Who uses a twitch?

[HaffiesRock]

I never have and would prefer not too, but would as a last resort if necessary for safety reasons.

Do they really work and what do you use them for?

Thanks

 

[Shysmum]

yes they work - as long as you know exactly how to use them. I learnt from my YO, and I have had to use it when Shy had a sore on his fetlock and it was dangerous to try and sort it, even with feed, etc.

A friend has one of the metal thingys - the humane twitch, but to be quite honest, it slipped off each and every time we used it, the horse got even more upset, and we resorted to the normal twitch which worked very quickly, and he got the job done safely.

Again, anyone reading this - you MUST know what you are doing !!

This thing was useless -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New...359?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19d34c160f

 

[Dizzydancer]

I always used a twitch on my old boy when clipping his feathers (he had to have them done regularly but was petrified of clippers). If used correctly they are brilliant ypou can also shoulder twitch with your hand if you know where, the change in a horses demeanour is amazing. i dont use the humane ones though as they just slid off, i always use a rope and block of wood i never leave it on for more than 5 mins 10mins at a max beofre taking off and giving the nose a rub!

 

[HaffiesRock]

My new pony is terrified of the farrier, but I dont want to sedate him if I dont have too.

 

[nikkimariet]

Yes, because I quite like my nose and teeth how they look...

 

[Shysmum]

it may be worth trying a twitch then - have you tried desensitizing him though ?? maybe get him standing next to another horse being shod, so he gets the sounds and smells, get a man to play around with his feet and tap them lightly. Stuff like that may help.

Another option is to try one of those "instant calmer" shots - naf do a good one.

 

[HaffiesRock]

He only came at the weekend and his shoes were hanging off. Managed to get them off with some food bribery but he was terrified bless him. I am working on the desensitization but he needs trimming asap so it will only be a one off. Hes staying barefoot though so might not be as worried when the trimmer comes x

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I've used them in circumstances where it was an unforeseen medical situation and the horse needed to co operate quickly.
I would not use for them for routine procedures like clipping, farriery, etc. I'd desensitize or sedate in preference.

 

[HaffiesRock]

The person I bought him off said they twitched him for the farrier, BUT when he came to take off his one remaining shoe, he thought they had been on for months! Poor boy, hes barefoot now and looking better already x

 

[NaeNae87]

I twich when clipping one of my horses ears when he is being a tool. He is fine with clippers, just every now and then he decides he looks better at a show looking like a wooly mammoth.

I used to work at a competition yard where one of the horses had been beaten before and in order to do anything with her, she was twitched for her own safety. We used the twitch in conjunction with re-training and if you knew her then and saw her know, you would swear she was adifferent horse.

It works, but as has been said before... you must know what you are doing.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

The person I bought him off said they twitched him for the farrier, BUT when he came to take off his one remaining shoe, he thought they had been on for months! Poor boy, hes barefoot now and looking better already x

Not surprised he doesn't like the farrier, poor boy. If his previous owners didn't get his feet done regularly, he probably associates farriery with discomfort. Don't blame him.
My horse was pretty similar when I got her. We had to have a vet present to IV sedate her as she was so dangerous.If she smelt a farrier, her eyes would roll in her head and she'd throw herself around. With her, it took several shoeings before she understood that she was comfortable. She's a complete lamb now and is unshod because she doesn't need shoes and she trusts the farrier to be sympathetic.
Your trimmer may manage quite well without twitching/sedation especially if you both do just as much as he can cope with.

 

[[69117]]

Yep, I use mine regularly for clipping difficult horses' ears and heads, pulling my youngster's mane and I have one livery who is so bad to inject that she always needs to be twitched.

As long as you know what you're doing they're brilliant.

 

[StormyMoments]

have used one once on taz and would again we decided to use it instead of sudating him twice a day to change his bandages as he was the biggest arse on the planet and he was also on acp so didnt want to have to use seditive. it worked fine much to taz's disgust

 

[RuthM]

I used to use them umpteen times a day in stud work. I agree with all those who've said knowing how to use them is vital. I also used to make them as using them so often I knew how to make a good one, the right handle, right sized, tapered hole for a smooth twist and how to soften twine without losing strength. Judging by the neddy's responses my twitches were safer and more humane than shop bought ones.

They can be bloody lethal used wrongly though, you have to be able to read a horse and know how much and when to slacken/tighten.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Yes, I've used one with the vet on a particularly difficult mare who hated injections - it was the safest way. And that particular mare always relaxed if you played with her nose, so it was very effective. We made our own with a bit of broom handle and some soft string/rope.
The advantage is that as soon as you take it off the horse is back to normal with no side effects, whereas if you sedate, you have to be careful for several hours.

 

[Honey08]

Just worth a mention, but with youngsters that are clipped/shod/mane pulled for the first few times we use Lickit Pots for them. We only ever use them as sweeteners, and they help a lot - may not work with your youngster as he has been "pushed over the edge", but it may be worth a try..

 

[HaffiesRock]

Tried a lickit and some feed. Didn't work, he was terrified bless him.

 

[chestnut cob]

Yes. Not very often but sometimes necessary. My big horse sometimes gets quite bad mud fever and it will come up overnight. He's a real pansy about having it treated and will dance around then get annoyed and threaten to kick so it's easier to twitch him. It works - he goes straight to sleep, doesn't move a muscle and I can sort it all out. A few mins of being uncomfortable vs cracked, infected legs... no competition in my mind!!

 

[millitiger]

I'm not sure I would twitch in your case OP.

Twitched horses can sometimes flip and have a wild 5 seconds or so when they are 'under' and it is a much stronger reaction than horse's which aren't twitched.

I would check with your farrier if he is willing to deal with your horse if he is twitched as quite a few won't and prefer them with acp/sedaline etc.

 

[nikCscott]

I have one and use when needed- used to be all the time when he first came as he was soooooo stroppy, but your post has made me realise i have not used it since clipping him in the spring.

I personally would rather twitch than sedate as when the twitch is realised the effect come off, i find waiting for sedation to lift terrifying (but for the record i'm not anti it either) anything (used responsibly) to make essential jobs safer has got to be a good thing

 

[RuthM]

Just an add on. If each time you go to twitch the horse is harder to get it on, then it's not being used right. We didn't know brood mares, had nigh on 200 through a year and would need to twitch around 4 times for most, all without a single noteable accident or harm. I'm sure with those sort of numbers we'd have been slaughtered if it was used wrongly. Even if only 1% of horses will fight back, we'd still have copped for it!