Another problem.../Shoulder twitch

[TrotALongK@aol.com]

<<  And horses don't tend to resent shoulder twitching the way 
 they will other sorts of restraints. 

 Heidi  >>

The shoulder twitch has worked very well for me, too. It used to be almost 
impossible to give my horse Scatris ("Slim") any kind of injection. He's just 
an extremly sensitive guy (mind and body) who will endure grooming only when 
done very gently, and he throws a fit when I try to pull off a tick. His 
vaccinations used to always turn into a wrestling-competition! For the small 
horse he is he can be very determined!
Untill one day a few years ago the vet (from one of the biggest and most 
reputable clinics in L.A.) came to take stitches out of my horses legs (...a 
result of the memorable day when Slimmy tried to fly.... :-0 ...but that's 
another story) and this vet ended up calling my horse "mean and evil". We all 
learned that day that sedation doesn't necessarly make things better .... and 
I had to start looking for a new veterinarian! "Taming-tools" like humane 
twitches, lip chaines and war bridles have never been an option for me, so I 
was hoping to find a calm and patient person without an attitude re. 
Arabians. I was lucky since I was referred to an excellent vet who was 
willing to deal with this "maniac". That's when I first saw the shoulder 
twitch applied. Actually the very first time it went so fast that I didn't 
even notice it and I was just standing there with my mouth wide open cause I 
couldn't believe, how different Slim behaved. If done right, it's so simple 
and fast that the horse doesn't feel anything. 
In general I do believe in training my horse to accept what's being asked of 
him, but I have yet to figure out a reasonable procedure to needle-proof a 
horse <g>. 

Kirsten


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