I just about died laughing....
Tonight, as my elderly mum walked behind a young handsome thoroughbred being clipped, the owner politely warned her to "be careful - he has hind leg tourettes!" She went on to say ... " meaning he can suddenly kick out"!
What a great description, so vivid and honest. We 'got the message' and gave him a wide birth as we giggled at his episodic eruptions.
There was actually a great lesson to be leaned in the ART of TRUE horsemanship from our Tourettes Eventer...
Over the course of the weekend the owner had been trying to clip her horse. For historical reasons he is terrified of the clipper. She is against twitching and in horror at the thought of putting Sedalin or any other sedative drug inside her horse just to get the job done. She knows its going to take however long its going to take but understandably finds it stressful.
Yesterday she began the clipping by holding him and a molasses lick it treat in one hand and the clippers in the other. He had a fit at the mere sound of the clippers! All the time they were stood in an open space so he could move away from the clippers when upset by them. She then made further progress as he ate a Lucie Brix on the floor. Still in an open space. Progress was being made. It seems eating in an open space was a key ingredient in helping him cope. However anytime a horse walked past, he would get anxious again and loose the plot.
These are the moments when some 'Nosy Parker busy body' walks up and says "clip him in the stable". In today's world - where we are awash with information, research and the latest in horsemanship techniques, how can owners NOT know that horses are claustrophobic? Then add to that knowledge a reason to be afraid i.e. the clippers - and clipping in a stable is most definitely NOT a helpful solution.
Yet this is how so called 'horsey people' approach such situations; born of a command and control mindset, and a great example of the very worst kind of approach when dealing with genuine fear in a prey animal who suffers from a fear of small spaces.
I'm glad to say, our guttural gelding's clip was completed. His owner showed just how to approach a difficult situation by helping the horse versus dominating him. Her creative solution was to let him graze as she clipped.
I watched her and her horse walk calmly around the grazing square. She talked reassuringly to him throughout. The sound of the clipper drifted away even to my ears. Her horse ate, munched, moved around as he wanted. By the end, he was sniffing the clippers voluntarily, with interest, a relaxed eye, floppy ears and an absence of tension. Wonderful result and great to observe!
Why can't more horse people think like this? Why can't we move beyond thoughts based on domination, control and getting the job done quickly? Even if that means trapping a horse into a tight space whenever there's a problem and creating a bigger problem for the future.
If we can't be sensitive, loving humans towards our horses, how about we just try to use some common sense? Above all, please can all horse owners start reading and get ourselves up to date with equine behaviour - it actually will make a positive difference for everyone!
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