Tips on training my mare to accept clippers on her feathers

Devonshire dumpling

Devonshire dumpling

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Does anyone have any amazing advice on teaching my 6 yr old mare to accept clippers on her legs, she is fine on her body, but has massive issues with her legs! Or an alternative to clippers ( her feathers are currently short so could keep on top of them), scissors have same reaction as clippers
 
What is her reaction? Is it an explosive one or just that she constantly picks her legs up?

If it is the latter, I would try holding her leg up as you trim it. Persevere and let her realise that lifting a leg is not what you are asking and it doesn't make the trimmers/scissors go away.

If it is the former, more handling of the legs. Check whether she has any scabs or sores which may need treating as this is a frequent cause of reluctance to have the legs trimmed. If not, hold the trimmers there every day until it become as second nature as grooming. Do not try to clip until she is happy to have them rubbed all over.

Also check that your clippers are clipping properly, not pulling hairs.
 
Also interested in replies as my lad will happily have his body and back legs clipped but has to be twitched to have his front legs done!
 
She will rear when one leg held up to clip,or be submissive and lie down, the handlers are in danger of being reared on or mown over, and she kicks her legs up to her belly so fast she catches the clippers....... she has no scabs etc, her legs were clipped tightly while the vet gave her an iv sedation and she was still kicking off very slightly and needed a top up. She is fine for the farrier and to have her legs brushed, its if you start touching her feathers she has issues, I am keen to get them off before they get too long! We twitched her tonight and she was was 50% better, but still reacting and I wasn't comfortable with the whole situation.
 
If they just keep picking their feet up and being awkward I would just perservere. Are you being firm enough with the clippers and not just tickling? We are always had heavy crosses and some do try it on. The latest one was brill to clip all over but tried to cow kick me big time when I did her legs. Have to say I kicked her straight back!!Shock horror :eek: just once. She then stood like a dream and has been no probs since. She was not frightened she was just being a cow.

The art is knowing the difference and picking your battles. I always find the front legs worse as they can kick you with their back legs. Wear a hat and take care.

You could always tie one up if holding it is difficult?!
 
She doesn't scare me as in I am being a fairy with her, I am more worried about my £300 clippers being trashed, I wasn't comfortable with twitching her as she wasn't overly better for it, so will just do as you say and expose her to the clippers every day, shes not scared of them, so perhaps will stand on her some matting to absorb the tingling?
 
Ditchjumper2 said:
If they just keep picking their feet up and being awkward I would just perservere. Are you being firm enough with the clippers and not just tickling? We are always had heavy crosses and some do try it on. The latest one was brill to clip all over but tried to cow kick me big time when I did her legs. Have to say I kicked her straight back!!Shock horror :eek: just once. She then stood like a dream and has been no probs since. She was not frightened she was just being a cow.

The art is knowing the difference and picking your battles. I always find the front legs worse as they can kick you with their back legs. Wear a hat and take care.

You could always tie one up if holding it is difficult?!
Click to expand...

She barges away or through whoever is holding her, she lies down, lashes violently, so the clippers get caught behind her knee, I only got her in February and had a major battle to get her headcollar/bridle on, i just kept at it every day and held the tight, but didn't ever let her get away with the rearing etc, only took about 8 weeks and now she is as quiet as a lamb to bridle...... perhaps this is the same , but just a different battle!
 
Id also like to know the answer to this ;)

Titan does the exact same kicks up so hard that he cut the yo's hand, was rearing, thrashing and kicking his belly with some force. We ofc had to give up for his and our safety - got the vet to sedate him and he was fine.

He was fine getting his body clipped, just freaked on his legs. He is no bother at all to touch, brush, boot up legs, fine to pick up feet etc - will even pick up his feet before you ask.

Literally explodes if you touch his legs with the clippers. So far ive only heard of De-sensitisation as a technique. :(
 
Have you tried with smaller clippers?

Can you get something cheap which mimics the sound/vibrations of clippers which doesn't matter if she accidentally knocks it about. (I shall leave you to think of ideas as to what this might be ;) )
 
Electric tooth brush, advance and retreat, if she moves and makes a fuss, keep the t/b on her until she stands still, then take it away.
It will take time, don't expect too much. I think a lot of horses that are phobic about their legs being clipped have been burnt by hot clippers.
 
This is one of the areas where I would be very tempted to use clicker training. I've done it successfully with a few where the clipping had to be done to relieve the symptoms of mites.
 
Electric toothbrush again here, every day. Put in on her shoulder one day, massively praise if all goes well and end on a good note. Each day, very slowly work down, always ending well even if it's just 30 seconds of not reacting. Keep it really positive and slow, and eventually you'll have them down by her hooves! This worked for a pony who hated the feel, but never had one as hayinamanger describes who's previously had a bad experience, so test out a few things and see what works. Let us know how it goes!
 
I'd get some shall clippers that are cordless and quite for a starter, less vibrations, so that she can't feel them as much! and maybe just make sure she is perfectly comfortable in normal life with you touching her feathered areas?

do a little bit and give her a good rub and tell her she's a good girl, so she realise that if shes well behaved she get nice treatment! and just do a little bit at a time! slow and steady wins the race!
 
We used an electric toothbrush (a cheap one!) on a long stick (for saftey) and just ran that up and down his legs every day for a while, to get him used to the feel. Then when he was better with that, progressed to some small quiet trimmers, again duct taped to long stick! After a while, he was ok with that so got rid of the stick. Eventually moved to proper trimmers (not big clippers) and he was being really good to clip (but then I got lazy and didnt do it for a while and he went back to being bad! My fault) If I had kep it up reckon he would be an angel now!
 
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