Sedalin didn't work...

[_jetset_]

Well, Grace looked well an truly out of it when we started clipping her today (2 tubes of sedalin). But as soon as the clippers got near her tummy or stifle she threw another hissy fit!

Gave it a good hour (got the other side of her body off) but she just fought the sedalin when it came to her legs and tummy. So I'm afraid it's going to be the injection next week... then I am going to have to think very hard about how to desensitise her once all her fur is off.

Any advice regarding the injection?

 

[Roany-pony]

My boy has to be sedated(my injection) to be clipped.He has to have such a large amount to knock him out that my vet will stay on the yard to keep an eye on him while he is under.The problem I have found is that over the years he is under for less and less time.He also fights it and this causes him to sweat quite alot which can make the clipping slighty difficult.This year with the max amount the vet could give him he was under for about 30 minutes before it became to risky!Lucky I had finished him by then.As you can imagine it isn't the best clip ever but will do the job.Good luck.xx

 

[_jetset_]

She just fought the sedalin, although as soon as we had finished she completely succumbed to it but then when she heard the clippers she became alert again. I am so worried about sedating her though... feel really mean!

 

[Roany-pony]

Sounds like my boy!!I also felt very bad about it the first time but I had to think of my safety!!He is dangerous to clip without sedation.Within 45 minutes Tobi is round and happily munching on his haylage.Its not that bad I promise you.

 

[wanderersmelody]

Thet'll sweat pretty quick so you'll need to be quick. Also, because they are relaxed the sking crinkles easier so you may need an extra pair of hadns to help stretch the sking especially under her frony legs. Spray her with plenty of mane and tail or coat shine as it make sfor an easier clip. Also, make sure you ahve one of the old fashioned twitches to hand. I tie baling string round the end of my plastic hoof pick and everyone and anyone that needs a twitch uses this! Nasty but safer.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks... we've got all her body off, it's just her legs and tummy now then done! That's the annoying thing...

Twitch would have been good today but didn't ahve one to hand!

 

[mrdarcy]

Sedalin can have the opposite effect to the one intended. If their adrenalin gets to a certain level the sedalin can actually make them worse than they would have been without it. Sedalin didn't work with a mare I used to own - she had to be sedated by injection everytime she was clipped.

The sedation injection is nothing to worry about. It takes affect very quickly... within 10 minutes you should be able to get on with your clipping. Personally I would still also twitch her, once under sedation, just in case.

Hopefully you'll be able to desensitise her to the clippers but there are some horses - usually mares for some reason - who will always react violently. My mare was fantastic in every other way, a scared of nothing, alpha female in the field but try and get anywhere near her with clippers and she would seriously try to kill you.

 

[vicijp]

I can second what GG has said.
TBH, I find sedalin useless in horses that are naturally spirited, rarely works.
Clipping is a funny thing. Horses are either grand or hate it. We have a horse here, a 9yo who started racing at 2 - so has had plenty of clips! He is as safe as houses to do anything with, rarely even need a headcollar on to do anything. Turn the clippers on in his barn and he goes absolutely beserk, tries to kill people over the door.
On the other hand, broke in my filly last year. 4yo, barely handled. She only had a headcollar on properly 3 weeks previous, and couldnt as yet brush her head. Was brushing her one day and found trimmers in bottom of bucket so thought id have a bash - good as gold. Got the proper jobbies out and whipped a blanket clip and half head without even tying her up.
There really is no set rule when it comes to how they react to clipping, some horses just have to be doped.

 

[harvgj19]

We had great success with stuffing the ears of one of our horses with socks. Have you tried this?

Sedalin didn't work with her, but the socks did!

 

[_jetset_]

Hi Gill... this has had me in fits of laughter!

Anything is worth a go though, no matter how many funny looks I will get down at the yard.

 

[amage]

tbh i find sedalin utterly useless for clipping unless it is quite a small horse and even at that it takes alot of it to get them safely under. it is much too easy for them to fight out of and in my opinion a partially doped fighting horse is more dangerous as their coordination is not 100%. the vet will know exactly how much she'll need, usually about half a ml for a first timer and get going straight away. it takes only about 3 mins for them to go under. get any parts where she may sweat done first.

 

[Tempi]

hi hun

im afraid bloss sounds the same as Grace - you cant clip her belly or stiffle without full sedation. Even totally under (after her injection) she was still fighting it and every so often would try and jump around the stable and then go back to sleep again!!

make sure the vet stays with you the first time whilst you do it, incase she starts coming round, also make sure they write down the total amount of what they need to give her.

i can sympathesis, but there really is no other way to do it - she is obviously really ticklish and sensitive like Bloss is in that area. its such a shame, but try and just clip her out twice a season and then it wont cost you so much.

i can have big clippers running right near bloss in her stable andshe dosent bat an eyelid, but as soon as you put them on her she freaks out.