Sedating for the Farrier

One thing that poor Berger has never been able to do is to stand well for the farrier. He started this right after we first got him. We needed to put shoes on him and the farrier we had at the time was a bit to rough with him, so he started running backward and rearing. We have never been able to fix this problem. He does ok with trimming, but he hates shoes. I think that mainly he hates to have his legs trapped and be restrained.

I prefer to sedate him for the farrier. I makes things nicer for him and nicer for me and the farrier. We can make sure that he gets a good trim without hurting him or us.

Now, there are several things you can use for this. One of the best ones for at home use is Dormosedan gel. This can be given orally and it is great for at home use since you do not need a veterinarian to sedate.

Now, many people are capable of giving IV medications. I do not recommend this without Veterinarian assistance unless you have been trained. The down side of giving IV medications, if you don't know how to do it, you can kill your horse. So consult your vet.

Since I am a technician I feel confident about giving the medication, so I am able to get a prescription for IV xylazine for Berger. It usually takes 1cc. Just enough to take the edge off, but not completely sedate.

Monitor your horse for the next 2-4 hours post sedation for any complications.