Page 54 - November 2016

A nose twitch can be very useful if done carefully and quickly in a way that causes the horse minimal distress and used just enough to make him stand quietly. The twitch also releases endorphins, sedating the horse and lowering his heart rate.
TWITCH
“The same with a nose twitch. These can be very useful, but again, you have to be very care- ful when you put it on and know how to prop- erly do it,” says Johnson. The traditional twitch is a 15 to 30 inches long wooden handle with a loop of rope or chain attached to one end. To apply a twitch, stand to one side of his head, put your hand through the loop, and take hold of the horse’s upper lip. Then, slide the chain or thong over your hand and around the lip. You can tuck the handle under your arm to hold it while putting the loop over the nose.
“The handle is then twisted until the loop tightens around the lip. Having two people ap- ply the twitch (one holding the handle to twist, and one holding the horse’s nose) can make the task much a and easier to accomplish,” explains Johnson. Your goal is to achieve maximum con- trol of the horse while causing minimal distress. So, turn the twitch just enough to make him stand quietly and no more. If the horse starts to move or react to whatever is being done to him, the twitch can be tightened a bit more.
Once it’s on, the procedure to be done (wound treatment, etc.) should be accomplished quickly, and the twitch removed as soon as pos- sible. To remove it, put your hand on the upper lip. As you untwist the chain or thong, massage the lip with a firm and caressing motion, rubbing the area that was twisted. Continue rubbing for
a few moments, leaving the horse with a good attitude about the experience. When properly applied, the twitch immobilizes the horse due to release of endorphins, like acupuncture decreases the sensation of pain. When twitched, the horse appears sedated and his heart rate slows.
Newer versions of the twitch are made of metal and clamp onto the upper lip and also
To hand-twitch, grasp the horse’s nose with your hand and twist or pinch the muzzle or upper lip. This simple, humane application of pressure releases endorphins and is good for dealing with a quick or temporary discomfort.
to the halter, so the horseman can have both hands free to work on the horse. These are easy to use, but safest if held by someone rather than affixed to the halter. A “one-man twitch” can cause problems if it comes off the nose since the horse is no longer under control and is left with the twitch dangling from his halter. It can become a flying missile if the horse tosses his head. The clamp-type twitch can be safer than a traditional twitch, however, if held by someone since there is no wooden handle to
hit someone or the horse if he moves around, and no chain or rope to dig into the nose. The metal clamp is also easier to apply, often mak- ing for less of a fight with the horse to get it on and less chance for him to learn evasive tactics.
HAND TWITCH
Sometimes the person holding the horse can calm the animal by hand-twitching: simply applying pressure with one hand and squeezing/slightly twisting the top portion of the muzzle/upper lip. This provides the same type of pressure that causes endorphin release with a twitch. Grasping the horse’s nose with your hand and twisting or pinching the upper lip works well on some horses and is easier than trying to put a twitch on an evasive
nose. Usually once you get hold of the nose, the horse stands there as if twitched. This re- straint is very humane because you cannot put enough pressure on the nose with your hand to hurt him. The disadvantage is that the horse can pull away, resulting in sudden loss of restraint. For dealing with a quick and tem- porary discomfort, however, such as the prick of a needle or fast application of medicine, a hand grip on the nose often works.
Trust and respect are the foundation of human/horse relationships, and this is what separates the calm, relaxed attitude of a well-trained domestic horse from the flighty fear response of a wild one.
“There are many cases where I prefer a lip chain over a twitch, and other cases where I’d choose a twitch instead of a lip chain. It’s always a case-by-case choice, depending a lot on the horse’s temperament,” says Johnson.
SKIN TWITCH
“A skin twitch or shoulder twitch usually requires a bit of strength to be effective on an adult horse. It’s easier to do this on a foal than on a 1200-pound horse!” Johnson says. This involves grasping a large quantity of loose skin on the neck just in front of the shoulder and squeezing the skin as hard as you can with some twisting action. This tends to immobilize a horse, perhaps because of release of endorphins that help calm him. This type of restraint can be quite effective on young horses or foals. Grasp- ing a handful of skin at the juncture of neck and shoulder and rolling your knuckles forward so a fold of skin is pulled over your fingers, can help keep a horse from moving forward or striking out. You can use both hands for more control.
EAR TWITCH
“Earing down” is a method that was often used by old-time horsemen and can be humane or inhumane, depending on how it is done. There are also mechanical devices called ear twitches or ear tongs. “I generally don’t use those. On rare occasions they can be useful, but you have to be careful to not end up with a horse that doesn’t want his ears touched,” says Johnson.
Mechanical ear twitches are inhumane if used improperly since cartilage in the ear is very sensitive and can be permanently dam- aged. If done properly by just cupping the hand
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EQUINE HEALTH