# Needle-shy horse



## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

Well, had the vet come out to pull Coggins and give rabies shots to my horses yesterday... After she stuck my gelding with the rabies shot he moved away from her and wouldn't let her come close enough to actually give the injection... The needle fell out of his neck and after that he wasn't about to let her come anywhere close to him... 

The horse has had needle issues for a while, but I can get a needle into his vein to give him banamine when he has a stomach ache, so I think that a lot of the issue is this vet moreso than the horse. He had surgery at Auburn in 2011 and wouldn't let this same vet near him to sedate him to remove the stitches. She ended up leaving the suture sissors with me, and I removed the stitches myself with no sedation. Again, I think the vet is very timid and the horse knows that if he avoids her enough, she will give up. His behavior is avoidant and not at all aggressive, but she interprets it as more dangerous than it is... 

I have another vet coming out tomorrow to try pulling blood. Hopefully things will go better. This vet is a little more courageous than the other...


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

My mini is needle-shy as well. For her vaccinations this year I tucked a towel in her halter over her eyes. It worked surprisingly well. 

I don't know if this will work for a blood draw as well, but it might be worth a try. Another thought might be to ask the vet to spend a few minutes giving the horse a treat or two and/or quick brushing so they don't seem so suspicious.

Timid equine vets are bad. I watched a vet pull a Coggins from a rearing horse once. I was terrified, she wasn't. She just stepped back a half a step each time the horse reared, and then as soon as his feet hit the ground she stepped forward. Only took her 2 tries.

Hope it works out for you!


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

I've seen a lot of horses dislike/distrust a vet. 

Usually for muscle shots, I just slapped their neck a few times and popped the needle in and did the deed. They've never noticed the shot that way. Of course, muscle shots are way easier than blood drawing.


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## levi1739 (Jul 25, 2003)

A vet has a couple of tools to use when a horse is too scared to receive a shot. Often a mild sedative is used with no problems. And of course there is the good old twitch which can be very effective with some horses. We have a pony that goes crazy at first sight of any vet but he is easily innoculated when twitched. 

I'm surprised that the vet wasn't able to accomplish the job. Good luck with the new one.

Have fun, be safe

Jack


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## Harmony_Meadows (Nov 4, 2007)

We had a friend's horse with us and unfortunately she neglected to tell me she was needle shy. She is the best horse in the herd for everything so we really were not worried one bit about her. Big mistake. As soon as the needle hit her neck she thrashed so violently she knocked me nearly unconscious and pushed the vet to the ground. It took me almost five minutes to get up. The vet and hubby were about to call for an ambulance when I finally made it to my feet. Luckily I check out okay later, but it happened so fast, there was no warning. The vet, trooper that he is, managed to get the last shot in her butt on the fly now that we knew what to expect. Found out she came back from being leased with this issue and had been getting worse and worse. It is such a shame as she is a sweet mare who gives her all. 
I hope the other vet can work with her. This avoidance can quickly turn into something more violent. This mare was not being aggressive either, she just wanted out of Dodge anyway she could. Be careful. He needs to learn that avoiding is not going to get him anywhere or it could escalate like it did for this mare. After the shots were done, she tucked her head into the vets arm and fell asleep. She was never afraid of him, nor he of her, but no way was she standing still for that shot. Good luck, let us know how it goes.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

My Sunny is like this as well. I stood there with my chin on the ground after watching him go beserk in reaction to the sight of a needle. Took us all off guard.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

beccachow said:


> My Sunny is like this as well. I stood there with my chin on the ground after watching him go beserk in reaction to the sight of a needle. Took us all off guard.


How is the adorable pony and child combo, Becca?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I agree with the twitch. I used to have a horse that I would take to the neighbors bucking chute to give shots and draw blood.


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

I have had good luck with the "sensitive horse" by pinching and holding the spot hard for needle, until neck is numb, then poking needle in. The idiot horse quit being stupid!! No more fights over a shot. Seeing needle didn't bother her, it was the stabbing pain. With a numb spot to poke her, she was excellent about shots. Method was equally effective on other horses, for friends I told about the pinching trick.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

I agree with a twitch or mild sedation, but if your vet is willing to try a slow, gentle approach first, you might be able to get it done without either. It sounds like your horse isn't terribly difficult, just a little wary. The right vet might make a huge difference.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

My crusty old vet taught me a couple handy tricks. Covering a horse's eyes will keep them quite still so you can manage a lot of tricky situations and the absolute safest place to give IM needles is in the chest because you can situate yourself so you won't be kicked or run over. 

Very few horses have problems with needles but quite a few horses feed of human behavior. If you or your vet are apprehensive giving a needle or expect the horse to misbehave, even the most relaxed horse will act up. If you approach with confidence, handle the job quickly and efficiently, it's done before the horse knows they've been injected.


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I've had just 3 or 4 needle-shy horses to deal with, one was fine with the first shot in the spring but then you couldn't catch her in the pasture for a month! I used a twitch on a couple, but had one mare that was strictly visual ... was fine for almost anything but if she saw a syringe she freaked, to the extent of striking if you had a twitch on her. Tried a blindfold, she fell to her knees ... left one eye uncovered, covered the eye on the 'needle side' and she was fine, didn't even flinch. Very strange mare.

Mostly, though I've found with my herd mares, if I slip a halter and lead rope on them and then give them their grain, I can give whatever shots I need to. Usually, a quiet, confident approach takes care of the situation.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

(Pony and child doing GREAT! I need to update with pics.)


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

beccachow said:


> (Pony and child doing GREAT! I need to update with pics.)


Pictures are necessary. I did my postings of pony and child for years and now she's getting ready to graduate high school in three weeks. Your little cherub needs to take up the slack here.


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## starjj (May 2, 2005)

Last year I gave the mule her rabies shot no problem. This year she was not much of a problem but she did react as in being jumpy and sensitive to the needle. I think it was because I was timid in giving it so I blame myself.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

I've got a mare just like SFM's. I warn the vet ahead of time not to let her see the needle and then I stand on the side he's going to give the shot on and cover that eye with my hand. She doesn't even flinch getting the shot as long as she doesn't see that big ol' scary needle coming at her. LOL


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

I think a lot of it is that vet since I can usually manage to get a shot into him (even IV) when she's not there, even though he is avoidant... Hopefully the vet today will be able to get the job done...

We tried twitching, but she didn't have a good twitch--she uses the metal one that has very little to hang onto... I prefer a rope twitch attached to a nice sized pole, but don't have one myself... Ear twitch worked until she stuck him and didn't get the vein on the first try, then he was too wary...


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

It could be that he doesn't trust the vet. Sunny lets the vet do everything, though, until that needle makes an appearance. It is CRAZY.

Hmmm. Now that I think about it, the dentist was able to give him a shot with no problem...


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

Loki does have the tendency to hold grudges against people he doesn't like... Right now I can think of two people--that vet and a trainer that I work with occasionally... I guess it's his Arabian half coming out...


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I haven't read all the posts but I'm sure that lots of people have found things that work for them. 
Mine are that I always stand so I'm blocking the horse's eye on the side the vet is using to give the shot. Then I start my "horse patter" which means lots of nonsense taking to keep the horse distracted. Then just after the shot goes in, I rub head and ears vigorusly while talking. Then as the vet steps back, I pretend that nothing has happened to worry about, basically ignoring the horse even if she pulls back.
I tried to teach the horse to relax by getting use to small thumps on the neck but it all went out the window when the vet was seen. 
Also, if the vet will cooperate, a vet delivered treat has a good effect.
But in 50 years I have not had a horse that the vet couldn't give shots pretty easily.


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

The vet today brought a better twitch (and was a bit bolder). We got the blood drawn and the rabies shot administered


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

saanengirl said:


> The vet today brought a better twitch (and was a bit bolder). We got the blood drawn and the rabies shot administered


Congratulations. At least you won't be caught by surprise next itme.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

You can give shots to three of my mini's, no problem. Then there's Tommy.....serious needle phobia, and nearly impossible to halter for a week or so after. They are all due for their shots -- I'm gonna try covering his eyes. Fingers crossed.


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## levi1739 (Jul 25, 2003)

saanengirl said:


> The vet today brought a better twitch (and was a bit bolder). We got the blood drawn and the rabies shot administered


Glad you "got er done" saanengirl. Some of these critters can sure show us their "self preservation" instincts at times.


Have fun, be safe

Jack


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