Help clipping ears!!

Acme Acres · 09-15-2008, 01:31 PM

It's a fancy war bridle. I've taken twine and done the same thing but you don't have as good of a quick release. Goes on their gums. Can't get them off like a twitch and nothing swinging around when you're trying to hold it

Vinccenzo · 09-17-2008, 03:50 AM

Twitching the horse usually is a pretty good way to do it, i have seen some people pinch the horses skin and that lets them near it.

Athyrius · 09-17-2008, 07:46 AM

Too bad you have to hurry with this.
My first showhorse (qh mare) was freaked out by the sound of clippers.
So I took the clippers and wrapped the cord around the top rail on her stall- right beside the feed bucket to where the clipper buzz was right in her ears when she ate.
I dumped the feed in her bucket along with her favorite snack -and turned it on.
She ate like that - to the sound of clippers - for about 4 days.
She got to associate the sound with snacks and dinner - and we had no problems with her after that. But she would come running when I was clipping another horse in the barn.

We also trailer trained all of our horses by feeding them in the trailer for a week.

showing_qween · 09-17-2008, 08:05 AM

I have had horses that won't let me touch their ears because of being ear twitched

AMD · 09-18-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

I have only had for 3 months and we have been working on training other things, not really clipping.

The first thing every horse in our barn does is bathe, clip, and load. If they have issues with anything, they do a little bit (meaning 3-5 minutes) of each thing every day until they get better. They still do their normal training routine, just this is part of manners and basics IMO.

I wouldn't even try to clip any of your horses in this short of notice. I would do the best I could with not overwhelming them and be done with it. I won't touch a twitch and I don't think any horse NEEDS it at all. I've had kickers, strikers, biters, pinners, pretty much everything when it comes to clipping and all are easily trained with time. If you just take the time to do it right, It will never be an issue again. Cramming "training" sessions in at last minute (whether riding or on the ground) is where horses get holes and they end up with "issues."

bnttyra · 09-18-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMD

The first thing every horse in our barn does is bathe, clip, and load. If they have issues with anything, they do a little bit (meaning 3-5 minutes) of each thing every day until they get better. They still do their normal training routine, just this is part of manners and basics IMO.

I wouldn't even try to clip any of your horses in this short of notice. I would do the best I could with not overwhelming them and be done with it. I won't touch a twitch and I don't think any horse NEEDS it at all. I've had kickers, strikers, biters, pinners, pretty much everything when it comes to clipping and all are easily trained with time. If you just take the time to do it right, It will never be an issue again. Cramming "training" sessions in at last minute (whether riding or on the ground) is where horses get holes and they end up with "issues."

This mare came to me with the lasting effects of someone whipping on her and I have been working on stuff like this the whole time. Up until a month ago, you really couldn't even touch her ears and now I can rub the clippers all over them, it is the sound of them CUTTING hair that causes her to get squirrely. I am not cramming any thing on any of my horses so you got that wrong. She had lots of trust issues and I spent almost a month and half just getting her to not be spooky at everything and learning that I will not hurt her. And the other one is young and just doesn't want to stand still for anything. I am just looking for ideas that others have done that work.

And I wanted to add, she lets me clip her muzzle, around her eyes, and basically everywhere else, so it is really just right on her ears that she has a problem.

AMD · 09-18-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

I am not cramming any thing on any of my horses so you got that wrong

I didn't mean to make it sound like I was attacking you - just stating that if you NEED to clip her ears by a time frame, your only going to make more holes by pressuring her more.

Thats fantastic that you have gotten so far with her - it sounds like you are on the right track. Like I said before, I would do what you CAN with her on her timeframe and let it be. If not, you can always try treat training them - thats a great thing for the horses to just get over that "hump." I know a ton of people hate the word "treat training," but for that little extra jump over something thats really hard, giving them a treat when they are good and are on the right track really boosts their confidence and makes them look for somethign else than just the negative all the time.

Good luck - again, sorry about making you feel a little pressured. I still would probably not try to clip her totally yet.

triplelpaints · 09-18-2008, 06:42 PM

if you need it done, ask the vet to drug her. my vet charged me $7 to drug my mare (she was being preg checked anyway) and then, zip zip it was done.

bnttyra · 09-19-2008, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMD

I didn't mean to make it sound like I was attacking you - just stating that if you NEED to clip her ears by a time frame, your only going to make more holes by pressuring her more.

Thats fantastic that you have gotten so far with her - it sounds like you are on the right track. Like I said before, I would do what you CAN with her on her timeframe and let it be. If not, you can always try treat training them - thats a great thing for the horses to just get over that "hump." I know a ton of people hate the word "treat training," but for that little extra jump over something thats really hard, giving them a treat when they are good and are on the right track really boosts their confidence and makes them look for somethign else than just the negative all the time.

Good luck - again, sorry about making you feel a little pressured. I still would probably not try to clip her totally yet.

Thanks I just didn't want you to think I was forcing the issue. If it gets done it gets done, if not, it is not the end of the world. And you are right, it is worth it to be patient especially with this mare. See my motto below, we live by the patience idea at my barn!!!

I was hoping someone had a little trick that is all. Oh and she let me do about 2/3 of her one ear before she decided she didn't like it. I don't think I will have time now to do the younger one, but I am not that concerned about it.

SaddleUp158 · 09-19-2008, 06:21 AM

Go buy those little pom pom ear plugs, they really do help a lot! I can't twitch my gelding or he gets mad and starts biting and striking at us. So we are having to just hold tight and hang on while he is getting used to the clippers. The pom poms help reduce the noise of the clippers and it doesn't let the hair fall back in the ear. He is slowly getting better.

09-15-2008, 01:31 PM	#11
Acme Acres Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,384 Images: 429	It's a fancy war bridle. I've taken twine and done the same thing but you don't have as good of a quick release. Goes on their gums. Can't get them off like a twitch and nothing swinging around when you're trying to hold it __________________ *Acme Acres* Home of Reflections Playboy & ShowHorseSupplies.com www.azpainthorses.com 私達は逃す! 多くを書きなさい! 天空のジャンパーの私立探偵

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09-17-2008, 03:50 AM	#12
Vinccenzo Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4	Twitching the horse usually is a pretty good way to do it, i have seen some people pinch the horses skin and that lets them near it.

09-17-2008, 07:46 AM	#13
Athyrius Full Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 36 Images: 5	Too bad you have to hurry with this. My first showhorse (qh mare) was freaked out by the sound of clippers. So I took the clippers and wrapped the cord around the top rail on her stall- right beside the feed bucket to where the clipper buzz was right in her ears when she ate. I dumped the feed in her bucket along with her favorite snack -and turned it on. She ate like that - to the sound of clippers - for about 4 days. She got to associate the sound with snacks and dinner - and we had no problems with her after that. But she would come running when I was clipping another horse in the barn. We also trailer trained all of our horses by feeding them in the trailer for a week.

09-17-2008, 08:05 AM	#14
showing_qween Full Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 265 Images: 4	I have had horses that won't let me touch their ears because of being ear twitched

09-18-2008, 06:42 PM	#18
triplelpaints Full Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 249 Images: 91	if you need it done, ask the vet to drug her. my vet charged me $7 to drug my mare (she was being preg checked anyway) and then, zip zip it was done.

09-19-2008, 06:21 AM	#20
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,785 Images: 68	Go buy those little pom pom ear plugs, they really do help a lot! I can't twitch my gelding or he gets mad and starts biting and striking at us. So we are having to just hold tight and hang on while he is getting used to the clippers. The pom poms help reduce the noise of the clippers and it doesn't let the hair fall back in the ear. He is slowly getting better.