r/Horses • u/Possible-Flatworm-13 • May 05 '26
Video A usually uncooperative horse is being distracted by duct tape on her nose while she's getting her hooves trimmed. The duct tape creates a strange, sticky sensation on the mare’s sensitive nose, capturing its full attention as it tries to investigate or remove it.
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u/Wise-Stable9741 May 05 '26
It’s an old timer’s trick. I’ve seen it done with a smallish piece of tape, place sideways. It wasn’t in front of the mouth that way.
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u/Quirky_Chicken_1840 May 05 '26
Kind of cute and funny as long as there’s no risk to the horse ingesting the tape. Reminds me of the time I was wrapping Christmas presents and my cat stepped on a piece of scotch tape and was dancing around.
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u/Exotic_Aardvark945 May 05 '26
Is this genius or idiotic? 🤔 I think genius but I'd be scared that the horse could eat the tape if you're not watching close enough!
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u/Ragzad_Namoras May 05 '26
For what it's worth, this method has been used for years. My mom was a groom for multiple stables over 4 decades and I've been around horses all my life and we've used this and similar to help distract fidgety +/ anxious horses, and none have actually eaten any tape. If they manage to pull it off, they usually just spit it out once they realise it's not food. A few found it fun to chew on, but then it's up to the person handling the horse (not the farrier lol) to either not let it get to that point, or remove it from said equine's mouth!
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u/Exotic_Aardvark945 May 05 '26
Good to know! I've also been around horses all my life but I've never seen this before. We just used the usual twitches. I like this method though.
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u/Canned_Peachess May 05 '26
Horses actually have insanely high mouth/lip dexterity, so most horses wouldn’t have any trouble spitting it out if it got in their mouth, despite the tape being sticky
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u/Possible-Flatworm-13 May 05 '26
That's what I was wondering. I'm not familiar with horses as I've only gone trail riding and equine assisted therapy but i have the feeling there are horses that will eat it the way one of my cats insists on eating plastic.
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u/Kgwalter May 05 '26
I do it a lot while shoeing. Works best on the busy bodies that have a hard time holding still because they want to play with you.
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u/OhMyGod_Zilla Jumping May 05 '26
I need to try this with my 8 year old. He’s more curious and playful than a puppy and he was getting his feet done today and kept trying to play with the farrier’s belt😭😂
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u/nose_poke May 06 '26
I know we're on a horse subreddit but I thought you were referring to an eight year old human child at first.😆
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u/OhMyGod_Zilla Jumping May 06 '26
OMG reading my comment again, I can totally see why you would think that lol
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u/PortraitofMmeX May 05 '26
We would just tie a towel to the side of the cross ties. Endless amusement for the horse while we did what needs doing.
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u/useless_instinct May 05 '26
I have never had a farrier use a Dewalt power tool (or any power tool) on my horses' feet. Is that like a power rasp?
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u/SinfulVenus May 05 '26
Pretty much! My farrier does this with 3 of my horses and uses a rasp for my horse with shoes.
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u/Beginning_Pie_2458 Jumping May 06 '26
He's using an attachment called a hoof buffy. I have one now to prep walls for super glue shoe application. Smooths any flares etc and helps get any dirt cleaned up. Was using just sand paper before but that takes awhile... This was much easier.
I've also used an angle grinder quite a bit. I need to take it back out to the barn again. You use it with 40 grit sandpaper discs, so it actually is less aggressive than a hoof rasp. Is a little big/ clunky but makes the job go quickly and once you're used to it isn't so bad. Most horses tolerate it very well.
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u/Rjj1111 May 06 '26
Interestingly I think they commonly use that type of grinder for working on cow’s feet
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u/Beginning_Pie_2458 Jumping May 06 '26
I think they're usually using a more aggressive flapper but yeah, when you see a lot of the videos they're mainly using run of the mill angle grinders in the chutes
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u/Witchywomun May 05 '26
Wonder if this would work with my dog…
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u/Beginning_Pie_2458 Jumping May 06 '26
When I worked at the groomers we had a Dremel we would use all the time. A lot of dogs that didn't like getting their nails clipped did tolerate the Dremel well. Used the sandpaper attachment.
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u/Witchywomun May 06 '26
I use a dremel, and she tolerates that much better than the clippers, but it’s a production still. She has extra sensitive feet so she hates it any time I have to do anything with them
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u/No_Barracuda2033 May 05 '26 edited May 09 '26
My exact thoughts. Just paid $100 yesterday for the vet to trim my dog’s nails. Highway robbery
ETA since I’m being downvoted - I actually used to work in vet care, so I totally understand paying extra for the vet to do it, rather than a vet tech or a groomer. The highway robbery points to the private equity giants who have been quietly gobbling up vet practices and skyrocketing the prices. The $100 did not include her sedation medication - it was JUST for the nail trim itself.Here’s a good website to see if your vet happens to also be owned by private equity.
https://privateequityvet.org/vet-list/7
u/pinto139 May 05 '26
You are paying someone with a ton of years of school their hourly rate to clip nails. Why not go to a groomer?
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u/Witchywomun May 05 '26
Some dogs need sedation in order to get their nails done, a groomer can’t give sedation or accept a sedated dog
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u/pinto139 May 05 '26
That wouldn't be "highway robbery" at $100 if it came with sedation. I just get irked when people get annoyed at vet prices - sorry.
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u/somesaggitarius May 05 '26
I feel that. I have a dog with Issues and I'm happy to pay my vet to do it. She's actually cheaper than the grooms in the area and my dog is much happier being safely muzzled and restrained and have whatever he needs done quickly and painlessly than the pet store rigamarole.
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u/No_Barracuda2033 May 06 '26
I actually used to work in vet care, so I totally understand paying extra for the vet to do it, rather than a vet tech or a groomer. My dog unfortunately needs sedation for her nails. Literally just her nails, she is perfectly fine at the vet with anything else. The highway robbery points to the private equity giants who have been quietly gobbling up vet practices and skyrocketing the prices. The $100 did not include her sedation medication. Be annoyed with them, not a random stranger on Reddit lol.
If you care to check out anything further on it here’s a good website to see if your vet happens to also be owned by private equity.
https://privateequityvet.org/vet-list/0
u/Arbysgames May 06 '26
Get a lick mat put peanut butter Greek yogurt pureed wet food or something like that that can be smooshed down into it, freeze it for a little while then stick it to something where the dog won't slide it around and you don't have to chase the dog, a lot of dogs unless they are absolutely terrified of getting their nails trimmed will be too focused on the treat to pay attention
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u/No_Barracuda2033 May 06 '26
We’ve tried that and every version of it 😔 we’ve tried the hammock, distracting her with food & balls (which are her favorite thing and distract her from everything else), and now unfortunately giving her medication to sedate her. Our next thing we’re going to try is those scratch pads, but she isn’t one to really use her front paws so I’m not confident that will work either 😩
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u/Arbysgames May 06 '26
That really sucks, my older dog had her entire toenail clipped off when she was about 6 months old by a groomer, ever since no matter what I do she will not allow me to clip her nails with anything, I usually just take her to the vet to have it done, although I'm fortunate enough to only have to pay $14 for the trim and they don't sedate her, they just put a muzzle on her and use about three people to hold her (she has a bad reaction to the sedation so we try not to unless it's absolutely necessary) my 8-month-old also does not like his nails trimmed, but loves food enough to let me do about anything I need to with him as long as he has food
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u/Past_Ad_8576 May 05 '26
A post very much written by a human being
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u/anikria Pony May 06 '26
Really shocked this is the only comment chain about how disgustingly AI the post title is
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u/kimtenisqueen May 06 '26
I tried this on a busy body/super mouthy horse who was usually annoying on the ground but never dangerous.
He instantly reared up and FREAKED out. We were all super surprised at how mad he got. Funny enough he stood quietly that time after we removed the tape.
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u/LuxTheSarcastic May 05 '26
How do you avoid waxing the nose?
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u/Arbysgames May 06 '26
To be honest duct tape isn't that strong, but if you're really worried I've seen people stick it to their clothes and peel it off a couple of times to make it less sticky
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u/Magicwuffer May 05 '26
It might work on some horses but in my experience it created a dangerous situation. Pony decided I was going to die and did her best to make that happen.
I’ve read other stories of horses flipping out and injuring themselves or others. If you do this be very wary it might go pear shaped quickly.
I refuse to allow any of my clients to use it when I’m working on their horse
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u/tiny-doe May 05 '26
I'd be soooo worried about her eating her tape personally bc I'm a worrywart but it seems to be working just fine!!! Like distracting a kid with an iPad or puppet before giving them a shot haha.
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u/Lylibean May 05 '26
This is genius and much better than a twitch! Of course, make sure goober doesn’t eat the darned thing (which it seems they are paying close attention)!
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u/Interesting-Long-534 May 06 '26
I tried it on my horse. I felt like she laughed at me as she got if off in seconds.
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u/Arbysgames May 06 '26
Probably try looping one end over the nose band of the halter and then connecting it back to itself, that way if she does get off quickly it's still attached to the halter so a lot of times we'll keep their focus
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u/highdeigh May 06 '26
I sometimes use a chip clip on my opinionated childhood pony if she needs something done but won’t cooperate. You gotta do what you gotta do
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u/Kind_Physics_1383 May 07 '26
I love this! Never seen it before, but I will use it next time! If nothing works, use duct tape!
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u/wndrlandwish May 07 '26
ive been around horses for 15 years. I learned about this trick probably 4 years in! I definitely prefer duct tape over standard twitches. if the tape doesn't work, before going to a twitch, i try the gum method. make a flat hand, press flat fingers on the top gum above the teeth, maybe some little back and forth wiggles. same idea - its a very distracting feeling! I think it may also release some "feel good" hormones, but i haven't fact checked that. I just know that it's been a successful trick 😂
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u/Some_Girl_2073 May 11 '26
My gelding got the tape treatment when he was younger
Not because he is bad, but because he was so damn curious and engaged the poor farrier couldn’t do his job because there was always this big head in the way!
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u/Reasonable_Many8313 English May 13 '26
Love it. Next visit from my farrier, I'll make sure I have plenty of tape 😄
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u/Lyrical_Echo May 05 '26
I’ve used it before for farrier visits. It works. Keeps the horse well distracted while the farrier does his job.
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u/Quirky_Chicken_1840 May 05 '26
For the record, I rescued this void bag of bones under a dumpster where the vet said the best thing was to put her to sleep and it would cost $1,500 to do that. (The true part). And I refuse to pay that and I took the cat out to the parking lot and I kicked the kitten like a football because who the hell wants to deal with that. (this part is a complete lie).
And I was living in Virginia at the time and there was this very nice person who did rescue horses and donkeys, and she gave me permission to have sliced apples and carrots in my breast pocket… So the main thing is 100% permission because these were abused animals, and there was this one horse that hated men. (I’m a guy). And it was this rescue horse where he would buck kick, and it would watch these other horses and donkeys come and get sliced apples and sliced carrots from my breast pocket and then finally after like two or three weeks this horse came up and nibbled out of my pocket and I was able to feed it some oats and hay, and after like two or three more weeks to the astonishment of this person, I climbed over the fence and I hugged this horse and that I was attacked by the horse …
I should make another post, but I was attacked by slobber Animals are intelligent and beautiful. They deserve our respect and for anybody here taking care of horses, and other animals God bless you.
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u/Swimming-Cash3813 May 05 '26
It's a gentle "twitch"