Stall chain - Safe or not?

[vicm2509]

Would you leave a horse with a stall chain across the door and the stable door open?

I am not talking over night or anything, just during the day when there are lots of other liveries about, maybe in the summer if horse was in for a few hours and you had to pop home for your lunch, or take another horse for a hack.

Or are they designed for extra security, perhaps if you have a horse that is an escape artist?

Please reply as if the horse in question was normally sensible (obviously they are always unpredictable), to big to get under it and quite happy to be stabled and never tries to walk out of a wide open door without a chain unless you ask it to, or there is food (VERY greedy horsey).

 

[JessPickle]

I personally wouldn't feel happy too despite pickle being perfectly happy in a stable, I just think if any food came just out of reach or he spooked at something it could become dangerous.

 

[TinselRider]

I personally would'nt but then mine has a habit of crawling underneath them and you never know if anyhting will spook the horse causing it to try and run out

 

[Tia]

All my looseboxes in England had stable chains, and all of my liveries used them, as did I. My stableyards were all fenced in so wouldn't have been a big deal if any horses had managed to escape. I actually really like them to have a good air flow going through the stables. I always closed doors properly at night time though.

 

[baleofhay]

Fitted nice new one for mine the other day and she walked out like it was not even there breaking door surround on her way!

 

[vicm2509]

Would it make any difference if it was one of those web stall guards or would your opinions still be the same?

I am playing with the idea, but to be honest my thoughts have been the same as yours so have not got one yet. Just wondered if I was being over causious, or if everyone had the same opinion on them.

There are quite a few on our yard with them you see.

 

[vicm2509]

[ QUOTE ]
All my looseboxes in England had stable chains, and all of my liveries used them, as did I. My stableyards were all fenced in so wouldn't have been a big deal if any horses had managed to escape. I actually really like them to have a good air flow going through the stables. I always closed doors properly at night time though.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was my reason for wanting one

 

[Tia]

I had the webbing ones first before buying the chains. The webbing ones broke. The chains ones were still in good order and moved over here with me when we sold up.

 

[Tierra]

My horse had ONLY a chain across his stable door in the UK

He was the only horse my trainer trusted in that box as all the others had doors. I never had any problems with it (but tbh, my horse is a real stable boy) but it did make me nervous sometimes.

As Tia said, it meant the stable was airy and light but you do have to think about what happens if they either try to hop over or limbo under

 

[Irishcobs]

We use these in the summer.

They are attached to baler twine so will break if horse decides to get caught up. Not had any problems with them but we only use them with the old boys who are quiet in the stable.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

not with my horse personally as i dont think she would 'get it' as a barrier/door and would do herself an injury, not worth the risk, but i think some horses understand them perfectly well

 

[FinellaGlen]

We have them at my yard and all the doors are left open for part of the day, depending on what is going on in the school. There are gates at each end of the row of stables though so an escaping horse wouldn't get very far. My pony is only little so I think she prefers the chain to having to peer over the door!

I have just remembered that she was really keen to go out for a hack a few weeks ago and as I went out of her stable to get my hat, ducking under the chain as I went, she tried to follow me and sort of pinged back on the rubber covered chain. She looked a bit surprised but I admired her keeness!

 

[merlinsquest]

I wont use one of these as it gives Merlin that little extra leaning space to reach all those things that he shouldnt have.

At the last yard we all had our stuff outside the stables, I had a tower of drawers and returned to find most of it either eaten or spread around the stable.

He is like a hamster and drags everything back into the stable to play with. I cant even hang rugs up within reach

 

[dwi]

I wouldn't use one on a DIY yard if I wasn't about because I don't think its fair on other people if your horse escapes. I've known several horses that were "normally" well behaved to suddenly take it on themselves to barge out snapping the chain. Personally I would only use one for a horse that was an escape artist when you open the door but then I won't stand for that, I expect my horse to move back before I come in

 

[JC1]

I've got a chain across my horses stable. When I first had him if you opened the door he would just walk out over the top of you. He's big and bolshy and never went at more than a walk, but unfortunately at some point i his life he's realised how big he is!

I got one of the rubber covered ones first so that I could open the door and not worry about him coming out. That lasted about two pushes against it and he broke it. Got my dad to get me some proper chain and now he has learnt that it doesn't go anywhere he doesn't even push against it. He can now stand quite happily with the door open, but only ever if I'm there.

 

[Sunny_Star]

My horse is really well behaved, and we wanted to give his stable good ventialtion as someone mentioned above, but he he's taken it upon himself to break every single chain I've put up!!
Put up a chain covered in rubber, he broke that. Then put up a webbed one, he broke that. Then bought a different webbed one, he broke that too! I think it's because our stables are set around a large square grass area, so he can see grass all the time and it's just too tempting for him!
Have given up with it now...

 

[Abbeygale]

I have these on all my stables - but don't often leave the horses for very long with the doors open with the chains across. My mare I have now is fine with the chain and she has never come out under it - but my old mare would slip out under neath it as soon as my back was turned.

They are really handy while I am out and about on the yard .

 

[samuelhorse]

stall chains, the ones with the rubber outer, dont have chain running the length of them, as i found out when my boy pushed against it with his chest and popped it!!!

Then worked out he could limbo under a chain - if he bent down just a little, rolled it over his withers he could be off quicker than a rat up a drainpipe!!!

Ive resorted to a bar of wood hrough two brackets and he KNOWS he cant break that (he tried at a fair old 'run' from the back of the stable and 'bounced' off it!

Dont think i could trust them to leave horsey alone - but there again mine isnt a 'normal' horsey!

 

[arwenplusone]

[ QUOTE ]
Fitted nice new one for mine the other day and she walked out like it was not even there breaking door surround on her way!

[/ QUOTE ]

I also did this once. Gave up after that!

 

[CrazyMare]

I use one, whenever I'm on the yard its on, plus during the summer my girl comes in during the day, so she has her chain on then. She is loved by my YO and his son, who put the door on the chain if I left it closed and they are working near her.

The gelding I ride has his on for short periods of time, but he is a little too playful with things, but he is learning quickly

 

[jes_nibley]

I've always worked with horses with them. My wee welsh A has to have a filled web one as he paws at it but most bigger horses are ok.

I wouldn't leave them unattended though, only when I'm there or on a busy yard during the daytime.

They're great in the summer when it's really hot as the stables can get quite stuffy.

 

[buzzles]

I've used them with no problems. The ponies all have chains or a slip rail across the doorway all the time and are all fine, although the yard is kept closed and feed room always shut so if they do ever escape they just potter around the yard. The horses have them aswell and are great in the summer for ventilation but I do close the doors at night. One of them kicks the door so he has a chain all the time and the yard's alot quieter!

 

[BigRed]

I use one for my horse, I only have 2 horses at my home. I have never had any problems and used them for many years.

HOWEVER. My horse dentist told me that they are dangerous because bored horses play with the chain and he knew a gelding that hooked a tooth onto the chain and ripped the tooth out in a panic.

I guess there will always be accidents...

 

[Doublethyme]

I'm a bad owner as my mare has one (the single rubber coated chain variety) and her door is open ALL the time when I am on the yard and I often leave it open when I'm not around and she has to be in for some reason, even if the yard is empty - we do have a completely enclosed yard though. A lot of the horses have them on our yard.

She has never broken one yet and has had them since I first had her as a 4 year old. Never had a problem, my sister's gelding is the same, he has one too and never escapes.

My nieces' little 4 year old NFxcoloured cob though is a different matter - he is a monkey and either gets over or under or through anything you put across his door and we don't leave him with it across and open at all!!!

Does depend on the horse, but I do think you can teach most (not all) horses to respect them and they are nicer for them than having the door shut all the time.