My show horse?

Question

my show horse will like NOT be still while i am clipping him! he has given me a black eye and he stands and bucks and fights the rope and stand on his hind feet when the clippers get close to him!

i have to clip him every week 4 the show and have to fight him every time and it takes like 4 to 6 hours to do this!

i really need help to get this horse to stand still without any drugs cause they are not allowed in shows, i need to have tim to get my other horses realdy and i have not had time cause he takes sooooo long

plez help!

Answer 1

well the drugs wear off so i would still drug him and clip him. Just do it several days before and you have to be showing pretty big for people to actually test for them so i think you'll be safe. Or you can try a humane twitch and a stud chain wrapped around his halter acrossed his nose. You can use Quietex it is legal at shows and is all natural/herbal. I reccomend the paste over the powder. It is stronger.

Answer 2

He sounds like he is terrified and I am sure you are not too easy about it yourself. This is how I get my horses ready to be clipped. I start by brushing their face with a face brush and then I grab a body brush and brush down their neck to their shoulder then I take my clippers like they where a brush on the side and use the same motion as if they where a brush going over the horses neck now at this time I don't have them plugged in now. When I get to the face I use the clippers on their side just like the brush again they are not on or plugged in. I will do this as part of my grooming routine everyday until there is no issue, then I will let the cord out and go about it till there is no issue. Once the horse is okay with that I then plug them in and turn them on. I start at the shoulder with the clippers off and rub them and then up to the neck and to the face. Once they are okay with that I go to clipping. Some horses take longer than others but I never have to use a twitch or get nasty with a device. I have done this same thing with everything from QH to Warmbloods Andalusian to TB and it has worked on all of them but it does take time. Oh the other thing that I do is when I get to the point where the clippers are on and I am rubbing them over the horse but not clipping I do take the blade off so you don't take a patch off the neck ;) I hope this helps and if something isn't clear my email is in my profile.

Answer 3

well make him your last horse to get ready and take it slowly. stand there with the clippers on and let him sniff at them. seems like he hates the buzzing of it near his head or they plain just scare the heck out of him!!! take your time and I can see you are and that it is frustrating on you but in showing him patience and by standing there with them in your hands and letting him sniffe and nudge at them your making him understand 1) there not going to hurt. 2) your there to help him get through it and you  wouldnt do anything to hurt him with them. He will then calm down and let you get to work. hope I helped goodluck!

when he stands on his hind feet also just pull down on either side of the leads near his head on his halter and apply pressure to keep him down on his feet. Keep doing this any time her rears in his grooming area as this will teach him that its not accepted and not to do it in that area. Cant say much for the kicking as if you slap him on his rump and say no he may kick out to protest so if you have to hook two lead ropes to eather side of his halter bring them around to his rump and tie them together this will keep his legs from being able to kick out or move or it will unbalance him, I did this a few time with my horses and stopped him completely fom ever doing it again in the groom area and I didnt have to use them anymore, hope I helped!

Answer 4

It sounds like quite a traumatic experience for both of you. I think you should take the slow approach but I think it will take you a very long time. A twitch is also a good idea, but not if you are going to be clipping him for more than an hour or so. Maybe only use the twitch for the difficult areas. But I would recommend some dormosedan (it is a nonnarcotic drug) and you will need it given by a vet unless you are able to give IV injections. The drug only stays in the blood up to 4 days so It would be OK go to a show after that.  We have to do use it with some of our competition horses. I also suggest getting your blades sharpened, as clipping your horse every week sounds a bit excessive. Also if anyone can help you hold him. Always talk to him calmly and be reassuring. But if you are a horsey person you probably know this.  Best of luck and I hope you don't get hurt anymore.

Answer 5

Sounds like the time for your trainer to show you how to use a lip chain (shank).  This will teach him how to be quiet while you are clipping him.  I have a once "spoiled" gelding who would flip around and do really nasty stuff when I first got him about 6 years ago.  I did EVERYTHING with a stud shank with him and clipping or butting him, I used a lip chain.  I'd been doing this for about a year when he was turned out with my Azteca gelding and I went out to do the Azteca with my cordless Wahls in my pocket.  As I walked over to my Azteca, the little QH got between Grey and I and gave me a look as if to say, "Do me too!"  And that's the way I've clipped him eversince.