IDGAF about any sign. I may not be able to “handle” it but I’ll darn sure stop it . Then we can get a supervisor or whoever we need to get to get things done properly. But no way am I letting something inappropriate happen to my horse with me right there and not speak up. No maam
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That’s a mistake. Teach your horse to yield to pressure. If he’s known that, his head would have gone down to the assistant’s knees from that amount of pressure instead of up and fighting.
I am in no way saying the assistant was right about anything. I am saying that you can give your horse tools to deal with, er, tools that don’t understand that horses and cows are completely different. (One would absolutely handle a cow that way the assistant did your horse, but the cow would get the message and go oh, ok, I’m stuck here)
Intervene. You are your horse’s advocate. Don’t ask. Tell. “Here, I’ll take him now.” And do it. If you feel you must, make some excuse about how he’s a special cupcake that needs his mommy.
Live annd learn. Both you and your horse will be fine and you now know that you have a CotH virtual empowerment team behind you in the future.
For a laugh, I’ll share an opposite type of story. My horse is extremely well behaved for vets. Loves them. I mean loves them. It’s a bit weird.
Anyway, brought her in one day in her fly hat and grabbed her regular halter and hung it on a hook. Took off her hat as the exam started and asked if the vet would like her regular halter on. “No. This is a GOOD horse.” He knew her and had examined her many times previously and was aware of her excellent behaviour and ability to stand naked and follow verbal and hand cues.
Time came to draw blood and his student was going to make an attempt. That’s when I stepped in (advocating for my horse because although she sees herself as a very handsome pincushion, things can and do go sideways sometimes. “This is where I draw the line. Give me a sec to put a halter and lead on.” Nothing awful happened, but I sure would have felt bad if it did and I hadn’t even put a halter on!
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In OP’s scenario, I agree with you. However, as a former tech, there are a lot of incompetent owners out there, and also a lot of owners that have anxiety about the vet that their horse picks up on.
I understand why vets have policies that only techs handle the horses. Good techs know how to keep the horse, the vet, and themselves safe. I do think you can intervene when things go poorly, but don’t be surprised if your vet resists when you ask to restrain your animal if things are going well. There’s a lot of trust that needs to be placed in the handler.
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I had this happen with a horse that was a confirmed pullback when I got him as an 8 yo. He was better behaved two years later when the vet tech grabbed his rope, but he was never reliable.
I did my best to politely coach techs on handling this horse, that he willingly followed a human and didn’t need a heavy hand. To never, ever pull-pull-pull on his halter. I don’t know if they assumed that all owners are idiots about their horses, but the main tech in particular just ignored me.
So I did step in and take the lead rope away from her. “OK well I’m going to have to hold him for this procedure or it won’t be done, because you are going to get a big reaction if you keep doing that. If me holding him doesn’t work for y’all, I’ll just take him home. It won’t do any good to let you create a dangerous situation, because if you keep doing what I told you not to do, he won’t let this procedure be done, and that’s not helping anyone.”
The vet accepted that because she actually knew about the horse’s potential for a reaction. And the tech had ignored her, too.
Bottom line, there are other vet practices, and it’s possible to find one that has some sense about horses. Even if it means a drive.
I had the good fortune to have a vet who actually knew something about horse behavior and she began stepping in to remind the techs and enforce proper handling. I didn’t worry when she was there.
There is a stream of so-called horse people who sometimes become techs who are aggressive, restrictive and intolerant with horses. And there are techs that seem to know nothing about horses, are starting from zero. I don’t know why vets hire and keep these unskilled people as techs, as they can cause more problems than are reasonable for a vet practice.
I also wouldn’t hesitate to intervene in an unsafe situation just because of clinic policy or signs saying no owner intervention. I will put my horse’s safety first – and theirs as well. If that leads to a departure for another clinic, so be it. Everyone will be better off.
You really need to send an email to the practice management and let them know. They need to know. If the practice is well run, they want to know.
You aren’t going to cost the tech her job. If she does lose her job, it is because of her own behavior, not because of you. But it’s unlikely this will jeopardize her employment. Most likely they will help her do better to the long-term benefit of everyone.
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But I don’t trust vet tech handlers. I have seen very few who truly know how to handle a horse. That is not my starting point. I have to see them demonstrate at least some basic skills, which not all of them do.
My current clinic lets the owner handle the horse, unless the owner is having a problem with it. Everything goes faster and more smoothly for them, in most cases, because the horse knows the owner’s signs and signals.
Vet techs don’t seem to be hired for their horse skills. I can’t imagine why not, or why they aren’t given constructive training. But sorry, as a group vet techs have lost my trust, rather than gained it.
On top of all the bad handling, how about the one who didn’t want to take the horse’s temp anally because “I’m afraid of a horse’s hind end”. She was not going an inch beyond the hair swirl on his flank. Why the hell was she even there? Even though the horse was perfectly calm for all the handling to that point, even after I reassured her that this horse was a veteran who could take an anal temp without a halter, due to a 10-day ICU stay in his past. (He was wearing a halter & lead, it was just an example.) She handed the works to the vet for him to do it. Ok whatever. 
Not at a clinic, but at an informal chat with someone I had just met, I had a tech try to describe to me that some horses needed a wooden paddle swat for discipline and tried to deliver a big loud explanation of when and how she delivered this discipline – until I walked away from her, mid-sentence. Why are these people turning up employed in vet clinics ???
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I meant the vet needs to trust the handler (to keep them safe).
Listen, I hear you. I’ve seen my fair share of bad techs, both in large and small animal. But many practices require techs to restrain animals for safety and liability. Who’s responsible if Sally Amateur Owner stops paying attention and the horse swings its hind end around and kicks the vet in the head?
It is a real shame that the veterinary profession is so short staffed that they have to take whatever they can get as far as techs/assistants go. If your vet allows you to handle, that’s great. But not every owner is equipped to do so, and when the safety of the vet (and the horse!) is at risk, sometimes the tech is going to hold the horse and there’s not much we can do about it other than change vets.
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I’ve taken the lead rope back from a tech at Purdue with my late mare. She was being an absolute A-hole to him, he was getting scared, and she was rather enjoying playing with him. The second I took the rope back she quit it. I was so pissed at my mare for toying with him, but that was her personality - take advantage of the weaklings every chance she got.
She was a “one person” horse - which I did not believe in until I owned her. My presence and handling had a BIG impact on her behavior. They couldn’t get her in the stocks, I took the lead rope and she walked straight in with no fight at all. She’s losing her mind in the day stall, I walk up and she relaxes. Etc.
I understand policies and keeping the vet safe, though. Additionally, I do not want to be the one jogging my horse for a lameness eval, I want to watch and discuss with the vet right as it is happening. I’m probably stricter on my horse’s manners than ANY tech would dare be, and if anyone is going to shank my horse for being rude (particularly when scared or pressured), it’s going to be me.
OP, I’d try telling the tech outright what to do (hey, let up on his face or he’s going to panic) and if they won’t I’d ask to take a break from the exam to let you handle him for a minute to show them that the death grip isn’t necessary. If your horse is liable to be a bit more lit than they’re able to handle, I’d have a chain available so that softer handling is easier.
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I’ve been on both sides of this: both as a vet tech and as an owner.
There’s no single answer; I think the best thing to do is diplomatically advocate for your horse. “I’m sorry he is being so difficult for you, but something that has worked well for me is…”
One of the vet tech’s primary jobs with restraint is to keep the vet safe. A lot of vets prefer their own people for this reason. But also, if a vet is unwilling to accept that the situation is escalating unnecessarily because of their team, then I have no problem seeking a vet with better bedside manner (when possible).
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As a long time teacher now retired, I TELL people what I expect directly and clearly without any appeasement --“This gelding handles on a loose lead.” Eye contact with vet or assistant before I hand over the horse --never using words like, “I think, would you mind, it’s better if, etc.” People respond well to direct statements.
If the person ignores me, (rarely happens, I’m a tall old bird and hard to miss), I repeat myself --but only once. “Loose lead on this one.” --if it still doesn’t happen, I take the horse back into my hands. At that point I might say, “Let’s see if we can get this right --he’s the one who prefers the loose lead.”
The vets I work with seem to have well-trained assistants who look to the horse owner for direction. Both the vets and the handlers look to me for direction --but maybe that’s rare? Or maybe I’m just assertive.
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I have worked as a vet assistant for several different vets including New Bolton and I am damn good at horse handling. Every vet / clinic I’ve worked for has had specific rules and preferences for how the horses are handled.
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The sentence you quoted was in reference to taking follow up action against the unskilled staff member’s poor restraint methods, not about further training my horse.
He does know those things, and I could go into a long-winded explanation about training methods and why he didn’t drag his nose in the dirt when she went straight to doing a lat pulldown on his rope halter and never let go, but it doesn’t really matter.
I wasn’t going to mention his history, lest I give the impression that I think my pony is a Super Speshul Boy who only I can handle 
but since you mention it - he has some quirks, and probably the biggest one is stranger danger. All people are not equally trustworthy in his mind. Vet is well aware of this and has always been slow and steady with him, but he’s the one that brought this assistant out so I kind of wonder if it was maybe supposed to be a ‘learning experience’ for her.
I appreciate all the responses, I feel like I have a better grasp of ways to intervene in the event that this comes up in the future.
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I simply don’t have ‘THAT’ problem. I’m at an advantage because I’m a veterinarian. I do the majority of my own veterinary work unless I need diagnostics that I don’t possess or have access to (or in the case of PPEs) with the exception of dental work. I traded out my not so old equipment for services to a younger colleague because at 58 (now 60) I simply don’t have the wherewithal to do dentals on horses anymore. I kept, maintained and did all my own stuff when I had a significant number but with just 4 it was time for me to ‘retire’. I handle the horses unless it comes to lameness exams, rads or ultrasound because hell I want to see it too BUT especially when I had youngstock being evaluated for PPE if the handler was green or simply not ‘reading my filly/colt’ right I stepped in and didn’t back down. I can’t tell you the number of times I had to inject for blocks, take blood, administer meds etc all by my little lonesome with everyone else just standing back and watching because that was the easiest and most expeditious way to get it done. Frankly I don’t care what others think when it comes to handling “MY” horses but then again, since I used to be in equine med/surg most who drive on to my various equine properties or see me haul in to their facilities, know I’ll give them a fair chance but when I step in, it’s time to move over.
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Well, I also am a fairly direct person…here is a situation I previously described where I was at the barn helping a friend with her horse. Another boarder was leading my horse to turnout, and I simply said, “Don’t choke up on the lead.”
Well!!! That level of assertiveness doomed me with that person…I am now persona non-grata with this boarder
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In the words of Poker Face, Bullsh**
My horses can be directed with a finger tip to step over. They all are beautifully trained to yield to pressure. I’m short, DH is tall, and you better believe that a gentle downward ‘ask’ pressure gets a horses nose to my knees.
HOWEVER-
I’ve seen my horses handled by my farrier’s helpers and vet helpers whose go-to was to SHOVE them to move over. the horses brace against that. If you PULL on their head, they are going to be concerned and resist. If you ask, they are going to comply.
If you approach them with rude motions, they’ll protect themselves.
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Back at ya, with the BS.
Horses can learn both. They are not nearly as stupid as most people think they are. It’s all part of safeguarding your horse in the event they have to move on to someone else or are handled by some toolbox that just doesn’t get that horses don’t need a lot of volume.
It is so easy to teach both. It’s ridiculous that people don’t teach them both.
Think about this - horse backs up in the cross ties or straight tied to something solid. Horse meets a force that is FAR greater than any idiot vet tech can put on their head. Do we, a) allow the horse to flip its noodle, break the tie (and/or themselves) or b) teach the horse to yield to pressure so that it knows it has the power to move forward and relieve the pressure?
It is exactly the same thing whether you choose to believe it or not.
Educate your horses to keep them safe. It can be time consuming. It’s generally a pain in the ass. Do it on the ground. Do it under saddle. All of it pays off.
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But do you care? I wouldn’t in the least
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They should be able to tolerate it but they shouldn’t have to and it should not be accepted by us for whatever bs reason.
IDGAF if some vet tech gets her feelings hurt because I took my horsey away since she was treating him roughly. My horses deserve to be treated better than that. And they will be. Period.
***that said, if one of mine is being an ass and a tech or anyone else addresses it immediately and correctly I have no problem with that.
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I’m confident that my horses are well trained and know from experience that they are well equipped to flourish with potential future owners and handlers. Vets routinely compliment their manners and you’ll have to trust me that they are well trained. What they are not is robots.
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@pluvine --I suspect that as a teacher, I never worried much about becoming a persona non-grata with students. My job was to direct their learning. Telling students an answer was incorrect or an essay could be written better was what I was expected to do. Perhaps that has continued now that I am retired and somehow became older than most people. I think the students I taught expected to be spoken to directly and in the context of correction. Telling a student he/she had done a splendid job on a mediocre effort was duplicitous and achieved nothing. But there is much to be said for tone, which does not translate well in a COTH Posting —nor does “off topic” chatter. Right before I told Johnny his answer was incorrect; that Shakespeare did not write Frankenstein, I would have chatted him up about his excellent pin in wrestling, or how much I enjoyed seeing him perform in the school musical. Somehow when someone tells you that you have made a mistake, it is easier to accept if you know the person admires you on any level. As with the veterinarian’s helper, most likely I would have asked her name when she/he first appeared and if I didn’t know the answer, how long she’d been a vet tech or worked with the vet. And likely would have said that I thought working for a vet would be a fun job and interesting. Once I had the ok to unload horse, which I would have done and not the vet tech --at that point I would have said, “This gelding does best with a loose lead.” And I would have said it directly with eye contact, but I certainly would have maintained a conversational tone.
Confession: I taught for 40 years HS English, Social Studies, and Psychology. One of the most common statements students made to me over the years has been: “I thought you were a mean teacher, but when I got into your class, you were really nice.” Walking around the school and in general, I have a serious face (I always thought like Cher, the singer). Unless I have a reason to do so, I generally am not smiling --I suspect that somber face, along with my height (almost 6’) was intimidating to students who didn’t know me except from seeing me walk down the hall.
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Nope. Don’t care. I don’t go to the barn to socialize.
I spent +30 years in the petrochemical industry where I was typically the only female among a crew of curmudgeony old men…and some young-in-age old men. Being direct with them at work was a job requirement. I will confess that my “retirement” has been as adjunct faculty at a university, so I have no problem with critical review of students’ work.
I did not post here to be validated for being direct. I posted to show that the advice being given to be direct may not be taken well by the recipient of said “direct” advice.
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