Using a Chifney

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BigBird146

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My horse is a pretty bad loader (goes on, eventually, but tries every trick in the book to make me give up before he does). I'm taking him to a pleasure ride on Sunday and am worried as the last time it took me 1.5 hours to load him after and I felt like I'd been through a mangle as he developed, refined and perfected a new evasion technique of rearing. So I bought a chifney, but am nervous of using it as I've never used one before. I only intend using it on him if he starts to take the p*** and get dangerous again.
Any advise on how to use it safely please as I've never used one before (I know they can do damage in the wrong hands).
Thanks.
 
Have never had to use one before but you cant tie up in it so will have to take it of once he is in. Have you tried loading him in a bridle? they can work well?
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they do have their uses, have you tried a natural horsemanship halter? They are very good, I used them when my youngsters got a bit bolshy!
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I use a chifney to load Mac as he has a habit of rearing when half way up the ramp if he decides he doesn't want to go on! Took us 2 hours after a pleasure ride a couple of years ago, He was in a bridle at the time.

When Mac has his in, he very rarely plays up, so can't really do any damage. Just make sure you hold him firmly, don't jerk or yank at him.
 
I use a chifney to load my boy.. now he hardly takes any pressure of it to make him load.
He use to be a right pain, once i just had to hack home for about 2 hours cos we couldn't get him to load at all. He's travelled all over (ex-racer)... so it's not like he's never travelled!!

When you use it, clip it onto the headcollar ring aswell, it doesn't move as much then.
 
Yay someone who wants to use something for its intended use. Chifneys are for horses that rear so i don't see the problem with you using one, just teach him to lead in it first, don't just whack it on for loading and remember to realease the pressure as soon as he yeilds as it is potentially very harsh. Otherwise, good luck!
 
I like the good old fashion chifney, always have one in my horsebox "just incase". My 5yo had to be led everywhere in it until recently (he was cut at a 4yo and my mare made him a bit excitable)
Was disgusted to see a pony ties up in one the other week.

Also great for load are the "Be Nice" halters
 
I do use a rope halter (natural horsmanship one) but to be honest he has become somewhat de-sensitised to it and I'm worried he'll damage his poll area if he keeps yanking back/ rearing up against it.
I haven't tried to load him in a regular bridle, as I've been using the halter and have a headcollar on as well for tying him up once in the trailer. Might try this as I could leave that on him in the trailer then.
I'm just not sure how far you should let the chifney rotate if you know what I mean. If he pulls right back with it in surely the bottom ring will come round in front of his teeth/ lips... is this dangerous? Was going to use a lead rope on the chifney and put one on the headcollar and only use the chifney one to hold him if he goes back or up.... does this sound sensible?
 
That's exactly what I do- have the headcollar on as normal, then chiffney over the top with separate leadrope. This way, I can use the headcollar for asking forwards etc and the chiffney only comes into play if she goes backwards/upwards!

I made the mistake of trying a bridle one time and the second she figured out it wasn't the chiffney she went right up and over.
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With the chiffney in her rears are only tiny and I don't have to be strong with it at all.

My mare isn't scared of loading, just stubborn! She'll happily stand all day with her two front feet on but the minute you apply pressure for more, she's up and backwards.
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What's worked with her is two lunge lines around her bottom (still with chiffney in to prevent the rearing), she goes in much quicker this way. Have you tried this method at all?
 
Just a word of caution if you decide to use a regular bridle.

If it has a single link snaffle in it, when you lead from the ground, the bit is driven up into the roof of the horse's mouth. Not a problem if the horse leads and follows easily, but can exacerbate the problem when a horse pulls back or rears.
 
I would use a chifney and do use one with my ID, he is big and if he backs off when loading he will go up. There is a lot of him and he is always going to be stronger than me. Lately I havent had to bother as he has been going with friends but I never travel without one! - I also have to use it if he is lead around at shows as he will just p*ss off sometimes!!

A chifney has got to be better doing its job in less than a minute than battling with some natural thing or bridle for hours....
 
I use a chifney on my cob; I put it over the top of his head collar. But I have a short lead rope attatched to the chifney, if he does get away from me ( and he has!) he can't stand on the long rope and break his jaw!
 
I have used a chifney in the past with success, I have also used pressure halters with success. Both however need to be used to train the horse to listen to them before trying to load in them.

Be gentle with the Chifney - I have seen the damage that a stable lad fighting to load a racehorse did to its mouth and tongue and it was not pleasant.

Similary I have heard of horses going over backwards with pressure halters when they are not used carefully as horses are into pressure animals to excess pressure on their poll will only encourage them to keep going into it and on over if it is not released.

Good luck with what ever you decide.
 
yes chifneys have there time and place but if you haven't used one before be very careful especially if your horse maybe difficult.
Chifneys can cause a lot of damage to the horses mouth and can easily break their jaw! personally i use pressure halters a lot and with preperation and ground traning very effective long term (i its not working something isn't being done right!!) with tricky loaders there are lots of books, dvds and trainers that can help with pressure halters and loading.
gd luck
 
I use a chifney every time i load my cob, I pop it on over her headcollar and just take it off when she is in, she will stand all day long with her front feet on the ramp and as soon as you take a pull on the headcollar up she goes!!, it used to take me about an hour to load with lots of stress now its about ten mins I dont rush her I let her have a look and stand on the ramp, we normally have a mini strop because she is so stubborn and likes to do things in her own time and not mine.
 
I also had a mare that used to seriously rear when trying to load her (she once bent the ramp out of shape and it would not close!!!), and a chifney was the only thing that helped.
 
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