what are your views on the chifney bit?

I think they're necessary for some horses, and as long as you're aware of what they can do and take necessary precautions, then its fine. Luckily I've never had to handle anything that needed one. Though I did use a german hackamore on a horse I had and got a lot of stick for it.
 
I agree with them if used correctly and in the right situations. At work we use them on most the stallions and any mares that may cause injury for them being strong/dangerous. As i work on a commercial stud yard i think it's necessary to help the safety of the handler, especially during the stud season.
 
AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
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How rude !!!
My old 17.2 boy came to me as a rearer who boxed down on you. It was nothing to do with how I handled him he was bought with them behaviours already installed. I tried all sorts but he was plain dangerous to lead so a chifney was my godsend. It stopped him from rearing and saved him from being pts as if he would of continued he wod of hurt or killed someone. We used the chimney for 6 months every time he was lead near a feild or to and from, after that we never needed it again for him.
 
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AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
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What a lovely ideal world you live in. Using a chifney on my pony means my YO and her staff can bring him in safely and quickly so it doesn't disrupt their busy day - they are paid to bring pony in, not to school him for me. I work full time, by the time I get home from work it's dark. MY pony only plays about coming in, not going out. In the school he will do in-hand work, back between poles, walk over tarpaulin, let me put the tarpaulin on his head etc. etc. Ideally I would do some in-hand work on the way in from the field: stop, start, back up, stand still etc. but since it's pitch blck, no lighting when I get back from work added to about 8 inches of boggy mud I don't fancy that as an option. Pony moved fields last weekend to one further away which is when he started playing up, this week YO and staff have brought him in in the chifney - he has come in like a lamb. Not entirely sure what the problem is with using it to get the desired, safe, response fro everyone concerned.
 
AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
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Well, what would you suggest in this example then. My mare is very sweet and lovely to handle but hates the vet, do I let my poor vet get crushed and possible really hurt while my mare creates havoc in the stable or do I put a chiffney on her so she stands quietly for injections and neither are at the risk of being hurt?

Why is there always someone who thinks they know better...
 
Sorry but I'm not a fan! Each to their own and everything but I feel that a chiffney works using pain: a horse reacts and the chiffney digs into the tongue and bars of the mouth I feel that you are conditioning a horse to think metal in the mouth = pain!

I do understand however that we all inherit different problems and behaviours that need to be safely managed, I use a be nice halter which I actually call my miracle headcollar! The reason it works so well is that it releases as soon as the horse relaxes and isn't pressure release the way we aim to train our horses in all aspects or their education?

As I said though each to their own!
 
AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but what a ridiculous comment! I have to lead my horse across a road to get to his field, not to mention he gets strong and on his toes when being led back. He's in a new home so it's all obviously different to him. I would rather use a chiffney to keep control and ensure his/ mine/ passerbys/ drivers safety then not use it!

Oh and you don't have to have a 'dangerous' horse to use a chiffney :mad:

Atleast owners are taking responsibility by using one!
 
Iv never used one but would if needed to rather be alive than dead i agree in ideal world we never should but we all know that doesnt happen.
 
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.

And, before anyone accuses me of living in an ideal world, I worked for many years with all sorts of horses, from show hunters through to TB and other stallions and breaking and schooling as well as SJ and eventing. So I do know what I am talking about.
 
I've never used one on any of my own horses, but when I was working for an eventer, she had a stallion that was a right handful, pop in the chifney and he would turn into a calmer, more controllable horse. If he got het up, you literally had to shake the bit gently in his mouth and he would stay by your side, admittedly bouncing to go into the field, but wouldn't try and drag you to other horses etc. One of the other grooms told me that when he came, they put him in a headcollar and he was uncontrollable, would just pull until he was loose.
 
There is nothing whatsoever that would make a chifney break a horse's jaw any more than any other bit in the wrong hands. In fact being such thin wire, with no joint, I think it would probably be more difficult with a chifney

Very useful as a loading tool for horses that rear away from the ramp. I have one who every now and then will ignore his training and decide that today, for the first time in three months, he has separation anxiety. In a headcollar he will pick me up and take me where he wants to go. In a chifney he does not even try and I don't even touch his mouth - where's the harm?
 
Ladyinred said:
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.

And, before anyone accuses me of living in an ideal world, I worked for many years with all sorts of horses, from show hunters through to TB and other stallions and breaking and schooling as well as SJ and eventing. So I do know what I am talking about.
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Clearly you don't, what a load of rubbish!!!
Alot of owners don't own their horses from day 1 so your point about "upbringing" is void. A high percentage of owners buy thier horses when they are broken and they often come with bad and good habits. If a horse needs a chifney to be turned out to prevent it getting away etc then do you not think that is much safer that the horse being hit by a car (which of course you may be held responsible for)??
If you think that a chifney can only cause harm then i would query the way you handle horses and use equipment.
Perhaps the people who go to the riding school every week already know this and you might get something out of joining them.
Q
 
When I first got my mare, she was an absolute nightmare to lead. Rearing, spinning around, generally being a t*t and other horse friends advised a Chifney. I really didn't want to go up that route as she had a sensitive mouth (she is now ridden bitless) and decided on trying the Dually instead inconjunction with daily ground work lessons. She came good in the end. A pushy/bolshy/bargy horse is a potential danger to the handler & others around & I can understand why people would reach for the Chifney, but there are alternatives if one is willing to pursue them.:)
 
Ladyinred said:
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.

And, before anyone accuses me of living in an ideal world, I worked for many years with all sorts of horses, from show hunters through to TB and other stallions and breaking and schooling as well as SJ and eventing. So I do know what I am talking about.
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So how come racehorses have to be led round with them on at the racecourse by very experienced people?

I don't use one myself, but if i had a horse which required one i would rather use one than risk an accident occuring because a horse escaped by running off inhand.
 
My daughters old TB was a big bolshy boy who would get excited and rear being turned out. An experienced person suggest a chifney and we were horrified - held out agaisnt it for ages. One day after box rest he was really scarey and she popped the chifney in - he never looked back after that. He was turned out in it daily for months and brought in in a head collar as normal. Eventually he only needed the chifney if he had been boxrested, it was very windy or if I was leading him (I am very short and he could barge me with his shoulder and knew it). He was not a badly trained horse, he was loving and affectionate and he was like that when we bought him from a well known eventer when he was 4. He was just a big bargy excitable TB who was intelligent enough to know how to get the better of people. The man we bought him off loaded and turned him out in a bridle so it was not just us who had a problem. Interestingly he always loaded like an angel in a headcollar for us - it was just walking to the field that was a problem.
 
AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
Click to expand...

Another parelli dually fluffy bunny by any chance?
I use chifneys, gags, spurs, draw reins, standing martingales and two reins on horses. I must be one of the most evil people going- but my horses are all happy...
 
Ladyinred said:
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.

And, before anyone accuses me of living in an ideal world, I worked for many years with all sorts of horses, from show hunters through to TB and other stallions and breaking and schooling as well as SJ and eventing. So I do know what I am talking about.
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Lol that gave me the biggest giggle as I said in my other post my horse was 17.2 who reared and boxed down on the handler he was SOLD TO ME like that if it was not for a few months in a chiffney I would have had to pts as he was going to hurt or kill someone.
Oh and a top Eventer advised that he would only handle him in a chifney and I was a idiot and that's the polite way of phrasing how he said it if I did not invest in one for him. I did and saved him being pts and could then be led in a headcoller 6 months later as safe as anything.
 
we have a big perchoin (sp) horse on our yard who if is difficult to handle and just loosses the plot. As we hve children on the yard and other horses/people it is led in a chifney. Safer for all and her. I have led my mare in a chifney with a headcollar. i think it is the safe and responsible thing to do if the horse is arsing up. Nothing to do with dangerous horses- my mare is as sweet as pie normally but as with all horses can get excited if she wants to.
 
I think some people need to bear in mind that horses are strong, powerful animals (even the little ponies!). They all have different quirks and if a chiffney is needed to help control and prevent any accidents/ injuries then so be it. Not every horse can be 'trained' out of their quirks and I'd rather see an owner take responsibilty and use a chiffney then watch them being dragged all over the place and have no control over the horse... So long as they are used by an experienced handler then there is nothing wrong with them IMO.
 
Ladyinred said:
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.

And, before anyone accuses me of living in an ideal world, I worked for many years with all sorts of horses, from show hunters through to TB and other stallions and breaking and schooling as well as SJ and eventing. So I do know what I am talking about.
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Sadly Ladyinred, you dont have a bl00dy clue about what you are talking about. You should lead a TB stallion out to cover a mare in anything other than a chifney and see how dangerous that can be for the mare and the handler. Use a chifney once on a horse and they rarely misbehave again. Most people that use this bit do know what they are doing, go and see top studs at Newmarket, I am sure they dont think that they need to go to a riding school! What a rediculous comment. A horses jaw is not made of fine china, it would take a crow bar to break it. The fact that you had to give us your full CV speaks volumes.
 
blazingsaddles said:
When I first got my mare, she was an absolute nightmare to lead. Rearing, spinning around, generally being a t*t and other horse friends advised a Chifney. I really didn't want to go up that route as she had a sensitive mouth (she is now ridden bitless) and decided on trying the Dually instead inconjunction with daily ground work lessons. She came good in the end. A pushy/bolshy/bargy horse is a potential danger to the handler & others around & I can understand why people would reach for the Chifney, but there are alternatives if one is willing to pursue them.:)
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Ditto this. I understand that a lot of horses are harder to handle than others, and may require a bridle or chifney. But like this poster said, there are alternatives as well. One being training.
I once had the prevelage(sarcasm) of taking two connie stallions for two weeks training before their grading. Previously had very little handling.
At the grading, i was able to control them well in the halters they were trained in. Which i didnt think was bad for 2 weeks work lol. Plus they were the only two there not being controlled in a bit. Now im not an amazing horsewoman, so i reckon if someone like me can handle these two in halters surrounded by other stallions, then im pretty sure that others can as well, if the training is put in.
Im not dishing chifneys, but i still reckon if the work was put in to overcome these issues, they hopefully wouldnt be needed.

But thats just my opinion.

Hehe how did i think this would start into a dabate on bits lol.
 
AndySpooner said:
Wow, all these 'dangerous' horses. Sounds like some training all round would be a better solution than yet another harsh piece of tack.
Click to expand...

would not class my horse as dangerous just high spirited coming in from field especially if its windy or getting dark so for his safety,mine and he others on the yard he is turned out brought in with chifney on .On the yard he wears a headcollar when needed, he is a pleasure to do clip etc without headcollar. so dangerous definately not
 
Ladyinred said:
Posting this knowing I am about to get jumped on.

A chifney is for people who have never been taught how to work with horses. No horse in the world NEEDS a chifney if it has had a decent upbringing and is in the hands of an experienced person. They are vicious pieces of equipment, and yes, the other poster was perfectly correct, they can and do break a horses jaw. My OH has seen it, though luckily I haven't. If you 'need' a chifney then you would probably be better off at a riding school once a week, or riding a pushbike that can't be harmed by your actions.
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What a nasty unpleasant comment. As has been said, most of us don't have our horses from birth so buy them with quirks that have been allowed to develop by previous poor handling.

My horse has impeccable ground manners on an everyday basis but will rear if he sees a trailer. Now we use a chifney he loads as quietly as a lamb and travels so quietly you'd think he wasn't in there so he clearly isn't distressed. Much kinder and safer than the alternative.
 
There may be kinder ways, but when you have 2 tonne of stupid animal on the end of a piece of rope, then i'm all for doing whatever it takes to stay safe, my life is far more important than a horse being able to drag me or leap and rear at me because its kinder, in my eyes every yard should have one or two in a place that is easy to find it when the situation arises where its needed.
 
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