Twitch - love or loathe

twitch

  • Total voters
    0
AMW

AMW

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 January 2008
Messages
749
Location
Aberdeenshire
Visit site
Tonight I was reminded how effective a twitch is.
Brat of a filly needed her mane pulled, last time I tried to do this, i got bashed against the wall etc. Tonight, put the twitch on, stuck it up her headcollar, tied her up and got on with the job. She stood and never moved. Magical things :)

I know some people think they are cruel but surely if it lets you get the job done with no hassle.
 
Basically what 3beasties already said. I'd rather not do it but equally if it allows me to do a job quickly and safely I am glad to have one!
 
sorry did not vote but I do believe there is a place for a twitch - when a friends horse was stuck in a hole they twitched the mare until the vet arrived as she was panicking.
 
i didn't vote because it "depends" on who is using it and what for

i think they are sometimes abused in the wrong hands or left on too long but i will use one as a last resort
ie cannot worm my horse as he simply just stands up and will not come down ,he's 16"3 and i have no chance ,but twitch = very expensive/important wormer goes in horse not all over me :o

pony very needle shy throwing vet, me + another helper all over stable with an iv needle spurting blood every where as needle all ready in but couldn't get near with the syringe :rolleyes: twitch = calm pony ,much less stressful situation
 
Would rather twitch than have the horse get stressed out and have the risk of injury on both sides. No I don't 'like' it and as angelish said can be used wrongly, but in the most part I believe it is a humane method and has it's use.
 
I have no problem with twitches and agree that there is a time and a place for them. I don't use them on my horse as they have no effect on him whatsoever apart from making him very cross!
 
AMW said:
Tonight I was reminded how effective a twitch is.
Brat of a filly needed her mane pulled, last time I tried to do this, i got bashed against the wall etc. Tonight, put the twitch on, stuck it up her headcollar, tied her up and got on with the job. She stood and never moved. Magical things :)

I know some people think they are cruel but surely if it lets you get the job done with no hassle.
Click to expand...

I think theyre a good piece of equipment if used appropriately. I personally wouldnt twitch a youngster to pull a mane.
I dont think id put one on and push it under a headcollar either unless I was on my own and it was in an emergency situation
 
was talking with farrier about twitching recently and we both agreed that years ago we never used this as much as it is now. I think bad mismanagement of some horses by inexperienced owners. I know of horses that have to be twitched to be shoed.

A vet twitched a companion pony of mine and it never forgave me! Seriously it never trusted me again. That was on second microchip attempt.Awful device.
 
I haven't voted, I don't 'love' twitches but use them if necessary - to allow vet to inject, for instance. I certainly wouldn't use one to do something which is not necessary for the horse's well-being, e.g. pulling a mane.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I haven't voted, I don't 'love' twitches but use them if necessary - to allow vet to inject, for instance. I certainly wouldn't use one to do something which is not necessary for the horse's well-being, e.g. pulling a mane.
Click to expand...

Totaly agree! I hate using one and will only do so if I feel it is ESSENTIAL for the benefit of the horse.
 
I think the fact that once it's been done to a horse they're never as trusting and are reluctant to let you do it again speaks volumes

I wouldn't use one, having had a very headshy horse, who I strongly suspect had been ear twitched on a regular basis, I have to dismantle the bridle to get it on and even then we'd both end up a sweaty mess
 
I dont love or hate them, i wouldn't use one personally, or on my mare but i think nose twitches do have their place, but i dont agree with ear twitching. I think its personal choice as to whether you use one - i wouldn't - but i don't hate them as such, just don't really agree with it but i do appreciate the twitch works well with some horses :)
 
Handy things when used in the right way at the right time. I've used one on my big TB to deal with a nasty leg wound (stressing and fidgeting) and on my old heavy (to great effect-must be down to nose size!) whilst clipping his head. Little TB on the other hand, not a good thing at all. Took three of us to twitch him in order to sedate him by injection (needle phobia) for an IV shot of Buscupan when he was colicking, all due to him being smacked in the mouth with a twitch by an ignorant previous owner. I've witnessed a horse being hit like that-it's a horrible, horrible thing to do. :(
 
Last edited:
Hate it, my horse has never responded to twitching without a massive fight first. When on loan he was twitched in order to be clipped (was still young and needed a little time and patience), now can't get near him with clippers unless so sedated he needs to be propped up with hay bales.

I'm sure it works on other horses, but after this I wouldn't want to unless an absolute emergency!!
 
Ze Donk said:
Complete and utter codswallop!!
Click to expand...

I agree i use it for iv injections with my mare as shes ok with all other jabs but iv ones. Ive never had a problem putting it on her ever, its on and off within 2-3 minutes, always the nose, i think to twitch the ear is cruel and could lead to serious injury for the horse
 
I've not voted either way as, like many other people I don't really like it, but I think there're times and places and situations that it can be used.
My youngster was twitched for everything before I got him, so much so that at first he would push his nose into my friends hand and wiggle his top lip when I was trying to pick up his feet, as if to say "twitch me please".
It just took time and patience, but he's never needed to be twitched again since I've had him.
However, my friends mare needs to be twitched when we clip around her fetlocks. We tried the softly softly approach, but in order to avoid getting my head kicked in, we use the twitch, makes it easier and safer for all of us!
 
I loathe them.

In emergency situation I can understand people resorting to a twitch but to pull a mane, really? I'd prefer leave the filly with a long mane, use scissors to trim it or take the time getting her used to having it pulled than resort to twitching for something so inconsequential.

People rely on quick fixes to much these days, it is sad that people resort to a twitch for anything from shoeing to clipping. Most of the horses that "need to be twitched" can be acclimatised to whatever their issues are if only people had the patience and bothered to take the time.
 
If she's that stressed by mane pulling (it will be stress rather than a deliberate attempt..) then us ea solocomb. Twitches should not be applied for as long as it takes to pull a mane and not really a necessary thing.
For veterinary purposes, yes, no problem with them as they are very effective.
 
Some horses would do themselves damage, in which case it is OK to twitch, in some cases they need to be educated that hell is not freezing over, so it depends.
Worst case I saw was my vet twitching my totally doped out pony, by that time I was beyond protest, but it was unnecessary and hardly counts as "pheronomes make it a pleasure"!!
 
Can't stand them. They can be incredibly dangerous as well, if a horse comes round when wearing one they can go ballistic endagering not just themselves but anyone around them. A "dealer's twitch" is just as effective and much less stress for the horse, saying that you need bloody strong hands!!
 
i cant pull my horses mane without a twitch so yes i love it ! agree with everyone else though - they are only useful tools if in the right hands and i only ever use it to do mane, would only have on for a few mins at a time and rub his nose after to get the feeling back....he doesnt mind having it on either !
 
For veterinary procedures or worming they definitely have their place, I wouldn't use it for pulling or clipping though, I'd rather take my time and teach them to accept it. Somebody has obviously twitched my boy roughly in the past as if he thinks you are going to touch his top lip he rears. I really hate to think what gave him that reaction.
 
SusieT said:
If she's that stressed by mane pulling (it will be stress rather than a deliberate attempt..) then us ea solocomb. Twitches should not be applied for as long as it takes to pull a mane and not really a necessary thing.
For veterinary purposes, yes, no problem with them as they are very effective.
Click to expand...

my horse wont let me near him with a solo comb because he thinks im going to pull it...for the sake of him getting stressed and me getting butted id rather just twitch for a few mins....get his mane pulled very quickly as i keep on top of it so dont consider twitching a prob
 
My big lad was twitched when he had a whole in his chest and the vet needed to clean it, not for long and it got the job done.

However same horse was ear twitched, which I think is barbaric. he hates his ears being touched with a passion.

Like the others have said, depends who and why and where (on the horse) :)
 
like anything else, teach them when they are young and they learn for life. Part of life is a tidy mane as she is shown so she has to learn. She also has to learn that she cannot squash me, believe me she was less traumatised with 5 mins of a twitch than a fight to even do a few strands. Maybe it does stress her for ooh about 10 minutes but it isnt killing or harming her and is over and done with quickly if they cooperate.
Solo combs? no way.
I would never ear twitch, seen too many head shy horses that have had that done.
Would far rather use a twitch than use sedation or relaxing pastes which take a while to wear off. My farrier will not do a sedated horse but will do a twitched one as a hors ethat breaks out of sedation is dangerous to itself and others
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top