Anyone here ever use them?

I've seen them run over the horses nose, under the horses chin, and even in their mouth.

I work with a gelding that tries to walk over you and I am looking at a way to get him to slow down.

I've tried letting him bump into my elbows, but it's tough on both of us.

What are your thoughts?

BH63

They give more control, for sure and certain.

can be a good tool, through the lip can be very rough farrier uses that on some of his race horses but he said generally it is a move that uses 2 fingers on the chain on average for him

I don’t use them. My current primary horse used to try and run me over. Every time he got closer to me than I wanted we stopped and backed up. This is a repetitive process but the horse will soon learn where you want them to walk. All my horses stay a respectful distance behind me and will now stop and backup with a slack rope. I used to have an old stud horse where previous owners used a stud chain on him. He hated it. He would fight and fight against the chain. After a couple of days with just a rope halter backing him up when he walked to fast or got too close I could lead him anywhere on a slack rope with zero issues.

quote:

Originally posted by Eagle Dad:
I don’t use them. My current primary horse used to try and run me over. Every time he got closer to me than I wanted we stopped and backed up. This is a repetitive process but the horse will soon learn where you want them to walk. All my horses stay a respectful distance behind me and will now stop and backup with a slack rope. I used to have an old stud horse where previous owners used a stud chain on him. He hated it. He would fight and fight against the chain. After a couple of days with just a rope halter backing him up when he walked to fast or got too close I could lead him anywhere on a slack rope with zero issues.

That is a good way to train a horse, but some are just mean and or unruly, making more control nessecary, most are trainable some are just tough to control.

I think I will try the whoa and backup first.

I hate to use any more force than necessary, because often it comes back in some type of negative behavior.

Thanks.

BH63

When I have a horse that doesn't know how to walk on a lead line I will carry a short buggy whip. If he begins to push me or gets to far forward I will gently tap his knees and this usually backs him up and correct his behavior.

You don't need to wave the whip around or hit him hard. Just carry it low with your free hand and tap his legs with it. The idea isn't to get the horse to freak out with a whip waving around. Its to get him to pay attention. trust me...you don't need to use a lot of force here. Horses hate things messing with their legs. All it takes is a series of light taps on his front legs--wrist action basically.

A couple of weeks walking the horse out to the pasture from the barn like this twice a day should improve his manners. Consistency is the key and don't let him get away with it after he knows better. Some horses will require a tune up in this regard from time to time.

Good advice. Thanks.

BH63

First thing you do is teach a horse to back up..then if they push on you back them up a little. Patience is needed and the horse learns from repetition and he is looking for safe place..

HAIL THE HORSES OF THE NATIONS, HEAR THE STORIES OF THEM TOLD, HOW THEY,VE CARRIED kINGDOMS ARMIES, HOW THEY,VE WON OLIMPIC GOLD....ONE THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON;THEIR STORIES ALL BEGIN WITH ONE YOU SELDOM HEAR ABOUT: THE BREAKER IN THE PEN..

All good horses came from that first 120 days when some person knew his business and did it right..The others were ruined by a lack of understanding..I don't use brain chains, never had the need of one. Ky Nemrod has a good approach, a whip used properly is a great training aid..used improperly will set a program back several months for sure and maybe forever..

My approach is usually its sometimes easier for me to change than make the horse change.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
First thing you do is teach a horse to back up..then if they push on you back them up a little. Patience is needed and the horse learns from repetition and he is looking for safe place..

HAIL THE HORSES OF THE NATIONS, HEAR THE STORIES OF THEM TOLD, HOW THEY,VE CARRIED kINGDOMS ARMIES, HOW THEY,VE WON OLIMPIC GOLD....ONE THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON;THEIR STORIES ALL BEGIN WITH ONE YOU SELDOM HEAR ABOUT: THE BREAKER IN THE PEN..

All good horses came from that first 120 days when some person knew his business and did it right..The others were ruined by a lack of understanding..

I use rope halters for this with knots across the nose, to teach respect. With most this is all that is needed unless they are amped up for some reason.

^
I am a big fan of using rope halters for starting horses or for retraining horses who have lost their way.

BH63

Brain chains have a place and that's on the race track to control those half broke horses..

Ive taken horses off the track and made barrel an pole horses out of them and even a few rope horses and some good ranch horses, but its not something I like to do, a horse likes to do best what he leaned to do first, changing that is a chore....It can be done, don't misinterpret me on this but its a tough job, like a spoiled pasture pet it can be a fight..One thing Im prett sure of is when someone asks me why their horse is a pain, I tell them probably a fight you started..most problems are man caused for sure because a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.