- Jul 26, 2010
- 2,969
- 4
- 171
I don't blame you for pointing that out. I re-read my post and I didn't do a very good job with it.
I agree that bruising or soreness can be seen later, especially if it is put on too tight, it's a very fine skinned horse, the twitch must be on for a rather long time, or it's a rather small animal or has a small upper lip.
However, right at the time the twitch is being applied, I think it functions successfully as a restraint because it is not excessively painful, but uncomfortable enough.
I do agree that it is uncomfortable enough that the animal does not want to move. Of course.
That is the principle behind most equine restraints, like the shoulder roll.
What I do not think - is that it causes the same level of pain or the type of pain that most non-horse people imagine. They generally do so by assuming the horse feels the same amount and type of pain that a person would, were a chain wrapped tightly around the person's upper lip.
I am more in the habit of reacting to the oft-proposed idea, that a twitch hurts the horse as much as a wire around a person's upper lip would hurt the person. Non horse people often are equally sure shoeing a horse causes agonizing pain and is a horrific inhumane torture. Just as having parts of the human foot cut off, or having multiple 3 inch long sharp nails hammered into it, would be.
I agree that bruising or soreness can be seen later, especially if it is put on too tight, it's a very fine skinned horse, the twitch must be on for a rather long time, or it's a rather small animal or has a small upper lip.
However, right at the time the twitch is being applied, I think it functions successfully as a restraint because it is not excessively painful, but uncomfortable enough.
I do agree that it is uncomfortable enough that the animal does not want to move. Of course.
That is the principle behind most equine restraints, like the shoulder roll.
What I do not think - is that it causes the same level of pain or the type of pain that most non-horse people imagine. They generally do so by assuming the horse feels the same amount and type of pain that a person would, were a chain wrapped tightly around the person's upper lip.
I am more in the habit of reacting to the oft-proposed idea, that a twitch hurts the horse as much as a wire around a person's upper lip would hurt the person. Non horse people often are equally sure shoeing a horse causes agonizing pain and is a horrific inhumane torture. Just as having parts of the human foot cut off, or having multiple 3 inch long sharp nails hammered into it, would be.
Last edited:
