stud chains

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A couple of other things I have learned about using stud chains. I have found that using the chain under the chin and attaching it to the upper halter ring on the off side tends to keep the halter straighter on the horse's head. I have been known to use one just for that reason. Of course, it isn't the chain itself but the manner of attachment that does this.

Also, be very careful using the chain under the chin when the horse is teething (e.g. 3 year olds)! That area can get pretty sore and just the feel of the chain might make them rear.
 
Chains under the chin can cause any horse to rear
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I don't recommend it unless the chain is for show.
 
. Every English horseperson puts a chain over the nose and I've never seen a horse yet with a mark on it. Just struck me as odd that's all.
I beg to differ. I have never seen nor used a chain on any of our warmbloods. Not for training, breeding, leading or day to day handling.

I would not feel any need to use one on a mini/pony nor would I ever choose to use one for any type of performance training.

I understand the purpose of them and do not see them as cruel however I do not see them as a necessity in the mini/pony world. I have yet to see a trainer who makes use of this as a daily tool or aid in the mini/pony show barn.

That is not to say there is a occasional horse who may need one as a reminder every now and then.
 
My daughter, Makayla,uses a chain in jumping classes with Belle. Belle often times gets overzealous when she jumps. With each jump she gets stronger and faster. By the last jump Makayla is desperately trying to keep up with her. When we put a chain under Belle's chin she knows not to pull and to do the jumps at an even pace. Makayla doesn't pull or yank on the chain. She just uses it as an aide to tell Belle that she is in control. I think when you have an animal that is 3 times heavier than a person you sometimes need something to show you are in control. Like a big horse using a bit. BUT like a bit, it needs to be used correctly and with respect.
 
I used stud chains on unrully "Big Horses" but there is just not a mini I have met yet that I have need for that much control. Also, I have a natural horsemanship halter that I will use in training if they don't want to listen. It doesn't take long before they don't need that form of controll. It is the same with the "lip clip" . I start trimming feet and if they don't want to stand I put a lip clip on. After 1 foot I take it off. If they don't want to stand the clip goes back on. I do the on/off thing until they figure out they need to just stand still. I prefer my horses are trained rather than use harsh aids all the time.
 
I use a stud chain when training for halter obstacle. I think my horse gets the cues easier and with less effort with it. I don't have to hardly use it, it just sends the signal in a quieter fashion. Sometimes I will use it for halter training, just so they don't freak out when they get one on at a show.
 
The ONLY time our full sized stallion ever saw a chain was over the nose while breeding, or under the chin on a show halter in the ring... otherwise, he never needed one, ever. He would wait also, while you were putting his halter on, to see if the chain was there and see if it was going over his nose (Oh boy, it's breeding day!!) and he would arch his neck, cause he knew, but he never misbehaved and using the actual chain to get his attention was never needed.

For the Minis, I have never used one except on a show halter.... that's it.

I have used one, while teaching a couple of VERY bad horses to load in a trailer over the years. There is a proper way to use one, and it didnt take long, while remaining calm and talking to them quietly.. to get them to load with no problem. It is just that- an aide, not a weapon.

I have seen some horrible things from people using stud chains... even people TYING the horse up with one!!! OMG! :stupid

For someone who uses one every time they take a horse from point A to B, I would re-evaluate exactly WHY they think they need one, and perhaps review some training techniques, their own abilities and confidence, etc....
 
I don't like them! When I was attending an equestrian school they had us use stud chains on most of the horses
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From what I witnessed and experienced myself, they just made the horse act up even more. I'm sure if used correctly they can be beneficial but in my case most of the students, including myself did not know how and when to correctly use one. The result was a lot of REARING horses
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By ALOT I mean on any given day I would see at least 3 horses rearing up in people's faces. They get used to that thing hitting their nose and so they go up automatically. Unfortunately I even saw them being used in a few horses mouths
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"A scalpel in the hands of a doctor is a wonderful thing. But give a monkey a scalpel and .....
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"


I do not (and WILL not) use a stud chain on my horses for the one reason that I am still .... what you might call ... a monkey!! I used one once when my yearling was still a stallion and we were having some serious leading issues. Stud chain was put on over nose. Monkey forgot to wrap chain around halter noseband. Chain fell under stud colt's chin. Stud colt pulled the living daylights out of Monkey to get to grass. Stud colt while grazing put front foot through stud chain! Monkey dives for chain to grab it, but not in time. Stud colt finds leg attatched to face, rears, and flips over backwards in Monkey's driveway. Our very very smart and common-sense-using Monkey friend - instead of unclipping the chain that is on upside down horse's leg - take the entire halter off and proceeds to watch stud colt run around lawn with stud chain on leg. Monkey catches stud colt by the mane and leads back to stall.
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You know where that chain is now?

Holding the now gelding's stall door shut.
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...Anyway! If you know how to properly use one, and don't use it every single time the horse is handled, I don't see a problem. But I can almost certainly say you all probably will have better success than I did!!!! LOL
 
Yes I have used stud chains. DunIT went through a stage where that was a good tool. Under the chin. NEVER NEVER NEVER over the nose. Didn't have to use it really that many times but got the message through and it came in handy.

NEVER over the nose on a mini. You can really hurt them, yes. But if I use a chain on a big horse it's ALWAYS over the nose. As Nathan said, a chain under the chin can cause a horse to go up (and over). As I said, it's really a case of which discipline you're in. You'll almost never see an English rider put a chain anywhere other than over the nose. Conversely, you probably don't see too many Western riders putting chains anywhere other than under the chin.
 
. Every English horseperson puts a chain over the nose and I've never seen a horse yet with a mark on it. Just struck me as odd that's all.
I beg to differ. I have never seen nor used a chain on any of our warmbloods. Not for training, breeding, leading or day to day handling.

I would not feel any need to use one on a mini/pony nor would I ever choose to use one for any type of performance training.

I understand the purpose of them and do not see them as cruel however I do not see them as a necessity in the mini/pony world. I have yet to see a trainer who makes use of this as a daily tool or aid in the mini/pony show barn.

That is not to say there is a occasional horse who may need one as a reminder every now and then.

LOL. Sorry. I'll clarify. I'm not saying that EVERY English horse person uses a chain on horses. I'm saying that, when a chain is used, it goes over the nose.
 

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