The reason i wanted to write this blog was because I hear this so often, and if this blog helps one person then i will be happy.
Annie was a mare i had on loan for 3 years, she was phobic of clippers and had not been clipped for years. The previous attempt ended up with people retreating out of the stable looking very subdued.
So, this is where I came in, knowing I had all the time in the world I bought the cheapest pair of pet clippers I could find (£3) and everyday when i was grooming her i would turn them on and leave them on but not in my hand or near her. Once she didn't react to the noise I then moved onto phase 2.
This was holding them in my hand whilst grooming her, not touching her just holding them, again waited until no reaction. This part came quicker as she was already used to the noise. When she had got used to this, phase 3, touching her with them but not switching them on, this one was easy as she was used to them by now not doing anything to her.
So, when it came to switching them on and touching her, she did not react, I could then clip her, now these where 1" wide battery operated pet clippers, quieter and not as intrussive. So albeit she was used to these ones the size and noise difference was huge. The next process was repeating the above with a slightly larger pair of clippers.
I started from step one as it takes no time at all to recover a fear reaction. Spontanious recovery happens very quickly in pray animals. It comes under the fight, flight, freeze and fiddle about catagory.
To cut a long story short I was then able to clip Annie all over with horse clippers using only a head collar for control, because I had desensitised her to the noise then the feeling she was happy to trust that they weren't going to eat her..... This process took just short of 6 months. She will now stand and be clipped by anyone. This is rehabilitation it takes time and patience but in the long run the animals levels of anxiety are reduced and the animal can happily work with you.
Helen x
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