What is a 'switch'?

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Russel » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00


Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
'switch'?  That's all.

----------------------------

'Horses are dangerous at both ends, and uncomfortable in the middle.'
Quote : Some bloke I once read about.

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Petr » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

>Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
>'switch'?  That's all.

Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

Petra

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Russel » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:


> >Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
> >'switch'?  That's all.

> Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

> Petra

Well if I do mean twitch, and I'm not really sure of that either,
perhaps somebody could tell me?  I'm talking about them things they use
on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.

You could have told me Petra.  Saved me and somebody else a post?

-----------------------------------

'Sure it hurts!  Maybe not as much as jumping onto a bicycle with no
seat, but it hurts!'

The *** Gun 2 1/2.

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Eileen G. Morg » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00



Quote:


>> >Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
>> >'switch'?  That's all.

>> Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

>> Petra
>Well if I do mean twitch, and I'm not really sure of that either,
>perhaps somebody could tell me?  I'm talking about them things they use
>on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.

>You could have told me Petra.  Saved me and somebody else a post?

Twitch: wooden rod with a loop of chain or rope at one end. Place over
the horse's upper lip, twist it to a snug loop, apply light to medium
pressure, jiggle once in a while.
Or, Human/nutcracker/one-person twitch: hinged metal pair of
arms--looks kind like tongs, only joined at the tong end. You pull
horse's upper lip through the tong-looking end, close the arms
together, and tie it at a proper snugness to stay put. Clip arm ends
to the halter.

Why it works: cause for great debate. no one is really sure why. My
favorite position: this is not a pain device. My horses act sleepy,
not pain restrained. I think there is supposed to be an acupuncture
sight in the nose, right where the twitch would sit. One thing is
pretty certain--endopmorphins (natual pain killers) get released in
the body at a higher than normal rate for the amount of "pain" which
*might* be getting caused by a twitch.
eileen morgan
The Mare's Nest

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by CMNewe » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00



Quote:


>> >Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
>> >'switch'?  That's all.

>> Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

>> Petra
>Well if I do mean twitch, and I'm not really sure of that either,
>perhaps somebody could tell me?  I'm talking about them things they use
>on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.

>You could have told me Petra.  Saved me and somebody else a post?

        Except that you could have meant switch, which is one term for
the fake tails used on some breeds for showing. The twitch is the
device used on a hores's nose in order to restrain it. There was a
recen discussion on how it functions. I hold out for a sedative
effect--in most horses--some get worse. But then, some horses get
worse with chemical tranquilization, too.
                --CMNewell
"Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
of giving your heart to a dog to tear"
        --Kipling
 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Deborah Stevens » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00


Quote:


>>Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
>>'switch'?  That's all.

>Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

I believe switches are being discussed in the saddleseat/saddlebred
thread.  It's a term for a tail-hair enhancement, I believe, kind of like
a wiglet or fall.


Thinning at the corners in Champaign, IL, USA

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by John T. Klausn » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Yup...that thing on the horses' muzzle to calm them is a twitch...
Sometimes it helps when you ask a question if you'll include a little
more information - what led you to ask the question, for example, or a
quote if you saw the term included in some written material.
SueK


Quote:



>> >Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly
is a
>> >'switch'?  That's all.

>> Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

>> Petra
>Well if I do mean twitch, and I'm not really sure of that either,
>perhaps somebody could tell me?  I'm talking about them things they
use
>on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.

>You could have told me Petra.  Saved me and somebody else a post?

>-----------------------------------

>'Sure it hurts!  Maybe not as much as jumping onto a bicycle with no
>seat, but it hurts!'

>The *** Gun 2 1/2.

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by John T. Klausn » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

I wondered about this...but had a thought...could he mean a switch as
in a artificially constructed piece of hair used to enhance the natural
but lacking hair?? in the ASB thread, it could also be called a false
tail...???
SueK


Quote:


>>Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is
a
>>'switch'?  That's all.

>Are you sure you don't mean twitch >?

>Petra

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by WB Dare » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

>>I'm talking about them things they use

on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.<<

You could have said this in your first message. Saved me and somebody else a
post and some bandwidth.

Quote:
>>You could have told me Petra.  Saved me and somebody else a post?<<

How the heck is she supposed to know what you mean when you
don't even know yourself??

Monika-who knows what both a switch and a twitch are

Monika Delle, near Seattle, WA, USA ****Step Up To A Saddlebred****
Dare-W.B. Dare Me, the western wonderhorse (beginning dressage)
Julie-Doubletree's Juliana, all-around terrific horse  
and the Kitty Krew: Beanie, Dora, Frango, Taz and Tickle

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by John T. Klausn » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

In other words, you, at least,  know one end of the horse from the
other ???
LOL!!!  
SueK


Quote:
Dare Me) writes:
>Monika-who knows what both a switch and a twitch are
>Monika Delle, near Seattle, WA, USA ****Step Up To A Saddlebred****
>Dare-W.B. Dare Me, the western wonderhorse (beginning dressage)
>Julie-Doubletree's Juliana, all-around terrific horse  
>and the Kitty Krew: Beanie, Dora, Frango, Taz and Tickle

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Rachel Swa » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Ummm, do you mean the kind of thing my dad would
tell me to go cut when I was ***?  It's like a whip.

--
Rachel - who'd rather not thing about switches
Belle - who's never seen one
Portuguese Bend - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
rachelswan at earthlink dot net

Quote:

>Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
>'switch'?  That's all.

>----------------------------

>'Horses are dangerous at both ends, and uncomfortable in the middle.'
>Quote : Some bloke I once read about.

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Kristen Schul » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

> Ooooh this is going to make me look realll dull, but what exactly is a
> 'switch'?  That's all.

A switch is the name for a tail piece, made of real horse hair, used to
enhance the beauty of a not-so-beautiful tail for the show ring.

--
Kristen Schulz
Gaitway Farm
Princeton, MA

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Kristen Schul » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:


> >>I'm talking about them things they use
> on horses muzzles to calm them, or something like that.<<

> You could have said this in your first message. Saved me and somebody else a
> post and some bandwidth.

And shit, don't I feel stupid now, because I just posted a description
of "switch" to the original poster when I should have read on and found
they wanted "twitch".  I'm a twit.  I guess that's what I get for not
reading for a day or two.

--
Kristen Schulz
Gaitway Farm
Princeton, MA

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by Captain An » Sat, 14 Feb 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

> I wondered about this...but had a thought...could he mean a switch as
> in a artificially constructed piece of hair used to enhance the natural
> but lacking hair?? in the ASB thread, it could also be called a false
> tail...???
> SueK

        That is the basic definition for a switch.  Saddlebreds are
supposed to have long, thick tails, but they take time to grow and
lots of care to keep them looking good.  At the barn where I rode
there were only one or two instances of using switches.  When a new
horse was purchased, sometimes because of lack of care, it
was...folliclely-challenged.  Since it would take several months for
the tail to recover, a switch would be braided in on the day of a show
to give the horse a more finished look.  Most if not all switches are
genuine horse hair, and they can be expensive.  We didn't practice
many of the abuses often associated with ASBs and we preferred not to
rush young horses, but we took great pride in the tails of our horses.
They had a reputation for beautiful, yet strong and durable hair.  It
was a common practice to cut the tail of a newly-retired horse and
sell it as a switch.  The horse was left with a hock-length tail, and
we had a valuable 6, 7 or 8 foot section to sell to the switch-makers.
A few years ago, we got a beautiful switch off of a dapple-gray
gelding.  His tail went for around $1,000 because of its unusual
color.  The next year it showed up on the WGC gaited horse (Onion) at
Louisville.  The light colored switch blended well with Onion's
naturally pale hair.
        Just thought I'd help with definitions so now everyone knows
what a twitch and a switch are.

--
Anne K. Guillory

Western Kentucky University

 
 
 

What is a 'switch'?

Post by JRDVMDIV » Sun, 15 Feb 1998 04:00:00


Quote:
Morgan) writes:
>endopmorphins (natual pain killers)

That's endorphins (endomorph is a human body type... one that tends to be
heavy...)
And there are at least 2 studies demonstrating elevated levels of endorphins in
the *** of horses that are twitched.

Good Luck
IMHO, All Standard Disclaimers Apply
Julie A. Robinson DVM, MVSc, MS, Dipl. ABVP (Equine)