Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Frank Martinez on October 11, 2010 at 3:40pm

Hi Barbara F.,
My horse reacted to clippers basically as your does.
What may be different between the method you and I use is that I went with tiny little segments of time, 1 or 2 seconds max, that the clipper was running. This was repeated for about 5 days - no more than twice a day. Just enough to give him the correct idea that the clippers were not going to eat him up! Using a soothing tone of voice helped a lot also. From there we moved on to running it a bit longer - my clipper is rechargeable - no electrical cord to confuse things for my horse. On about the 7th day I ran the clipper non-stop for about 15 seconds. On about the 4th try at this longer run time, I touched his neck with the back of my hand with the clipper in my hand and running. His rump moved a few inches away but he remained very calm and settled. I use clippers only to keep his freezemark highly legible. Nature takes care of his other seasonal coat needs. Don't rush it!
Its been said quite often: "It takes the time it takes".

Permalink Reply by Ellen Ofstad on October 11, 2010 at 3:48pm

Split up the task in small bits…the more the merrier :)

- something that looks like the clipper, but isn't… get him OK with that touching him all over.
- something else that looks like the clipper, but isn't … get him OK with that touching him all over.
- something else that looks like the clipper, but isn't … get him OK with that touching him all over.
- something else that looks like the clipper, but isn't … get him OK with that touching him all over.

- Something that makes a sound, but doesn't vibrate… get him OK with that touching him all over.
- Something else that makes a sound, but doesn't vibrate… get him OK with that touching him all over.
- Something else that makes a sound, but doesn't vibrate… get him OK with that touching him all over.

- Something that vibrates but isn't a clipper… (LOL!!!)
ehem… sorry… OK, moving on..

Then, the actual clipper, without sound or vibration…
then, clipper with sound, but no touch…
then clipper with vibration, but no clipping…

Then… clipping (and start by the shoulder).

The better you are at splitting it up, the faster the process.
The other things that you use should make the clipper seem easy in comparison. I am thinking things like a chain saw… kitchen appliances… etc…

Make it a game, it's a good idea to combine this with a chair game.

Oh, and don't forget; have the horse at liberty. If he comes to you and allows this, he wins a price. If he doesn't come he looses a price… and if he knows that you know that he isn't quite ready yet.

The last thing on your mind during this is of course the clipping. When you get to that point it should be simply too easy for him…

Did you see the discussion with the clips I put up with Hubert and my husband?

Permalink Reply by Barbara F. on October 11, 2010 at 3:56pm

Thanks Frank and Ellen,

I am at the point where I can touch the non-running clippers to him and give him a treat and he's ok. I can also run the clippers and hold them in front of him. When he touches them he gets a treat. Of course the cover is on, so he doesn't get clipped.

I'd like to move on to touching him with them running on his shoulder. I can also leave them running but far away from him while I'm grooming him so he can get used to the noice. Does that seem like a good idea? I am using tiny clippers and not the full-size ones, so I'll need to progress to those too.

Permalink Reply by Frank Martinez on October 11, 2010 at 5:09pm

Barbara,
In my limited experience, it seems the slower I go, the faster it happens. IMO you seem to be headed in the right direction. It can't be repeated too often, "It takes the time it takes". In agreeing with Ellen, breaking it down to small increments has lots of merit!

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on October 13, 2010 at 1:09pm

if you don't have an agenda with your horse but to hang out then eventually, they are so calm with you that you can do whatever you like with them. My horse took clippers first time...but then Oliver has only been handled by two people in five years... he's really mellow with me and steve.... he'd try and nibble at them but he wouldn't run away from them. ..... I learned this with Oliver and sheath cleaning.. how was I gonna clean it if he wouldn't drop it.. :) ...... also my little cat... she has a huge matt I'd like to get off of her..... when I went for it she got scared of me... now I just go in and rub her and rub her and now she's letting me get closer to her matt, LOL...

Permalink Reply by Shirley on October 12, 2010 at 3:02am

Sounds like you are doing it just right. No quick fix for this that I've ever heard of but at least this is an easy and cheap fix. Just slow! Has your horse ever watched as another horse is getting clipped that is very well behaved & comfortable with the process? If that isn't inconvenient might be worth a try or two. What could it hurt and it might help~~I agree with the others here..."take the time it takes": Try to do these things when you are in a good mood and add a little teasing laughter and make a big deal about what a brave boy he is being. My horse loves it when I tell him he's brave...somehow he seems to know. And when he's not being too brave I tell him he's being silly and try to play it light ~ no big deal. Maybe try to have it on when he's doing something he enjoys~ like eatting. Approach and retreat (as many times as it takes) should be helpful too. Come just to where he starts to get uncomfortable and then retreat and repeat over and over getting closer & closer as his comfort level allows.
Oh, I'm getting tired and rambling.
Let us know how you do. Sounds like u r on the right path.