Training collars for horses.........electric shock treatment?

[Enfys]

I read this on an American forum and am actually a bit startled that people would use these on horses, but if they can be used for dog training, it follows that some people would use them for horses. Has anyone ever heard of this being used on horses before?

"After much thought, I've decided to try the training collar on one of my mares. she is a wonderful horse but very dominant in the field. She demands respect at ALL TIMES from the other horses.

She will bite, kick, and chase at whim. Several folks I talked to in NY, PB included, have used a shock collar to discourage aggressive behavior with great success. I purchased one last night. However, I don't know where to place the collar on the neck, or how tight. I know that the prongs must make contact with the skin but how tight should it be. I certainly don't want to interfere with swallowing."

 

[henryhorn]

Well it's not something I would use on a horse and we have firsthand knowledge of the collars, my husband bought one for his dog. the dog is a devil for getting out and we re-fenced so many times it was impossible. She could go over or through almost anything and if not that, dig underneath.. The collar gives her a shock when she crosses a boundary set by a wire, she gets a warning of beeping and that worked effectively for weeks until she managed to get it off digging.
We bought another but she discovered by running full pelt at the wire she didn't get shocked. The general effect however and this is why I wouldn't use it on a horse is that where the area was of the fence, she won't cross at all even if you command her to. So a horse probably would be the same and feel it was the place not the deed.
We have given up with the dog, we have allowed her to dig a massive den in the garden and every day she disappears down it for hours, squeaking abd barking chasing imaginary or real rabbits. It's stopped a lot of the wandering which was getting to the stage of her crossing the main road and at risk of injury to herself or someone else.
I do have another idea for the collar however, and was laughlingly discussing it with one of CCJ's trainers last week. Both of us agreed what a wonderful training aid for the rider! (ie he says don't push the horse at the fence and she does, ZAP!)

 

[Enfys]

HH

Training collars for humans! Love it.

 

[Vey]

In among about a million things wrong with this of which I can think - and totally agree with henry above - there is this - these things only work if you can be sure that you are going to punish the hrose EVERY time it does this. So do you REALLY spend your life standing by the field gate, trying to stop a horse being a horse??

 

[meandmyself]

I know people who use them to stop horses kicking.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

I had a wry smile as I read your post. My mum has the same problem with her whippets - especially the dog who will leap out of the garden over 6ft plus fences to go rabbiting in local fields. He also goes out of open windows, under fences... Nothing stops him.

She too bought some of the boundry fence/electric collars and spent ages digging them in. All the other whippets and her flatcoat were deterred within days by the collars. For the flatcoat she never even turned the 'shock' on, the bleep was enough to stop her. But that dog is so crazy he just runs at the fence full pelt, leaps of the boundry, yelping as the shock hits him and goes off a-wandering again.

He is such a terror, he has been stolen by gypsies (fortunately my mum buys chickens from the gypsies so they gave him back) and he has been in trouble with farmers. He is *so* naughty LOL. He also jumps onto the kitchen units and eats the butter out of the butter dish and the bread out of the bread bin. Nothing is safe from him. He is like some sort of unholy, unstoppable force of nature

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Actually we used them on a horse that kept kicking the door, everytime she did it she got a shock but didnt know where it was coming from so could only associate it with kicking in the door. However it didnt work as the shocks werent actually strong enough and after a few goes she started to ignore them. The squirty thing attached to the door worked much better, but just remember to turn it off before you open the damn door!!

 

[MagicMelon]

I wouldn't use one. Sounds horrific to me. Sorry, but electric shocking my horses is not something I would ever consider, and yes I do have a horse who is bolshy etc. but I just deal with it properly and not through a very nasty punishment like this.

 

[lizzieuk1]

can't say i'm a great fan, we use a spray collar on our dog which works v well, must say horses and dogs are v different though, dogs being hunters and horses being flight animals am not sure that its a good thing to use it on them, also feel that to stop their natural behaviour in the field is a bit against the grain, after all in the wild there is always an alpha mare who keeps the rest in order sounds like this mare is only doing her job, there will always be a head of the herd and its unlikely that they will be seriously hurt by her actions.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

err hello??? They can hardly feel it people!!! Its like a tingle!! hence why it didnt actually work for our one. Its not like they're in any pain or collapse from the shock or anything, its literally like a tingle.
If you dont like it fair enough but dont insult people who hav tried it.
edited to say that was using quick reply and wasnt aimed directly at lizzie!

 

[eohippus]

Agreed MM. I think they are cruel and uneccesary. A horse is a horse and to try and stop its natural behaviour with something so evasive and medievil is unethical and should not be considered by anyone. I can not agree with them for door kickers either, this is a learnt behaviour, if it is taught is can be untaught by the same means not by something totally alien and confusing to a horse. To associate pain and/or fear with a door way can only be asking for trouble in my opinion.
Would you use a cattle prod on your horse, I think not but the effect is the same.
I do know of people who use it on their dogs to stop them barking, barking for gods sake, isn't that what dogs do?
Escaping dogs is another problem altogether and must be very frustrating for the owners, but there must be other methods of restraint surely.
regards
Dawn

 

[eohippus]

just to add to my last post, it was not aimed at anyone in particular. Just my opinions on them, influenced mainly because they are attached to the horse.
Maybe there are different makes? but last time I tried one to see the effects (on myself) it was more than a tingle.
best regards
Dawn

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
A horse is a horse and to try and stop its natural behaviour with something so evasive

[/ QUOTE ] I totally agree - it's almost as bad as those dreadful people who use electric fencing or (god forbid) a bit and bridle!

[ QUOTE ]
this is a learnt behaviour, if it is taught is can be untaught by the same means not by something totally alien and confusing to a horse

[/ QUOTE ] Is this learning similar to those horses who stretch across fencelines? The ones whose owners install electric fencing to try to "unteach" them from doing this?

[ QUOTE ]
and medievil

[/ QUOTE ] They had electricity in medevil times? Gosh I need to brush up on my history

.

[ QUOTE ]
Would you use a cattle prod on your horse

[/ QUOTE ] Well actually.......there is one that I might be tempted to use it on LOL!!

Sorry but I just can't see any logic or rationale behind your argument.

 

[Tia]

Oh we had one for one of our dogs who *please close your ears people who are of a sensitive disposition* used to lunge up and bite my horses!!

Interestingly enough, like you we also tested the collar on ourselves before placing it on the dog.........and I know you must be telling the truth in saying that you have felt it as you describe it as a tingle.....that's what we felt too! Perhaps yours, mine, my daughter and my husband's pain threshold is far greater than most??

It was also interesting that within only 2 days of her wearing the collar and only having to use it on vibrate rather than zapp, that the dog learned not to bite the horses noses anymore.......

PS. Just to add that all my responses were directly aimed at the people I have replied to.

 

[milliepup]

I have heard of someone using one to stop the horse kicking the door and with in a couple of zaps the horse has now stopped.

Personally I have never used one myself and hopefuly would never need to but I am sure it's no worse than electric fencing.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

I can say nothing more i think tiaribbon has said it all perfectly!

 

[eohippus]

Well there goes the 'respecting of others opinions' out of the window


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A horse is a horse and to try and stop its natural behaviour with something so evasive

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I totally agree - it's almost as bad as those dreadful people who use electric fencing or (god forbid) a bit and bridle!

<span style="color:blue"> </span> Stopping a horse from escaping and wandering into danger and trying to stop a horse displaying natural herd behaviour is two totally different arguements. and as mentioned an electric fence is not attached. Yes a bridle and saddle is but that is another discussion altogether and not related the least to the post topic.
,
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this is a learnt behaviour, if it is taught is can be untaught by the same means not by something totally alien and confusing to a horse


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Is this learning similar to those horses who stretch across fencelines? The ones whose owners install electric fencing to try to "unteach" them from doing this?

<span style="color:blue"> </span> No do some research on behaviours.
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and medievil


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They had electricity in medevil times? Gosh I need to brush up on my history .

<span style="color:blue"> </span> describing something as medievil does not necessarily refer to the exact practises of that time,, there is no need to be so defensive and rude

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Would you use a cattle prod on your horse


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Well actually.......there is one that I might be tempted to use it on LOL!!

<span style="color:blue"> </span> but would you actually use it? was the question.

Sorry but I just can't see any logic or rationale behind your argument

.
in regards to some of the gagets used in stables, my opinion stands, which is using something that could potentially cause the horse to be scared or avoid the only exit from their stable is asking for trouble, a fire risk for one, but hey its your horse.
I would not use them, I gave the reasons why, and said my opinions were mine and not aimed at anyone in particular.
regards
Dawn

 

[GTs]

Can I use it while riding?

FYI I have used a cattle prod on a horse and it thank me afterwards.....