Page 1083 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

short period of time. If the horse rears or strikes out, remove the twitch at once. If

you lose your grasp on the twitch, the horse may swing its head violently with the
VetBooks.ir twitch still attached to the muzzle and this can be dangerous for you and the horse.

When using a twitch, keep the stable door closed but not bolted. It is very
important for handlers to be able to leave the box quickly when dealing with a

fractious horse.

CHAIN TWITCHES

These are used by some vets. They are harsher, but have the advantage of falling off
immediately if the handler releases their grasp.

NECK OR HAND TWITCH

In some horses, simply grasping the muzzle or a fold of skin on the side of the neck is an
effective method of restraint (Figure 24.17). The neck skin may be gently twisted if

necessary.

Figure 24.17 Neck twitch