Ear Clipping Tricks

[Lacej81]

Hi All!

I have a 6 year old gelding, who’s the sweetest boy ever! We started clipping when he was 4 and he’s been amazing. I’ve worked slowly and holistically as ground manners are super important to me and so is my horse’s mental wellbeing.

He’s been a saint about it, with the ears taking the most patience, but definitely lets me clip them once he realizes I’m not doing anything scary. Once started, he actually enjoys having his ears done and thinks it feels good. I do not believe in twitching or using chains under the gums, etc. Especially due to his kind demeanor. The horse is a pleaser and the sweetest horse I’ve ever met, so doing right by him is so important to me.

Recently, about 4 months ago, my trainer saw I was taking my time with him and came in to “speed things up”. She said, “Let me help you” and began to twist his lip without my permission. He immediately freaked out and slammed himself into the corner of the stall. We were almost done clipping, so I nicely replied that I was actually done and she shrugged her shoulders and moved on.

Since then, I can’t go near his ears with clippers, sometimes even his face causes him distress. I’ve tried taking our time and desensitizing him to the sound, talking to him, rubbing his ears with the clippers near by, but as soon as they touch him he pulls back and makes himself unreachable. I’m just so bummed. I put so much time into making him good with the clippers. Everyone always raved about what a perfect baby he was with everything.

Long story short, I don’t know how to fix this, I’ve tried multiple times and I refuse to get frustrated or mad at him. It’s not his fault. What’s everyone’s tricks? Anyone have to work backwards like this and had success? He’s a big boy so gets out of reach even with a stool if he’s not on board with the idea.

I know what many will say about my trainer and I need to find a new one. This is a whole other issue and I’m very aware of any concerns in this area and I’m working on them. For now, please give me advice and tricks to get him back to his happy to be clipped self.

[Demerara_Stables]

I’m sorry about your trainer situation, and it is such a bummer to have someone come in and ruin what you worked so hard for. I wish you luck in figuring out that dynamic.

Also something you might not want to hear: don’t clip them. I believe FEI banned (or considered banning) ear clipping the same as they did muzzle clipping. Even if you don’t show FEI, the hair is there for a reason, and we should leave it be. If he’s really hairy (like, hair sticking out of his ears), you can try using scissors to trim whatever sticks out. It sounds like right now you can’t even get near them, but I think you can fix that the same way you started with him: slow and methodical with positive reinforcement.

[MyDarkPassenger]

This, IME, is the perfect time to introduce positive reinforcement. Start with manners to accept treat and touching a target. Once he understands the sequence of stimulus, desired response, and marking the behavior (clicker, tongue click, or “yes!”), assess his response to the clippers to identify what part triggers the autonomic nervous system. You can ask him to touch the clippers held to the side, in front, as the clippers move away from him, and move towards. Or, you can start with them touching his shoulder moving up towards his face and ears. Keep your sessions short and positive with the intent to keep the pressure/stimulus within the zone of curiosity not fear.

ETA I only clip the hair the extra fuzz with the ear folded, not the inside of the ear.

[Rackonteur]

1. Stop clipping his ears. Leave them alone. The hairs are there to protect his ears.
2. Get a new trainer.

[trubandloki]

The OP did not ask if she should be clipping ears, she asked for advice on how to re-train her scared horse to allow his ears to be clipped.

I think you just need to start over and follow the process you did in the beginning. Short sessions, positive sessions, getting closer and closer to his ears.

He will trust you again in no time.

[dmveventer]

First off I agree with others that I would be looking for a new trainer. Even on the off chance the trainer had a good reason for stepping in, you want to be working with someone who’s willing to be consistent with your training philosophy or you risk confusing your horse.

That said, it seems like there’s more going on here. That’s a pretty dramatic reaction for a horse to have over just getting his lip tweaked, since you’ve been clipping him for over a year without any major issues. That leads me to think that either there’s worse stuff going on with the trainer when you aren’t around, or that your approach so far may have been too gentle and created a horse who can’t handle any type of pressure. I’m all for kind, positive training but I have also seen horses get coddled and not learn to cope with normal everyday stressors. If my horse responded to someone grabbing his lip by literally slamming himself into a wall I would be looking at that as a sign there were major holes in his foundation. At some point a vet is going to need to put a twitch on him or he’s going to need medication that you have to hold his head to administer or any number of plausible scenarios that involve pressure on his face. The kindest thing for your horse is to teach him to cope with that stuff now so it doesn’t become a major incident when you’re in a pinch.

[Bonnie2]

Hang the clippers outside his stall at head height and run them while he eats grain. When he doesn’t care, hold the clippers as close as he will tolerate while he eats. Progress to rubbing them gently up and down his neck getting ever closer to his ears. When you get to the point you think you might touch the ears, just use one hand. I have one that tolerates the clippers but I cannot hold the ear with the other hand. Short term, IV medication. I don’t argue or twitch anymore. If they hate being clipped that much they can go to another astral plain while I get the job done quickly and safely. Sorry to hear about the setback after all your work. A reminder to all of us how quickly things can unravel.

[luvmyhackney]

I would move my horse over that or at least have a direct conversation that said trainer is fired if anything like that ever happens to my horse again.

Grab an electric tooth brush and start your process all over again.

[tabula_rashah]

don’t clip his ears

[endlessclimb]

Same. I would be irate. If I don’t ask for help, I don’t need help.

[colorfan]

@dmveventer

That said, it seems like there’s more going on here. That’s a pretty dramatic reaction for a horse to have over just getting his lip tweaked, since you’ve been clipping him for over a year without any major issues. That leads me to think that either there’s worse stuff going on with the trainer when you aren’t around, or that your approach so far may have been too gentle and created a horse who can’t handle any type of pressure. I’m all for kind, positive training but I have also seen horses get coddled and not learn to cope with normal everyday stressors.

This was my first thought also. One incident may have caused a sharp response but then when he is with just you the reaction should quickly be his old self.

I use battery clippers because they are so light and no cord to get tangled. Approach with the clippers, hold them against him where he doesn’t care, ribcage, slowly move up his shoulder then back. Move back before he resists. Repeat taking a slightly different path, up the whither, down the shoulder. 3x no more. do something different or go to the other side. Now for sure do something different, walk him around, let him just stand for a couple minutes, rinse repeat, each time you should-should- be able to get closer to his ears. It is very important you stop before he tells you he doesn’t like it. The clippers are on him the length of time it would take to normally rub him, just a quick swish, at first don’t try to hold the clippers on waiting for him to relax. You might do one side, then the other, and one more set but that’s all for one day.

Ideally it would only take maybe 3 days before you are pretty close to his ears again, now ignore his ears and put the clippers on his face, on, 1,2,3 off. no longer.repeat. w/o clippers each day handle his ears, if he objects do the same procedure, close away, close away, close…away
Before I go on, does this make sense? Also, do be working on other things, does he move away from pressure? how much pressure? Can you rub him with a plastic bag, put your raincoat on standing right beside him, spray with water/fly repellent, drop a bucket under his feet. After a year of regular handling I would expect he can handle all these things done at normal working speed.
Can you approach him at a fast walk waving your arms and maybe even a bag?

I will work up to where I can handle ‘a bit rough’ just to prepare for handling by other people.
*because * I did at one time train a horse in slow mo (without realizing it) the poor thing was scared of normal movement.

[gradytb]

Thinking that starting over with what he’s OK with and lots of positive reinforcement, and little by little moving back to ears is the ticket. I’ll probably get raked over the coals for this, but I got a new OTTB and he got pieces of carrot when he let me go a little further each time. I’d go a little farther on his nose and if I got some done before he really got anxious, I’d stop. And he’d get a carrot. And then I’d try again a day or two later. I just kept at it. He’s a chow hound and that absolutely helped him. Now I can clip everything I want on his head. Without carrots. I haven’t tried ears or body because I got him in May and no need. He’d been in race training and I’m sure he’d never been clipped. He was afraid of everything including water coming from a hose. He’d stand frozen for a bath, like he’d been yelled at or was terrified to move. He has so far turned into a lapdog!

[Lacej81]

Yes, hair is sticking out of ears, so I like to trim that. Thank you for your kind words.

[Lacej81]

Yes, makes perfect sense, thank you. He’s not coddled at all. He extremely well behaved and respectful. Just an overly sweet horse. I can do literally anything with him. Not saying a quick surprise of a plastic bag wouldn’t get his attention, but he doesn’t react to much. He’s the one horse that doesn’t spook at this and doesn’t spook at that, so he definitely has a good brain on him and is quite the volunteer.

However, the last thing I ever want from my horse is for him to be head shy. I’ll say, I’m not totally convinced that a turnout person hasn’t done something unnecessarily mean to him. I’m not there all the time and wouldn’t know for sure, BUT I have noticed times where he seems more head shy than typical, which is out of character for him. He’s never needed a twitch or lip twisting because he’s so well behaved for everyone; farrier, vet, chiro, teeth, etc. That’s why I’m so protective of him, he’s genuinely a perfectly behaved young horse. Honestly, I also don’t agree that all horses should just accept lip twisting or twitching. I mean, would you? I believe there’s more humane ways to work with most horses than using pain/force. Especially when they’re naturally willing and a well adjusted horse. If such things are required (twitch/gum chain, it should be last case scenario.

[skydy]

OP, The FEI has not banned clipping ears as ear hairs are not sensory organs as whiskers were determined to be.

My horses always had ears trimmed in the summer because bugs and gunk would attempt to hang out in there. When clipped they were able to be easily inspected and when out, if a bug got in, a shake of the head would get them out.

I’m sorry your trainer was so rude. I can’t help you with that one.

[Lacej81]

Yes his ears get all yucked up without an occasional clip. He seems happier when they’re done too.

[skydy]

Mine were OK in the winter but in the summer they were best off being clipped.

If you live in a humid buggy climate year round you may want to do it in winter as well.
Whatever they seem best with.

[Lacej81]

Agree with everything, though the lip twisting wasn’t subtle. I would have reacted the same way lol. He is not a reactive horse, you can literally do anything with him because of his foundation. That’s why I’m so upset about it. Everyone else has always ranted and raved about his impeccable ground manners,

[Lacej81]

We clip to avoid skin issues, which he doesn’t have when there isn’t a ton of hair in his ears. So I’ll have to agree to disagree there. He’s actually happier once they’re clipped.

[IPEsq]

I find that most of them are good with or like the under the jaw hairs clipped. With head shy ones, that’s what I aim to get done first.

You may also need cordless clippers and a stool to just get into the neighborhood of the top of his face to work on some positive reinforcement. The more you are reaching and stressed in your posture, the less well it tends to work.

I also wonder if he is actually head shy for this trainer or others at this barn due to other experiences, but now he is associating you with bad things as well due to your presence during the problem incident.

I bought a 4yo who came to me head shy and totally scared of clippers (he would strike even sedated). And he had been fully body clipped including face shortly before I bought him, so who knows what went on to get that done. It took me quite some time (one of the benefits of babysitting a young horse on stall rest?), but by the time I actually tried making contact with his ears (with very small and quiet clippers), it was no big deal, and he did wind up liking it. He also liked wearing ear plugs, and he did not like me pulling his ear hairs in that process, so keeping them trimmed was helpful.

Which reminds me that sometimes I will stuff their ears to help with the noise. You can’t get as much hair, but to just trim up the outside, it can be a good start if noise is a factor.