# How to sedate?



## englishjumper16 (Jan 21, 2013)

Well, my horse is terrified of clippers. Now I know what everyone is going to say "Desensitize her" "No need to sedate" etc... I am working every day with her. At my barn you have to clip your horse for the winter. Don't ask me why because i don't know. I also want her clipped since we train a lot. But I know she isn't going to be ready or "fully desensitized" to be clipped without being sedated. I don't really know how to sedate since she is the first horse I've owned with this fear. So where do you get it? From the vet or tack store? Should I get a syringe or the needle? And is there doses or how strong so that she doesn't freak out? I'm clipping everything but her face and legs (i have no clue what the correct term for it is) so it has to last long enough and be strong enough so that she kind of under the whole time. Anyways any info would be nice.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

A vet normally has to provide sedation. I know there are people out there who probably get drugs from their vet and give it themselves, but I don't think that is actually how it is supposed to work as the drugs are controlled substances and you sort of have to know what you are doing.

Anyway, it's not something I think you can buy over-the-counter, at least not in my area. 

I'm not sure why a person would be required to clip their horse. If you want to clip her, that's one thing. But it sounds really weird that you would be required to clip her.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Hi OP. I've got a couple of comments: 1) If she is that freaked out by the clippers, you are not going to be able to use the milder owner administered drug but should have the vet's sedation. They may appear sedated with the mild stuff but that goes right out the window when their fear object approaches them and the adrenalin starts pumping. 2) I had to desensitize one of my guys one time in fairly short order for clipping (he had cushings and desperately needed a summer cut because of heat). I used a kid's battery operated toy (it was a little plastic chain saw with chain that actually moved and was just a tad noisier than electric clippers), started it up and using the advance and retreat method had him accepting it in three days. I think my success came quickly with him as I didn't tie him so he knew he could leave it got too much, I started at such a distance from him that he showed no interest at all (going back and forth in a parallel fashion rather than straight at him), moved in towards him just enough to catch his attention then back to repeating the back and forth movement till he settled and repeating those steps until I was right up beside him. The first few times I touched him with the toy, I gave a treat right away and after that it was business as usual. This might work with your girl.

P.S. I second TrailHorseRider's concern on the seemingly arbitrary clipping requirement. I think you should get a good understanding of the necessity for clipping and you'll get that by asking questions of your trainer or barn manager. When you do find out, I wouldn't mind if you let us know the rationale.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

You would need sedation that you can get from a vet. Your barn owner or manager will likely have some.


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

Do not let anyone other than a licensed vet sedate your horse! 

Depending on the sedative there can be different complications and side effects especially if your horse has a previously unknown medical condition. 

General Anesthesia Risks

Sedatives and Sedation in Horses | Vet Help Direct Blog

Here is a research paper on it too.
http://instruction.cvhs.okstate.edu/vmed5412/pdf/23equineanesthesia2006.pdf


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I wouldn't let anyone but a trained vet sedate my horse. (You wouldn't want anyone but an anesthesiologist sedate you, right?) 

I've never heard of a barn "requiring" you to clip your horse. That seems odd. 

How much longer do you have before you have to clip? At the most, it really shouldn't take more than a couple weeks to get your horse used to a clippers. Are you sure your timing is correct for the desensitizing training?


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## Bagheera (Apr 23, 2013)

I grew up in a barn where clipping was "required" in the winter. The truth is, it isn't required. It is just considered the norm and your barn mates simply expect that all the horses will be clipped in the winter. The typical purpose for clipping a horse is to keep them from getting overheated. I would only clip your horse if it is in full training under saddle in a heated indoor arena in the winter. Otherwise the horse will get cold. You will need to blanket the horse to compensate for the inability to keep itself warm without it's fur. I would not sedate the horse yourself unless you know what you are doing. Have either a vet sedate the horse, a very very very very (emphasis on very) experienced barn mate sedate it, or (as I recommend) take the time to desensitize the horse. It is only August. You have plenty of time to desensitize your horse before winter comes. I can tell that you have very little experience with tranquilizers, so DO NOT try to sedate the horse yourself. It can have very bad consequences.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Get the vet to do it! 

I worked for some people who decided to "sedate" a weanling for farrier work. The bad thing about Ace is that it can cause the opposite reaction. The filly went absolutely crazy. They gave her a second shot and she went even more nuts- slammed her leg into the fence and they had to have the vet up. 

I would never have anyone other than a vet sedate my horse. Never never never! 

Take you time and do it right- no sedation.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Where are you located?

Can you hire a professional clipper to come in and do it?

Have you tried neck, lip or gum twitching her? 

I used to clip horses for a living......I got every single one if them clipped, even the surliest nut job there was, 98% of the time I was on my own and didn't twitch them. You don't 'desensitize' to the clippers, you 'train' the horse to stand for the clippers, even if they get butt hurt about it they need to stand up.

Sedation should be done by a vet, especially the level you will need.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

MG I might need you for my kid. He is so darn ticklish and opinionated! Was just going to sedate this year... Oh well we will see what winter brings!

OP - Always have a DVM sedate your horse. There is too much that can go wrong even with a trained hand guiding that needle in. Sedation is dangerous and needs to be treated with a healthy respect.
There is an under the tongue formula that can be tricky, but can work as well as IV... It is also obtained from your vet.

Good luck
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I spent _*months *_to get my (generally quite laid back) qh to let me clip her ears (I could clip everything else pretty much from day one I tried). Didn't work (so I have to use scissors, and even then she really dislikes that). 

You *must *use a vet to sedate (at least in all areas I'm aware of). BO or whoever else can NOT sedate a horse. There is another drug some people use to sedate (sorry, don't remember the name), but unfortunately it may cause completely different reaction depending on horse, so I wouldn't recommend it. 

And if I would be you I'd approach BO or BM and ask WHY you have to clip your horse for the winter. I've never heard clipping being a requirement for any stable around here.


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## Doodlesweaver (Dec 12, 2012)

I saw a horse having a seizure once after it was sedated. The human beings surrounding a horse having a seizure are in a great deal of danger not to mention the poor horse itself.

I wouldn't touch sedating a horse myself with a ten foot pole. 

"First Do No Harm" is the physicians credo and you might want to consider that as your horse owner's credo. You don't want to end up having a catastrophic outcome trying to clip a horse of all things. 

Either get a vet to do it, a professional clipper, or tell your barn mates your horse is a rock star and doesn't cut his hair like everybody else's. Before long it will be summer again, everybody will be healthy and happy and that will be that


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## plomme (Feb 7, 2013)

The groom who clips at my stable has vet tech experience and has done a lot of sedation. Our vet observed her before she started supplying the drugs and if she trusts her, I trust her. The vet works primarily with show horses who all get clipped in the fall and if she came to sedate all the horses that needed it I don't think she would do much else in October/November  

However, if it was the very first time my horse was being tranquilized I *would* have the actual vet there. You want to be sure your horse can deal with sedation in general. Our horses get their teeth one month before clipping so that can be a good time to observe their reaction. Either way, I definitely would not sedate myself - only use someone who is trained and has extensive experience.

There is no way we could keep working the way we do in the winter without clipping and I definitely think it's the safest way to go if you're going to be in hard work.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

plomme said:


> The groom who clips at my stable has vet tech experience and has done a lot of sedation. Our vet observed her before she started supplying the drugs and if she trusts her, I trust her.


plomme, I don't know about Canada, but in Maryland (and I believe VA and PA as well) ONLY someone with the LICENSE is allowed to sedate the horse (I'm talking about real sedation). IF the vet is letting someone else to do it vet is also breaking the law. It's not about trusting or not trusting really. :wink:


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

OP, there are generally two types of sedative used on horses - one is an owner administered paste which you squeeze into the horses mouth.

Do NOT let any of your barn mates or trainer talk you into using one of these for clipping - as described by another poster when the fear of the clipper hits the horse that is feeling 'a bit dopey' fear can often increase because he feels more vulnerable. The adrenaline will override the sedative.

The other is the vet administered injection. This is an expensive option and must be administered by the vet who will then remain on site to check how the horse responds.

If you haven't clipped before (apologies, this isn't clear from your post?) then even a vet-doped horse will be hard for you to do a good job on because he still won't be standing statue-like and as you get towards the head, or wherever the sensitive areas are, he will be objecting despite the drugs.

Believe me, my old mare was a cow bag to clip and the first time I did it, under sedation, she looked absolutely awful...........

BUT she did get better through firm (not rough just steady) handling and lots of desensitisation. For her I couldn't just do the desensitising I also had to stop her throwing her weight about and quit.

Taking all the hair except the legs off is a Hunter Clip by the way. Leaving the face on is possible (sometimes necessary) but also looks a bit silly (again, I speak from experience :lol


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

The BO might want the horses clipped due to skin disease outbreaks, all too common in the winter with stalled wooly horses in a heated barn not drying out properly. Humidity + thick damp hair = skin crawly heaven.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I like Chevaux's idea of using a battery operated toy to get a horse used to the sound. Might save a pair of spendy clippers.
I had a mare that went into a panic the first time I went to clip her bridle path. So I took the battery powered clippers and the mare out into the pasture and we went for a walk. I let her follow the clippers. We'd stop, I'd approach and back off if she got buggie-eyed. It wasn't long before I could rub her neck and within a few minutes we had the bridle path done...and we never had another problem. It worked for us.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

One can put a twitch on the horse's upper lip. It goes numb and floods his brain with endorphins. He'll stand still. Or, you could take the time to work with the horse by just running the clippers on the shoulders first, without clipping. Run the clippers along the back and sides then in small increments move along the neck then go back to the shoulder. As long as the horse stands still, periodically pop a treat in it's mouth. This can provide a huge incentive to stand still. Don't attempt the head or upper neck the first day but repeat as before for at least 3 days, offering the rewards.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Twitching works fine with some horses but I've seen plenty of people get injured by horses that don't accept it and horses that learn to get out of being twitched by rearing that its something only experienced people should do
I've used ACE (ACP as we call it in the UK) on horses that were very nervous for the first few clipping times with no problems at all, you have to give it before you start so they are well relaxed ahead of time. You should always do this under your vets supervision the first time in case there is a bad reaction
I would suggest that you get some small rechargeable battery clippers - they are really quiet and easy to handle. Just 'stroke the horse with them (not turned on' so they get used to the feel - hardly any different to a plastic curry comb and then stand away and allow him to get used to the noise, once he accepts that you can move closer a bit at a time until he's happy with you to run them on his neck or shoulder. I use treats as a reward for things like this but if you don't like them then a 'good boy' should be enough - but only after he's behaved
I would have someone strong and confident hold him in a reasonably confined space
I can understand why the BO wants the horses clipped, a horse with a thick coat is going to sweat up if it gets worked to any level and that means someone has to sponge it over, put a cooler on it, brush the dried sweat off, remove cooler probably long after the owner has gone home


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## englishjumper16 (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the info! I think i'll ask the barn owner if he can "stretch" the rule just for a year. If not I will get a vet to sedate her. Thanks for all the info it was greatly appreciated.


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