Twitching a horse while clipping

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Lollii

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Sorry if this has been done before but I can't find anything about twitching while clipping?

My horse (17hh ISH) hates his ears being touched, and there is no way I can get near them with the clippers, most other horses I clip don't like their ears being done but I can usually get most of them done, but not this boy - he gets very, very big when I try, and will not keep his head still.

He is also 'twitchy' when I clip above his back legs & gets anxious, someone mentioned that I should twitch him to get this & behind his ears done.

Does anyone else have to do this or had any experience with twitching a horse? or is it a big NO NO!

Also someone mentioned that he could have had his ears twitched in Ireland - that sounds horrible!
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I have to twitch my mare when I clip, I really hate doing it but is for my safety as well as her own. I clipped her at the weekend and managed to do 1/3 off her un-twitched, I then had to twitch her for the rest.

Even when twitched she is very difficult (more so this time) as she is very sensitive, at the weekend she nearly kicked the clippers out of my hand a couple of times
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I still couldn't clip her ears and really struggled with her back legs.

I think next year I will try and get some sort of sedative before I try to clip her
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Some you can twitch,some you cant!My lad will kill you with his front legs after about 5mins with the twitch on!
ETA...he too is 17hh and it isnt funny when they strike out at you with both front feet
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,i would reccommend a sedative of some sort to be safe,especially if he dosnt like it that much!
 
I think with twitches its up to the individual horse how they will respond. Last year my horse had to be twitched for the whole clip as he just wouldn't stay still and was getting more and more agitated; at first he tries to fight it and has got the twitch off before, but after a few seconds he's fine. This year he's been clipped once so far, didn't need the twitch until his ears were done, so it wasn't on for long at all.

I'd much rather not have to twitch my horse, but I would rather use a twitch than sedation as its more 'natural' and predictable than sedation. I think its a safer option for a horse that is nervous when being clipped, but thats just my opinion.
 
No form of, restraint is natural
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and yes it may be safer for the horse but if you have one like mine that flips after 5 mins with a twitch on,(therefore i would never call it more predicatable than sedation
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) sod the horse you need to think about yourself,and believe me with a twitch on my lad would have you with his front legs
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we twitch all of ours (polo ponies and my eventer) for the head as it is soo much easier and a lot quicker, and often safer...
the other thing you can try is holding onto an ear really tight while sort of pulling it down, that works with the less twitchy who aren't so bad to need a twitch...or you can do both! they wont hurt him and should stop him from moving!
 
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we twitch all of ours (polo ponies and my eventer) for the head as it is soo much easier and a lot quicker, and often safer...
the other thing you can try is holding onto an ear really tight while sort of pulling it down, that works with the less twitchy who aren't so bad to need a twitch...or you can do both! they wont hurt him and should stop him from moving!

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Completely disagree with twitching the ears
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,no need for it!
 
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the other thing you can try is holding onto an ear really tight while sort of pulling it down, that works with the less twitchy who aren't so bad to need a twitch...or you can do both! they wont hurt him and should stop him from moving!

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Interesting about holding an ear ... but I do wonder though if this is why he won't let you near his ears to start with - as he has had his ears twitched in the past?

I know it is not a nice thing to do,I don't want to twitch him really but other than sedating him ... what can I do?
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Hermangerman - can't you just leave his face on? Surely it is better to do the bits you can and gradually work around to clipping more off so he learns that clipping is OK?

Twitching basically works through pain. The horse's body knows that the horse just can't cope with feeling that uncomfortable and not being able to escape so sort of self-dopes, no? So I wouldn't have thought this is a great way to sort your problem out long term...

Share horse is sedated and twitched (neck) every year and doesn't get better. I hate it (but I'm not the owner so...). He is also *very* funny with anyone he doesn't trust touching his left ear due to being ear twitched in the past.

From my limited experience I'd say worth doing in an 'emergency' but for clipping which is basically for our convenience (being able to work and easily dry a horse in winter) I'd rather acclimatise gradually than have to resort to twitching every time. Even if you end up with a partially clipped horse for a little while...

There was a thread on here a while back where someone talked about leaving clippers running, using them (just the vibration - not actually clipping) during 'nice' times etc, etc until her horse was fine w/o sedation/twitching/anything. I think she said it took a season but was fine for the next winter.
 
What does he do if you stick a bucket of something yummy in front of him?

Honestly, I would start retraining him to accept the clippers. Treat him like a proper baby, and work up from just having the clippers running next to him to laying them on him (all over). Once he's chilled with that, then clip an easy bit and reward him, gradually working towards doing the harder bits.
 
Hi Tickles, Yes, what you say is how I feel about it, but .. he is ok to clip on about 80% of his body, I do leave half his head on, it's funny but when you clip his face he loves it ... he leans into the clippers and goes all gooey!

He has really thick hair so I have to take it off, at the moment he has his neck & half his head off and big clumps of hair behind his ears! it's not really a problem, it just doesn't look that great ... it would only take 5 mins but I just can't get to it ... never mind!
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can do the whole of my boy without even a headcollar but cant get near his ears have no issue with putting twitch on to do them get the rest of him done twitch on ears done twitch off much nicer and safer for all concerned he has no issue with you touching his ears only when clipping
 
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Hi Tickles, Yes, what you say is how I feel about it, but .. he is ok to clip on about 80% of his body, I do leave half his head on, it's funny but when you clip his face he loves it ... he leans into the clippers and goes all gooey!

He has really thick hair so I have to take it off, at the moment he has his neck & half his head off and big clumps of hair behind his ears! it's not really a problem, it just doesn't look that great ... it would only take 5 mins but I just can't get to it ... never mind!
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exactly,it dosnt look great to US,but neddy couldnt give a shite and he hasnt been stressed
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,most of what we do is because we like it,and panicc about what others may say if it hasnt been done properly
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,if he has tufty ears so what?he happy and ypu should be happy that you havnt stressd him out trying to take them off
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I always twitch just to finish the half head and upper neck. I have been patient for many years and give her food to keep her occupied which helps to a point, but she will never let me quite finish, hence I twitch. I have no guilt about it as I don't believe it causes pain- even a gentle finger hold on the nose causes the same effect and that isn't painful! Anyway, Ellie gets fed, watered, wormed, pampered and slaved after; 5 minutes of twitching is a small price to pay for a cushy life I say!
 
Please don't twitch............I live daily with the consequences of twitching my friend's horse to clip a few years ago. I was by his saddle area and he had gone really dopey when suddenly turned and double-barrelled me across the stable. My leg was smashed and though I have been very lucky and can now ride again, I am very limited in what I can do. I am lucky in that I have an office job but I have had to give up a lot. Leave the hair on, I say!
 
I had a horrendous experience clipping a twitched pony. The twitch had been on only about 5 minutes and the pony seemed nicely dopey. As I was clipping the side of his head, he exploded, knocked the clippers out of my hand which hit the lady holding the pony on the head with the blades. It was not nice. I would opt for sedation every time.
 
I my experence most horses can be taught to happily accept the clippers with out the need for restraint/ twitching.

If you only need to tidy up behind his ears, I'd get a pair of good, quiet, trimmers and use those instead; don't be in a hurry to get it finished...... it doesn't matter if it takes a few days
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Please don't ear twitch you horse
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I had a similar experience years ago. I was holding the twitch on a 14.2 that was standing nicely still when he leapt forward over the top of me & knocked me over onto concrete. They can 'snap' out of whatever'it' is.

Also, stand to one side of the animal ideally & wear a hat if in doubt!
 
I'm currently working on a yard in NZ with yearlings and they all have been twitched by the ears to have their feet done. No wonder at leat 80% of them are headshy.
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Personally my last horse didn't like his ears or head done and I just left it. As he was out in the field a lot it was warmer for him anyway.
 
Murphy HATES being clipped and hogged. He is so unpredicable with a twitch its very scary. He has to be sedated now, even then though, we don't trust him, which is sad because he is a lovely horse who doesn't want to hurt a fly. He has to be clipped for hunting. He is definatley one horse that will NEVER be retrained to accept clippers..... Irish, with a very troubled past it seems.
 
QR - I twitch for clipping ears too - horse always lets me get half a one done then decides I am clearly trying to kill him. As I am usually on my own I use a bit of baler twine on a hoofpick which then gets hooked in the headcollar. Turns a 45minute fight into a 2 minute job, marvelous.
 
If he doesn't like his ears being done - simply don't do them. I have this problem with my horse, and refuse to twitch him - preferring to leave him with a half face on, including his ears.

I'm assuming that you use some smaller battery operated clippers around his ears to trim up generally - as that should be easier for him to cope with (certainly works for mine).




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the other thing you can try is holding onto an ear really tight while sort of pulling it down,

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What a terrible thing to do to an animal - and also very painful.



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If you do decide to twitch, it's better to apply the twitch before the horse has got himself worked up.

Remember to keep it tight while it's on, and pay attention to the time period.........12 to 15 minutes is about as much as you'll get before having to give the horse a fifteen minute break.

Also, keep an eye on the state of the horse. He should have the appearance of a doped horse with a soft outline to his eye, droopy eyelids, and a relaxed manner. Should his eye become 'hardened' and vacant-looking, with a distinct peak on his eyebrow, the effect of the calming endorphins is wearing off. This means that his adrenalin levels are rising, and a violent reaction is likely.
 
Thanks for the info AengusOg, I will have a think about it, he does look quite cute with fluffy ears
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Maybe if I can find an experianced person to give me a hand, we could give it a go ... maybe!
 
I had to twitch my horse to clip this year as he is totally needle phobic plus I don't like the idea of sedating unless it is strictly necessary.

I took off the minimum but he was still incredibly stressed. I only got him this year and underestimated how much he would dislike the clippers.
Next year I will try to get him used to clippers as I don't like twitching.

Personally I would just leave his head alone, especially as he is ok with the rest.
Twitching is no guarantee my boy was still trying to kick my head in.
 
Our yard rules for twitching;

ALWAYS stand to the side, its pure stupidity to let a horse get you with his front legs.

PAY ATTENTION!! IF your holding the twitch and paying attention Accidents like those mentioned above would be less common.
Only on very quiet horses i clip on my own would i twitch them and put it through headcollar to keep it there.

After 15 min have a break, then go again if you have to.

It really bugs me people saying twitching is cruel, imo id prefer to go this route first and if horse still upset THEN sedate.
I think its terrible the amount of unesesary sedation that goes on.
 
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