation, she was petrified - god only knows why

 

[Auslander]

There's nothing I cant do to Alf, but I have to abide by "Law of Alf" for certain activities. Anything to do with his head used to be a no, until I realised that he doesn't like being restrained in any way - and if I don't touch his nose, or put any pressure on his headcollar - he'll let me do whatever it was he was objecting to.
It's really hard to clip a horse's head without touching it! I have to put my other hand in my pocket so that I don't put it on his nose, just because it's habit!

 

[chaps89]

You can't pull her mane, clip her legs or stick needles in them.
Regular jabs in her neck, fine. Brushing or washing her legs, fine. Clip down to her knees or hocks, fine.
Try and clip below or do a nerve block and jolly good luck to you.
In fairness, I can't really say I blame her, I wouldn't really want any of those 3 things doing to me either! And she is pretty perfect in every other way.

 

[FFAQ]

My mare won’t let me go 5 mins without needing 95% of my savings.

Savings - I think I've heard of these...

 

[Shavings]

Clean his man good

 

[vmac66]

Ear trimming is a definite no. Mare has aural plaques so is very touchy about her ears.

 

[chaps89]

Savings - I think I've heard of these...

I'm sorry, what are they?

 

[Keith_Beef]

I'm sorry, what are they?

You see that big empty jar on the chest of drawers? That's your savings, that is.

 

[Red-1]

I have had a few things that I have not tried yet.

I have not clipped her yet as I have been busy both winters since I have had her so she has not worked hard in winter. Having said that, yesterday she did a fair bit of canter in the school and even then she did not really sweat (just a slight line beside the girth) as she seems to have a thin coat year round. I suspect she will never need clipping, even her legs are pretty fur free.

She dd not used to like a whip, when I tried her she was shying away from even a short whip. Having said that, we have worked on it and she is fine even with a schooling whip now, and on Saturday we started to train with a broomstick for garrocha work and she was fine with that too.

She didn't like cows when she came, the farmer drives them up and down the main street and I could envisage an accident, so we went off to do a cow clinic. By the end of that she could cut a cow out and keep it out, getting right into the heard, so I hope that cows on the street won't be such a problem.

Smoke when shoeing was an issue, so we had to find a way to make smoke in the grooming parlour until smoke was OK. She was also a bit funny with handling her back feet, had to use a lunge line initially. She is acceptable now, but still room for improvement, as in she does it but is not relaxed.

I am sure we will come across other things that she says no to, but strangely she does not seem to mind being pulled on mane or tail at all. Never lifts her head from the hay net. Even likes having her boobs washed! Thinking about it, when she came, if I washed her at all she made a fuss. You would have thought I was using electrified water! Being a grey, she soon had to overcome that!!!

 

[scruffyponies]

Sam came to me as an unbroken 6yo who several people had 'tried' to break. He wouldn't let you touch any part of him but his nose, and if he couldn't move away he would kick out at head height.

He's turned into the kindest, most biddable ride and drive, and will do anything for anybody. He's our go-to for absolute beginners, and visiting non-riding dads. However, nothing I have done has improved the tail situation. He just can't stand having it brushed, let alone detangled or pulled. (although OK with a crupper, funnily). He's just so sensitive to it, and dances around trying to avoid you - if he can't get away he kicks out.

We have an agreement. I understand that he really really can't stand it, and generally leave it alone, no matter how bad it is. He understands that i only touch it if I have to, and really tries to stand still for a couple of seconds if I insist.

 

[kathantoinette]

Was pondering this while pulling his mane. Robin is 100% in most ways but the one thing he will absolutely not let me do is trim his ears. The fluffy tufts that stick out. I can do whatever else I want to do with his ears with absolutely no issue. I can be as rough as I want, stick fingers down them, hold on to em, scrub them with a brush. I can use scissors and trim anywhere else I like. But trim his ears with scissors? Nope absolutely not, never, ever. I have no idea how he knows I have scissors in my hand, I can block his view totally but still as soon as I raise them NOPE. I spent 3 years trying and eventually gave up. I have decided as he lets me do anything else he can have fluffy ears!

This is absolutely my horse! He was bred by my friend and has had no ear related trauma as far as she knows. Think it started as a foal.

 

[doodle]

The strange thing is I can do absolutely anything else with his ears no bother. I’m sure he would let me pluck each hair out but raise the scissors and he is out of there!

 

[Reacher]

Mr H is fine about most things, but isn’t keen on a worming syringe.
I also discovered that he will not allow the tapeworm saliva test - you’d think it was a hot poker.
Any tips to help with either appreciated!
He is fine with the dentist.