Help, horrible horrible horse

[mags]

Decided to clip Alfie today now he is finally doing enough work to warrant it, didn't expect any trouble as he's generally a good boy.

How wrong am I, as soon as i turned them on he was kicking with his hind legs at me despite me been stood about a metre out from his shoulder.

Eventually with some effect got most of a trace clip done but he now has patches left, mostly on his head,belly and behind elbows but has the odd bit in other places needing neatening.

And the blo*dy horse wont let me. wouldn't be so bad if he was scared of the clippers, id have something to work on but he's not he is just very very ticklish

[mags]

Not sure if you can see the patches on these but here is his clip

[monet]

sorry to be blunt mags but i have a problem with your choice of words with regard to your horse! my reasons being that when a horse objects to some thing it's normally down to a lack of habituation to what you are doing!

having seen many horses given up on because of just this reason i suggest you do something about it and take a closer look at why your horse is showing this behavior.

also it might help you to read up on the word habituate and put into place a plan of action to help him over come this "fear" of being clipped. and i would highly recommend you don't use a leaf blower!

[monet]

gosh! just read back over my post and it sounds really harsh!!!!

SORRY didant mean to sound so "funny" can you forgive me?

[therealrabbit]

I forgive you, funny how words can bring out the worse in us!!

You have my complete sympathy having a ticklish horse is no fun especially at clipping time. I can clip all of Rabbit's face, neck, shoulders and most of his back - but go near is tummy and you're dead meat. It has nothing to do with being scared he's just ticklish and no amount of "habituation" will help, he'll always be ticklish.

Rabbit is currently surfing the net for a new home, I clipped him fully today - coldest day this year and he was so not impressed. I always twitch him for tummy and bottom, safest all round, he's not traumatized and I keep my head where it should be.

Maybe you could get a friend to help you next time, get one of those humane twitches and that way you can take your time and Alfie will be chilled and minus the clumps..

Have to say though you can't really see them... ;D

[eskimo]

I have a TB that is so ticklish he just cant stand the clippers he's fine with the noise just hates them on his skin.

I have tried many ways over the years to try to combat this problem as he has to be clipped every year and every year he looks a complete mess and he is extremely handsome i know m biased.

This year i tried some thing new clippers in one hand the other hand brushing him with a body brush. This did seem to confuse him as brushing him seemed to take the attention of the extremely ticklish parts, got a much better clip this year no patches where left on and he was a lot calmer. ;

I must admit that it is extremely fiddly and i do have battery clippers that are very light so made it easier.

[julz]

My oldie hates being girthed up, belly brushed and the like due to be tickleish... but go near him with some clippers,and no probs, probly know he nay get cut if he squirms..

Have you tried using Dog clippers? Sure it'l take longer, but they are quieter and don't "blow" so much. There also good round the head, ears and fiddly bits, elbows etc... Or even a light Sedation? I believe Sedalin is good.

[mags]

Nope not forgiven ;D(only joking)

Apologies if my choice of words wasn't the best but I tend to to worry about how I'm wording things. Actions are more important to me when it comes to horses

I find he isn't so back on his neck and belly but his head and shoulder and ribs are the worst, anywhere boney really where he feels the vibrations.

Thanks for all the tips will give them all ago and see if we can get it finished(believe me realrabbit it looks terrible in the flesh lol)