No it is not very good. It involves a fairly long stick like a broom handle with a rubber ring type attachment on the end . The rubber ring is placed around the upper lip of the horse just below the muzzle and then the pole is twisted until the rubber ring is really tight and the upper lip is knotted within it. It is extremely painful for the horse but some farriers and some cruel horse handlers use it to control the horse. The horse is in so much pain that it can't think of anything else so in this way it is effective. If you are a Monty Roberts student you will know not to use this method and to tell anyone who suggests that it may be useful for your horse to leave immediately. It is just too cruel and one of the many old fashioned cruel techneques used for subjugating horses.

thank you! Wow, I didn't realize how cruel it was. Yes I will never allow that to happen to any of my horses!! The Dually halter is a true treasure! Thanks again for clueing me in.

Yes the dually is great and you can achieve most things you wont with it.

Used incorrectly, the twitch will cause pain, and one with a stick as long as a broom handle sounds right out illegal to me, as the torque force will multiply with the length of the handle.
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A correct twitch usually isn't longer than a foot and has a rope in one end in a loop attached at two points.
Pic at this link. (Make sure you copy th entire link!)
http://grand-prix.se/images/Globus_brems.jpg?osCsid=21400b26608b55ac81e276c27ae1b649
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It doesn't work through pain - although it's not entirely comfortable for the horse - but in the same way as acupressure. The pressure on the nerve-center in the upper lip will release endorfins (sp?) which calms the horse by lowering blood pressure and pulse right down to sleeping levels - this has been measured! - in effect "turning off" the horse.
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It is important to make sure you "wiggle" the twitch a little to make sure it doesn't stop the blood flow or numbs the nerves. You must also make sure the edges of the lip are folded inwards and that you twist the loop downwards to obtain the right effect. If you twist it too loosely or too far out on the muzzle it won't affect the nerve center an then it probably will cause pain.
Likewise, you must avoid using it for longer periods of time and be careful to massage the muzzle afterwards to get the blood going again.
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The twitch is a necessary thing in cases of emergency were you need to immobilize the horse instantly before it can hurt itself worse. (And to keep the people helping it, safe!)
Say, for instance, that he is badly stuck in something; a hay-net, between metal bars (with a hoof), a turned-over cart, or in the trailer. You all know how a stuck horse will kick frantically to get free and to its feet!
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Or say that an artery has burst and you need to keep him still to reduce the blood flow, and possibly for dressing the wound with a tourniquet.
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A sedative isn't always possible or even advisable to give, and sometimes you need to keep the horse still long enough just to give a sedative.
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That said; while a twitch in itself isn't cruel, it certainly can become that - like so many other "gadgets" - if used wrongly.

Hi Kicki,
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The information you have provided about how the twitch works is interesting, and I have never heard this before so I googled the use of twitches on horses to see what came up.
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The articles I found said that the endorphins released by the horse's brain when using the twitch is a result of the intensity of the pain the twitch causes - which makes sense as the release of endorphins in response to pain is a normal brain function.
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You make valid points in your post, but at the same time I would like to think there are alternatives to using tools like the twitch.
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Kindest regards,
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Gen

Hi all,
I recently bought a new book by Dr.Robert.M-Miller, the one who imprints foals at birth.
The title is "Handling Equine Patients, a handbook for veterinay students and veterinay technicians" In this book he describes techniques like twitching, in a way it can be used (when there are no alternatives), without it being traumatizing to the horse.
He starts massaging the horse's upper lip in an increasing manner, until it almost hurts. He then puts the twitch, treats the horse, and when the twitch is slowly removed, takes over the pressure of the twitch by massaging again, decreasing the pressure. This way the horse doesn't have a bad memory of the twitch. I guess we all agree these technique should only be used in emergency situations and only by those who really know what they're doing.
This is an interesting topic, we all look for violence-free methods, but reality sometimes calls for common sense.
Miriam

Hello again,
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Yes, I guess its like a lot of things they can either be used with good or bad intentions (and results)...
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Hobbles are another thing that gets a pretty passionate response like twitching I guess. My family have always taught our horses to stand calmly in hobbles for the purpose of minimising injuries sustained if the horse gets stuck in wire or something like that. A friend of ours had a horse that got stuck in a fence and he struggled and near cut his foot off. We have had horses get stuck in fences and other things from time to time with no serious injuries sustained because they have been taught that its OK to remain calm in those situations where one is unable to move his feet much.
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The book you mention by Dr Robert Miller sounds interesting Mirium. I am always on the look out for good books :-)
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This Uni is so great because there really is two sides to most things, and we have a great opportunity to explore these things here with each other.
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I have learnt a lot from this discussion. Thank you :-)
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Kind regards,
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Gen

Mmmm - all interesting! Yes I was perhaps a little excessive with the length of the stick - I guess it is about half the length of the broom handle and you otherwise describe it correctly, Kicki, rubber or rope can be used. Regardless I believe it is an extremely cruel technique and I don't believe that a bit of massaging before and after would alter the cruelness of it. It would be interesting to check this one out with Monty. To me twitching is just one of the many very cruel methods used by old fashioned horse men and breakers and is aligned with roping back legs around the neck, bagging, pulling ears down etc. All techneques that Monty is trying to teach us are NOT necessary. Thanks Joy for your supportive comments here and your initial enquiry. I have had experience with twitching by a farrier on my mare Pie and was abhorred by it. (See Pie's Story under "Horses that charge at you in the paddock" or something like that!) Needless to say that farrier didn't come again.

Yes I guess there are always some extreme emergencies where a twitch may be useful but would we have a twitch readily available for these? It seems we would only do so if we used the twitch more frequently on our horses and knew how to use it.

I have had to use a twitch to medicate my horse, and will it was uncomfortable for him I don't think it cause a lot of pain, although he could not tell me. The only reason that the twitch was used was to keep the people on the ground, my self included, safe as well as to keep the horse from hurting himself. In the future if confronted with that type of emergency I am going to ask the vet to just sedate him and put a blind fold on him.
Any routine use of a twitch is not good for the horse or the people that are trying to handle him. Why too much adrenaline. It would be a good lesson if Monty could demonstrate alternatives to using a twitch. I know a squeeze chute works, but I don't have the money to purchase one just for an very occasional use

Cheers and has a great weekend

Hello
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What's a squeeze chute? I agree with you Dennis, it would be good if Monty could make a lesson on alternatives to twitching.
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I really don't like the idea of using a twitch, but I can see how it may be useful in some circumstances. Personally, I would try any alternative I could find.
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Kind regards,
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Gen

Gen
I used the wrong term for the equipment that I was talking about. I should have said Horse Stocks which is equipment that the horse walks into then the handlers "lock" the horse in place with pipes or plates so he is standing in a closed box The horse then cannot move forward, backward or to the side. He can be cross tied to keep him still and to prevent him from rearing
I had to take my horse to UC Davis vet hospital for some test and he just walked into the stock and did not fuss. He was given a mild tranquilizer and stood still for all the vets and vet students to examine him. There were 8 or 9 vets working on him at one time and he was perfectly happy and was not fearful. That was the good experience. His experience with the twitch was not as pleasant but he was not hurt but I am sure it was not pleasant for him that is why my preference is horse stocks rather than any other restraint

Cheers

I guess Monty's answer to the use of a twitch on a horse is found in his Centaur Series. I just finished watching these videos and I was spell bound the whole time I was doing so. Like Monty I have experienced first hand the cruelty that is still dealt out to horses by some trainers who refuse to accept kinder training methods. I certainly can relate to the agony of witnessing seeing horses with their hind leg tied up around the neck for hours with the rope cutting into the flesh and causing bleeding and scars for life. If your horse has scars on its hind legs approximately 3-6 inches above the hock area then it is possible that it was broken in this way. Like Monty I just wish more horse breakers were willing to listen and learn so this cruelty could be stopped. The cruel training methods do not just break in a horse they break a horse for life and sometimes leave the horse spiritless. I feel it is important for us all as Monty's students to reject these cruel methods and speak out against them whenever we can.

Thanks for asking this question, Joy. I guess we can easily see the damage done by the nose twitch in Monty's Centaur series with Abigail. It confirms my initial belief that twitching is very cruel and should be avoided.

Hi all
Twitching does not have to be hurtful if it is applied correctly. The twitch in theory is to distract the horse from kicking or bitting when doctoring that horse. That is the only time that I will allow a twitch to be used. A horse nose if very sensitive so you have to be carful in using a twitch. Personally we have just used our hands on the horses nose and slowly applied pressure to the point that the horse was just paying attention to me, but was not in pain.
Being uncomfortable is not the same as pain. Horses( at least mine) have a very high threshhold for pain.
Without a twitch a horse can hurt or even accidentally kill the person who is doctoring then so in that case I will use a twitch if that is the last resort available. In 8 years with my present horse he has been twitch about six times total

Cheers

Hi I have had to use a twitch recently i tried everything after my horse got a bad kick to her knee and infectioon was setting in fast. My horse was in so much pain and her leg was swelling fast, we had no way of sedating her and she would not let us near the injury. It was important that we get anti-biotics, poltice and pain relife into her as soon as we could. I had seen the twitch in use years ago and swore I would never use it on any of my horses.This said I had no option but to use a twitch, not only that but had to use it on a few occasions in order to threat her wound. I still do not like the use of the twitch,annd wil always try alternative metods first, but if the situation arises again I will use the twitch because nomatter what we feel about it I noww feel there aree occasions where we have no other choice and the welfaare of the horse is paramount.

My daughter had exactly the same experience with her horse. We are both basically completely against twitching, seems that it works in the right hands.

Well guys,
I find this very disturbing, twitches?
When I first rescued STAR, my daughter gave me a horse-net, which I don't believe in at all and had to use because her hay was getting wet and soggy. I will never use one again, no matter what for many reasons.
Anyways, I was outside and looked over and STAR was completely tangled in the horse-net and landed on the fencing in her outside shelter.
I went up to her, started to talk softly, asked my husband to get a pair of sizzors.
While he was fetching the sizzors I kept my hand over her eyes and kept talking very very softly to her.
She lay perfectly still while I cut the horse-net off her and continued to lay there.
I thought for sure she had been impaled by the fence. I spoke to her and put my hand under her head and said get up girl, come on.
Up she got and trotted around the pasture.
I would never use anything other than my voice and kind hands on her.
She lanced her leg jumping a fence and I again just spoke to her and approached her softly and she stood still until I investigated the cut, all went well.
Ronda

Ronda
You brought up an interesting point. Covering a horses eyes calms them since whatever is stimulating their fear is no longer visible. Part of the headstall for Peruvian Paso's is a leather eye cover that is placed above the eyes. While it is mostly for decoration we do use it when working with young horse so we can mount the horse without him getting upset. Once he is use to the weight you just lean forward and slide the eye cover up. Since my horse absolutely hates injections, particularly when the vet administers them, we have been using the eye cover rather than the twitch. He still jumps when injected, but doesn't do anything. Peruvians also use the eye cover at night when camping with the horse. You can also use a towel and put it under the halter to hold it in place.

Cheers

As with all things, equipment in the wrong hands is cruel - and like many other things there are very very rare circumstances where we have to do/use something that we disapporve of because the alternatives have been weighed up and are not possible. However, the problem I have with the twitch is that it is often used as a lazy option to save time. Our horses should be trained from a young age for all the eventualities that we KNOW will happen - visit from farriers, vets etc etc. We cannot predict the unknown, but we can do our best to be ready for as much as possible. Twitching horses to have routine work done (feet trimmed, vet work etc.) is not acceptable in my opinion.

I was very disappointed yesterday watching "Carl Hester at Home" on Horse and Country TV to see a vet (with Carl and other staff present) use a twitch on a horse while elastic bands were applied to sarcoids (usual treatment). Now the horse did not look distressed and it may be that it has undergone training to tolerate it etc. (we never get the whole story I know that) but if he is that good and that tolerant I'm sure he could be taught to stand still anyway!

Dennis: I'm interested in your comment that your horses have a "high pain threshold"; can I ask how you know this? It would be useful for all of us if you have found a way of measuring this, its a difficult area to analyse and I would welcome your thoughts. Also, very interesting information from you and Ronda re: covering eyes - would make an interesting scientific study

Horses that have a high threshold too pain don't indicate that they are in pain the way most horses would. For example, my stallion contracted Pigeon Fever a few years ago (Pigeon Fever is an infection that spreads very quickly and in highly contagious) The Infection ate away a large portion of his chest, about the size of a dinner plate. We lanced it and drained without any anesthesia and he did not move a muscle. During the one year healing process he developed proud flesh that stopped the skin from healing correctly. My vet cut the knobs of proud flesh and the only thing he did was grind his teeth to indicate that it was hurting him. The other indication is that horses will continue to work and perform in sever pain and not show any outward sign of distress.

Cheers

Hi Vicci,
I didn't do the eye covering from a scientific point of view.
It is something my great-grandfather taught my father who taught me.
I do it because it works.
It is non-intrusive and causes no harm and helps keep the horse calm.
There is more than covering the eyes involved, there is soft stroking, a gentle touch and voice, and using the hands to cover the eyes gently gives them extra comfort when they need it the most.
Think about that for a moment.
What happens when we speak softly or touch softly, can the horse understand this, NO, they know only equus.
It is we, humans, that benefit from this.
When we are soft our demeaner is soft, adrenelin and heart rate is low, thereby the horse does not feel threatened by us and this keeps their heartrate down as well and they will trust us.
We can take this one step further, in ALL our dealings with ALL horses, keep our demeaner soft, like walking in oil, smooth and gentle.
Ronda