Trimming ears

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Carrots&Mints

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Best way to trim horses ears who's not so keen on it doing. He's a section d So doesn't need all the fluff taking out just trimming neatly. Was thinking twitch and then trim the edge with scissors, but someone said to push the ears together to just neatly trim the outside.

Please don't turn this treat into an anti ear trimming thread, I'm merely just looking for advice. Thanks
 
I do what LOZHUG does. Even with horses that don't like it, I find they soon learn they aren't in danger. The only ones that have taken a bit of time to do this with are ones that have been known to be ear twitched or suspected of it.
 
Cheers guys, he's never let me get near his ears at all and I've had him since he was a yearling, so will defo be twitching him on the nose and then quick trim with some scissors :)
 
fburton said:
Wow! It would be interesting to see how well it works with other horses.
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I'm told it works really well my mare is fine with everything so can't try it but know people who have. Why a strip of duct tape should have such a calming influence is a bit weird but at least you can't really do any harm trying.
 
sorry im at work so cant see the vid ... what does it involve? Im up for anything to try get me near his ears, he used to enjoy me massaging them but doesnt like it anymore the daft git
 
My mare is an absolute pain in the proverbial when it comes to trimming her ears. She's fine with having her bridle and headcollar put on, and having owned her for 3 years I can stroke the backs of her ears now. But if anything touches the hairs sticking out from inside her ears she hates it. Surprisingly she will tolerate a fly bonnet, and the only time I can put a rosette on her bridle is when she is wearing one, because then she can't feel the rosette touching her ears. But the other day we were doing some showing and her ears needed a trim. Somebody helped me by holding her nose in a pseudo twitch and I managed one snip down each ear, with great difficulty. We left it at that because I didn't want to traumatise her, but then she didn't want me plaiting up near her ears either! I know, I shouldn't have left it until the day of the show, but she's such a pain I'd put it off. I think I need to do some more work on this, and the duct tape is definitely worth a try.
 
Ali2 said:
I'd invest some time in clicker training him then use it to trim his ears :-)
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I was going to suggest some techniques that go beyond simple desensitization - like counter-conditioning with rewards, and overshadowing - but didn't want to overcomplicate the discussion. These techniques do work though, and while one would always assume that time and patience will be required when starting to tackle problems using them, they often work almost as quickly as the "instant solutions" like twitching (or duct-taping! :D). (If the problem is deep-seated, any effective behaviour changing will take longer for sure.)
 
Im sorry but i wont be starting clicker training lol, hell only be getting his ears trimmed once a year at the begining of the show season! Im not a big fan of these sorts of methods either, but thanks for the advice :)
 
Desensitization is pretty fundamental, nothing fancy at all - and it doesn't need special equipment. It seems the obvious solution to little niggles like ear shyness - but maybe that's just me lol. :)
 
use an old electric toothbrush or hand held massager for de-sensitising.............works better as you can hold it against them/doesnt matter if it moves without,either snagging the hair(ouch) or bumping them with the blades.

much easier to do:buzzy thing moves with you, goes away when you stand sort of approach than with actual trimmers.

have been doing it with my 3yo and its worked fab.
 
Reading this thread with interest, some good suggestions, I have to confess I've all but given up trying to trim my lads ears. Over the last 4 years I've managed to get to the point where I can touch them, stroke them etc but by the feel of them I think there is some thickened scar tissue, one more so than the other (can only feel it - nothing to see) which I've always thought could be due to being ear twitched? But I have never been able to get any sort of 'tool' anywhere near, not an old electric toothbrush, not a human nose hair trimmer, def not clippers and esp not scissors, he knows immediately if I've got something in my hand! I've decided to learn to love his fluffy ears but I hope he never has a problem with them- would be a major issue!
 
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I don't think any horses are that keen on having his done!

I have a hand held rechargeable pair of whal clippers (I'm pretty sure they are human ones from argos for about £30!) they are great for doing small jobs

I quickly pinch the ears together and run the clippers up. He used to shake his head/pull away but i just did it in a few goes and all was done!
 
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