never thought I'd use a chiffney

Queenbee

Queenbee

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... on my little angel!

Well what did I expect? My little man was a saint in every way for the first 9 months! then he got colt fever! He would still come over a 30 acre field if I called, let me put a headcollar on him, but then he didn't like being led (he would follow me wherever, but not be led!) he tried cow kicking and developed a penchant for rearing (only in fun!)

I have been around horses for many years and handled some sods but I was petrified of using a chiffney, so scared I would do it wrong and hurt him. I am absolutely amazed at the difference. He will lead everywhere now, I only have to use it when he has got out with the cows and gets himself all frisky!

Sorry, pointless post, but felt proud of myself :)
 
I load my mare with a chifney, she used to be a horror, now she only plays up if its not on! I put it on and dont even lead her from it, i still just use the headcollar rope i think its enough for her to know its on. I have a very short lead rope on it so if she ever got loose she wouldnt be able to stand on it and hurt herself. Used correctly I see no harm in them.
 
I was in exactly the same situation with my colt he kept rearing and had an exceptional knack for landing on my head, my shoulder my back!! So i got a chiffney i put it on and he respects it so much i just give a tiny amount of pressure when needed tbh but he has not reared since. A godsend for my and my youngster. As long as they are used correctly and not abused they are not so bad x
 
My cob takes one look at my chiffney, he mentally says 'Respect' and wanders down to the field like an angel. Dont worry, I never thought I would use one on my beloved little git, but I would much rather use one than be dragged down the hill and see him ****** off into the sunset.
 
Hey stranger!! We have a chifney too hanging around the yard, they can be such useful things, half a ton of horse is not funny when it's being naughty when led!!
 
Chifneys are horid things. Iv seen many horses rear by having one in their mouth. I was never allowed to handle any horse on the yard without a chifney, but half would play up with it in their mouths. Any differcult horse iv had, has gone back to basic ground work and to gain partnership between horse and owner and once sorted no need for chifneys.
 
Twizzel said:
Hey stranger!! We have a chifney too hanging around the yard, they can be such useful things, half a ton of horse is not funny when it's being naughty when led!!
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Hey you :) looking good!
How are you? I hear you're doing good things x

Have NEVER had to use one before but my little monster is just a moose at the moment, he actually loves chewing things so he seems to quite enjoy having something in his mouth, it saves the leadrope getting soggy. He tends to be so focused now on chewing that he forgets to be a monster. Still Mr Nutcracker the Vet is out on thursday so the main 2 causes of his little git behaviour :) Then Eb's can move in with him for company. :)
 
Could I ask how old the youngsters you are using them on?

The reason I'm asking is because your colt sounds like a filly we have on the yard and I never even thought about one, problem is she has the longest legs ever and by god if she can't get you with the front ones she'll spin and double barrel you. But I wonder if she is too young at 16 months?
 
shysmum said:
chifneys are only as good as the people who use them - if you don't know what you're doing, don't use one, if you do, use it, imho.
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^^^^^ agreed.

There is a time and a place for using chiffneys. Lucy had to be led in one because she knew her own strength. :( I tried everything else you could possably think of first. (even had two big blokes piller rein her but even they had to let go :( :() In the end we desided to use a chiffney after she got away from me while being turned out, ran across a MAIN ROAD, across several fields and down twords a LIVE RAILWAY LINE, we eventualy found her over a mile away in someones garden. :( I never wanted to go through that again or put so many other peoples lives in danger so from that day on she was always led in a chiffney. Even in a chiffney she was no saint but it was harder for her to get away from me.
They arn't as scary as you think as long as you use them properly :)
 
lochpearl said:
Could I ask how old the youngsters you are using them on?

The reason I'm asking is because your colt sounds like a filly we have on the yard and I never even thought about one, problem is she has the longest legs ever and by god if she can't get you with the front ones she'll spin and double barrel you. But I wonder if she is too young at 16 months?
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My man is 16 1/2 months old, and have been using it for 1 monthI personally think that it is far better to use something that you know will work and work effectively in such a situation than take the long route and risk getting hurt (obviously with care and the correct approach). I have been lucky in that he seems more content now that he is focusing on chewing something in his mouth, and he as yet has not tried any of his 'naughty beaviour' since I have been using it. If I had have taken the 'longer route' I think with this boy it would have become a game and habit, 'oooh this is where we get to play rear and have fun!' I do not feel yet that I would be happy to lead him without it, but since the mere fact that he is playing with it in his mouth is diversion enough from the old game of 'rear, paw, etc.' I will be looking to stop using it in a couple of months and seeing if a standard bit will have the same effect. It is hi jinx with him, I only have to use a bit of pressure with it, and only when I want to turn him out in the field (bless him, he would rather stay with me than go out!)

It has in this case been a godsend, it has nipped a problem in the bud instantly, thus it has not become habit and I am sure very quickly he will forget to do it (no doubt he will throw something else at me in the future).
 
queenbee said:
... on my little angel!

Well what did I expect? My little man was a saint in every way for the first 9 months! then he got colt fever! He would still come over a 30 acre field if I called, let me put a headcollar on him, but then he didn't like being led (he would follow me wherever, but not be led!) he tried cow kicking and developed a penchant for rearing (only in fun!)

I have been around horses for many years and handled some sods but I was petrified of using a chiffney, so scared I would do it wrong and hurt him. I am absolutely amazed at the difference. He will lead everywhere now, I only have to use it when he has got out with the cows and gets himself all frisky!

Sorry, pointless post, but felt proud of myself :)
Click to expand...

Like most gadgets and aids - used in the right hands at the right time (and not over used) they are great!
 
I used one on a horse that wouldn't load. He would drag me off the ramp and run. He wasn't scared he was being a ***** as he would only go in when it suited HIM..... I put a chifney over his headcollar and had two ropes. I let him in the chifney and let him know it was there and then walked him up the ramp. He went straight in. I continued to use the chifney to get him to load as travelling anywhere was becoming a problem especially on the way home as you can imagine.

I can now load him without the chifney, first of all I just put it on and led him with the headcollar just to see if he would load. He did. I now don't need it but it comes with me if I travel him just incase.
 
so we only got one post saying that using an aid was baaad... !

agree, chiffney are very useful at times and its utter rubbish to dictate you should be taking the long route when you are dealing with a large and potentially dangerous animal. Anyone who has been on the thick end of a horse taking the mick about being turned out will not be thinking about anything other then ensuring their safety!

Just a thought Queenbee on the chewing stage - mine still does this (aged 10) so absolutely nothing can ever be left in reach (makes tacking up interesting as we have a fight to stop reins/breastplate/noseband being chewed) so he is always tied up with a long rein which has a chain at the top. He happily plays with that and saves me a fortune in replacement lead ropes.
 
aaarrrrgghh! I hope he isn't still doing it at 10 the little mite, but thanks for the tip :)
He currently has footballs tyres and tub trygs in his field to play with/chew, that came about after we saw him nibbling on an industial electical cable *Kentucky Fried Foaly!* so we sectioned it off and brought in toys, he loves them and play rears at them when he goes in the field ;)
 
I have to use a chifney on my horse to turn him and our from the field, as he trick i na head collar is to pull away and then try and kick you once flooring me by getting me in the back and another time he got my arm and broke it, i also have to use it for loading as if he hasnt got it on he wont load whereas when hes got it on he walks up the ramp
 
queenbee said:
My man is 16 1/2 months old, and have been using it for 1 monthI personally think that it is far better to use something that you know will work and work effectively in such a situation than take the long route and risk getting hurt (obviously with care and the correct approach). I have been lucky in that he seems more content now that he is focusing on chewing something in his mouth, and he as yet has not tried any of his 'naughty beaviour' since I have been using it. If I had have taken the 'longer route' I think with this boy it would have become a game and habit, 'oooh this is where we get to play rear and have fun!' I do not feel yet that I would be happy to lead him without it, but since the mere fact that he is playing with it in his mouth is diversion enough from the old game of 'rear, paw, etc.' I will be looking to stop using it in a couple of months and seeing if a standard bit will have the same effect. It is hi jinx with him, I only have to use a bit of pressure with it, and only when I want to turn him out in the field (bless him, he would rather stay with me than go out!)

It has in this case been a godsend, it has nipped a problem in the bud instantly, thus it has not become habit and I am sure very quickly he will forget to do it (no doubt he will throw something else at me in the future).
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Thanks for the answer, tbh I am all for them. I would also love to use one on this Filly but her owner is a wimp, the horse got free on one of it's episodes in the school - it was being walked around in hand and it flipped, the handler had to let go as it had managed to get the lunge line in between it's legs, this was as she was rearing and lashing out with her fronts and then tried to double barrel when she couldn't reach, handler let go, Filly ran to owner for 'safety' owner jumped over the gate of the school away from Filly. Filly is getting too big and bold and is pretty much ruined now. God knows what she will be like when she is fully grown!!
 
My stallion had a chiffney used on him for 3 years. In the past month (he is 6 now), his manners have improved 150% and we are working him back into a head collar. He still has respect which is good - but personally I do feel a little nervous bringing him in/out in just the head collar!

He is quite funny with the head collar though, he keeps looking for the bit so you have to give him the rope to chew otherwise you won't get the headcollar on him!
 
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