Thursday, January 1, 2009
My approach is calm with a seeking of balance and permission. I often say I have 2 strikes against me when I enter a stall: I am a man and a vet. I am not changing either!
I usually have the owner or groom place the halter on the horse and present him to me. There are 2 reasons for this:
It is not my job to catch the horse. It often is the most dangerous part of my job because the horse may associate me with the man in the past who has beaten him. I often hear the client say "Oh he won't kick." OK, then you get him. If it takes me 3 minutes to approach and halter a horse, that equals 1 hour of time over 20 horses.
The presentation of the horse to any professional (vet, farrier) with a halter and lead shows respect to that person AND elevates you into a position of returned respect by the professional. It really does.
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Equine Dentistry Without Drama™ by
Geoff Tucker, DVM is licensed under a
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Based on a work at
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