Proud Post - Clipper Shy Can Be Conquered!!

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LadyRascasse

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I took on a horse in July who was perfect for me in every way except you could not clip him. By could not clip him I mean he would flip if he hear to sound of clippers. Its been a long old troublesome road but today I full clipped him (minus legs and head) with no sedation, no twitch and just one person holding his head!

The story starts back in August. I put a clipper sound on my phone and when I was poo picking I had it on in my pocket, it was Jacks choice if he came over to me but every time he did he got a treat, he very quickly learnt that the sound meant food and would come trotting over when he heard it. So I pushed him further by having it on while grooming and riding him (while giving him the odd treat so the noise still meant reward to him)

We then within a week progressed to human hair clippers and he took to these fine and I was able to clip a small patch off him but they weren't man enough for the job.

Everything was going swimmingly so I got the big clippers out and this is were it all went wrong. At first he was find the bang out of nowhere he reared and very badly bruised my bone cue and night in A + E to check it wasn't broken (and the Doctor suggesting I took up gerbils instead :o )

I decided to invest in some cordless clippers after thinking long and hard about what had caused him to freak out. When these came I clipped a small patch of him neck. He was kicking out at the wall and general freaking but I was determined to prove to him they wouldn't hurt him. 2 days later I did the same again with similar results, wall kicking, snorting etc but slowly he settled down and I clipped the whole of his neck both sides. This was a good experience for him as by the end he was gazing out the stable door paying no attention to what I was doing.

I have left him 3 week and today I decided he has to be clipped properly as he is getting so sweat in work. I had my OH hold his head with a bucket of nuts and carrots and slowly worked my way back. We had no wall kicking and just a bit twitchy around his arm pits so I left them as didn't want to push him to far. I also left his head as again didn't want to push him out of his comfort zone.

It's not the tidiest clip but I am so proud of this horse who has overcome his fear and has enough trust in me to allow me to do this to him.

You can't really see it as his coat is so dark but
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Thank you for reading, Full roast dinner with all the trimming for getting this far :D
 
Well done you! Ive had similar experiences with 2 horses, one a mare of mine and the other a gelding which I looked after and rode. It took time and patience and lots of mints but we got there in the end. Very rewarding
 
Very well done......were you ever tempted to dope him?
I clipped a five year old today, all on my own, who had never been clipped before - he was a star (un doped). Yesterday i clipped my TB who has been done many times before, and gave him 3 clicks of sedaline, and apart from some of his tummy (where I dodged his kicks a number of times) and his stifle area - he was OK, but he did try it on a couple of times, and in the end I smacked him with a crop when he kept moving over - and surprised him so much that he did stand still for 10 mins. But he has come on considerably - two years ago I was twitching him at the half way point - no twich this time, and did him on my own as well. I tend to find that if I have a helper I get more anxious about their safety, whereas if I do it on my own, I only have myself to worry about!
 
In short yes I was very tempted! But I thought I would try some cordless clippers first because I can sell them if it didn't work whereas once he is sedated I have to pay the bill!! Thank you for all you comments. It does feel good to know they trust you enough to allow you to do something to them that they are generally scared of. I find it easier without a helper but today I got my OH to hold him as as soon as the clippers go on he pulls back. Dressedkez glad you lad is getting used to it now and what a star your 5 yr old is (my other mare was exactly the same I could clip her without a headcollar on, she loves it!)
 
I have a similar problem with my cob... We've tried everything and as soon as he hears them he will just run and barge where he is tied up. Like you I spent days with them on and they were even the liveryman harmony ones! My instructor suggested sticking a big ball of cotton wool in each ear... Well I have never see such an improvement :eek: he had a little paddy but not half as bad as normal then just stood there and let me clip him :)
 
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