[dogbetty141]

My horse is a big baby when it comes to being clipped and as it is now the time when he becomes a fluffy monster I need to get him clipped I have tried rugging him up early and he is less fluffy than last year but is sweating badly when I exercise him.

I have tried sedating and twitching my horse but he is manic and sits on the floor and rears and throws him self around not so bad when sedating him but still not easy.

He is a very placid horse at most times he just gets himself worked up when something scares and doesnt calm down until he has either been put back in his stable or you have to stand and stroke and speak to him.

I need advice on how to calm your horse down whilst clipping and even under sedation.

[Amigo]

To calm him down, try and stroke and talk to him constantly, for reassuarance.

but it sounds to me as if he has a problem with the clippers, so you need to face the source of the problem rather than just trying to calm him down, because he still finds the object scary so just sedating or calming him down wouldnt work for long, and would need to be repeated each time; never reaching the bottom of the problem or getting him ok with the clippers.

if i were you i would sort out theclipping problem like this:
I would NOT use a twitch or anything like that, its not really needed (in my opinion).

+first off when you go to him, allways take the clippers and just have them near you (off) until he acepts it.
+then carry them with you when you brush him etc,
+then when hes happy with that stroke him with the clippers. DONT turn them on, even if hes ok - he may friek out.
+ then leave them on the side turned on so that he can get used to them, make sure that they are in a safe place and that they will not fall of get hit by him. when hes happy, move them somewhere else ( preferably a bit closer, but it depends how he reacts.)
+ then carry them whilst moving round the yard turned ON if you can.
+ stroke him with them (not it the cutting bit) but while they are on, so he can hear them and feel them,
+ when he is ok with ALL of that, try clipping somewhere safer on him, neck, or back (not legs face or belly as they a re very vunerable areas)
+if he doesnt accept it with you cutting his hair, have them on him (stroking him) and brush him at the same time to kinda stimulate the cutting a bit more.

If at any point he moves away from the clippers keep them on him, or turned on, until he stops moving, then turn them off as his reward, wait 10 mins and repeat, he should learn that standing still with it on he gets a reward, and may not be so bad next time. obviously this shouldnt happen too much if the steps are completed well

Now, this method can take a while, but if each step is completed completely , it usually works a treat.

i hope that helps and makes sense, and if you have any more problems with this method, ask me, and i dont mind giving you a bit more help

xxx

[Amigo]

Originally Posted by dogbetty141

He is a very placid horse at most times he just gets himself worked up when something scares him.

the method above, can be used for most things, and is great for things like scary plasic bags too or spray-in things like conditioners (Ruskin used to hate the spray bottle.)

[dogbetty141]

Thanks for the advice Amigo, I will try it out putting them near me tonight whilst I am brushing him or whilst Im mucking out. If he does not like them when thery are near him but not on and just on the side should I move them straight away or keep them there untill he calms down?

[TheBlackHorse]

I think you would leave them on until he calms down, because taking them away would actually be rewarding him for f.reaking out. Good Luck!

[Amigo]

Originally Posted by TheBlackHorse

I think you would leave them on until he calms down, because taking them away would actually be rewarding him for f.reaking out. Good Luck!

yes, shes right lol, just get it so that hes fine with them on the side, before they come too close hehe, good luck! xxx

[Quick2Skip01]

Well I wish you the best of luck with that method. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did. I know it works for horses that don't flip that much, but I had a mare that no matter what (I tried Amigos method for a year) would not let me clip her whatsoever. So before every show she had to be sedated, and even while sedated she fought, through a twitch too.

With Skip though a couple months ago, I started desensitizing him everyday to the clippers, and now he lets me clip his whiskers, and bridlepath whereas before I couldn't clip anywhere on his face.

[smitty]

Originally Posted by Amigo

but it sounds to me as if he has a problem with the clippers, so you need to face the source of the problem rather than just trying to calm him down, because he still finds the object scary so just sedating or calming him down wouldnt work for long, and would need to be repeated each time; never reaching the bottom of the problem or getting him ok with the clippers.

I have posted before that my gelding is absolutely TERRIFIED of the clippers. I know that a good rule of thumb ususally, is have them face their fears but some of them just cannot get over a certain something.
My gelding is dangerously afraid of the clippers. He was recently body clipped and was all but 'fall down drunk' sedated. I did not do it. I had someone who is A. Knowledgeable in giving sedation intramuscularly and B. Better and faster than me at body clipping.
I agree with Amigo but there are times when you just cannot reason with them. IF her suggestions do not work, (and they are excellent suggestions), talk to your vet about other options for calming him down.
Good luck

[cowgirlnat]

First method I use...take a vibrator to get the horse used to the noise and sensation. Work w/the horse every day until you can rub it all over the horse's body. Then the transition to clippers will be easier w/fewer chunks of hair missing, lol.

2nd method should only be used w/someone experienced, but lay down the horse. Again, start in a "safe" spot on the body and work away from there. It will take more than one person to keep the horse down, but if done correctly, it's less dangerous than a horse that is freak*ng out on all fours.

[SouthEskMichen]

Simple, don't clip him, there's a reason for all that hair