Citizen Horse

By Meghan Stanley on Apr 19, 2008 | Reply

I totally disagree. Nose chains are evil. If you want a true bond with your horse you must spend time with it, get to know your horse. If a horse has good manners you should never need discipline.

By KindHorseWoman on Apr 20, 2008 | Reply

I just think if your horse needs a chain over it’s nose all the time then you need to work with it more. No horse should need a chain if its trained good. I would be horrified if I came out to the barn and saw someone walking my horse with a chain over her nose.

By Kat1ek1nz on Apr 20, 2008 | Reply

LOL!!! I work at a barn and we put chains on the stupid horses all the time. Its not because they aren’t well trained, some horses just know its time to go inside and eat or their friend is inside so they are in a big hurry to get to the barn and will walk all over you to get there. I am a big chain user and never think its mean I just don’t want to get trampled.

By Amanda on Apr 20, 2008 | Reply

Nose chains if used properly - aka only when needed do you pull and only a quick pull- are perfectly harmless. You are reminding the horse quickly and effectively that you are still there and still working. Horses just like people sometimes need discipline. If a person or horse never gets discipline, it generally causes bigger problems than not. I do not approve of the use of nose chains with horses that do not need them, but if they do I understand. Most people who think they are evil usually have simply never been around a horse that needs one or have seen them used improperly. Horses do not become headshy, hurt, or upset if chains are used appropraitely and on horses that need them.
To rebutt further the few above, the article seems to be specifically speaking about stablehands/managers having to handle horses at equestrian boarding stables or centers - not their owners. Having worked as a stablehand at quite a few stables, I understand this policy as you generally are required to work long hard hours which include handling several horses during the course of the day. Some horses - well-trained or not - get rather excited, aggressive, agitated, just crazy, etc. during feeding and/or turn out. This is dangerous to both the horse, horses possibly around it, people possibly around and the worker. It is a safety thing for all involved.
Discipline is for safety purposes with horses and others around the horse.

By Christy W on Apr 21, 2008 | Reply

I used to think nose chains were a sign of a poorly trained horse or over-horsed rider…. then I worked at the racetrack for a summer. In a professional context, when you’re dealing with horses that are high strung for one reason or another, it’s just a matter of safety. You have to watch the horse too. If it really scares or upsets them, obviously you’re over-reacting with a nose chain. But for all of the ones we used it on, they noticed it (and their handler) about as much as a fly on their withers.

By ^^horselover^^ on Apr 21, 2008 | Reply

My horse always gets turned out with a chain. My trainer even walks him with a chain. He isn’t bad with a chain on but if the chain isnt over his nose he drags you to eat grass. You never have to jerk on it or anything. I don’t think its mean, but some people at my barn have said that I should work on him being good without a chain.

By Cara on May 14, 2008 | Reply

I use a chain over my 7yr old TB geldings nose every single day going in or out. I rarely need to use it, however when he RAN me over day one getting off the trailer i decided that he needed a chain for a while. Now a days he knows better than to try to run mom over or he’ll get a swift kick to the bum. (once ive gotten up. I truly think the people who believe that you should never use a chain have horses that are dead to the world. Go buy a TB OTT and try doing daily activies with that horse without a chain ever and watch how fast you get hurt. They weigh 1,000 lbs and i weigh 120 - whose going to win that battle? Im pretty sure you’re not and the horse will. So should a chain be there for re inforcement when needed? YES

By Elana on May 23, 2008 | Reply

I always smile to myself when people come out with sweeping generalizations like “chains are evil.” That kind of statement reveals to me the lacking education and experience of the speaker. Try pinning down a top trainer (I mean a real national-level success story, not the “best” guy in your neighborhood) to get them to use the word “never” about ANY tool. It is ignorant to make declarations like “anyone who can’t do X doesn’t have a well-trained horse.” You would NOT want me to turn that same spotlight on your own education or child-rearing, beleive me.

I agree that the most beautiful performance and pleasure comes from a horse who is so trusting of you and so willing to do your bidding that he would follow you through a ring of fire. I understand the romantic fantasy “Natural Horseman-ish” proponents get caught up in. But horses are first animals, and animals obey what they respect. Just as you will never get true brilliance from a horse who is abused and forced into performing, neither will you get the maximum from a horse who thinks he runs the show, or has such apathy for his handler’s leadership skills than he disengages from the “game” of doing your bidding.

Probably the best way to explain how the OTTB people and the QH people don’t see eye to eye is to think about types of people you know and work with. When you are talking to an artist — brilliant but scatterbrained and constantly losing things — do you find yourself wanting to take shake them and say “STOP! FOCUS! CONCENTRATE on what I’m saying to you!” It’s frustrating with a human, but that kind of distraction is dangerous in a half-ton prey animal. This is a “horse” who you would always lead with a chain on and rarely use it. Likewise, would you expect the guy who tiled your kitchen to give you more than a two-word answer to the question, “How is your family?” This is a horse that needs a whip and spurs just to trail ride. Types of horse personalities are starkly delineated across breeds, but they run parallell to human personalities.

Just as we are attracted to different types of personalities in our own freinds and mates, we respond to different types of horse personalities. An easy-going person is going to find a flighty Arab or spooky warmblood completely intolerable and won’t put up with owning one or even want to board their own easy-going horse at a barn full of Arabs or warmbloods. We self-select our focus-areas in our training unless we actively try not to. Proud people like proud, showy horses and tend to be attracted to more horse than they can handle because they like being the center of attention (OK, if that hurt your feelings, it’s probably true. Take a breath and think about it.)

Certainly, using any tool against a horse that causes injury is to be avoided, but at the end of the day, human life comes first. There are instances in which a well-timed jab with the butt-end of a broom is appropriate, or with a truly aggressive, violent animal, a full-on smack with a whip or whatever you have to put between you and the 1,000+ lb animal attempting to kill you. Horses are immeasurably stronger, faster and dumber than humans, and by that I mean they have no moral judgement about thier actions. They cannot think “women and children first!” A mortally-frightened horse will mow down anything in its path to save itself. As caretakers and owners, we try our best to avoid our horses ever feeling like they are in mortal danger — but it happens.

Training a horse never stops — each time you or another handler lets the horse get away with something naughty, he learns that maybe next time it will work, too. The chain in the wrong hands can cause ugly damage to a horse’s face. Do not tie your horse to anything with a chain on its nose if at all avoidable. But catching a problem before it becomes a problem is where this tool is useful.

As to correct use of the chain, make sure it is adjusted so that your hands are on the rope/shank part. It is also important that the halter is adjusted close to the cheekbones so that the chain at rest cannot slide over the soft part of the nostrils - this can cause headshaking and general frustration to the horse. I reccomend a chain long enough to feed from the left ring, half-turn around the noseband, right ring and clip to the ring by the right eye, snap opening outwards. Your chain may not be long enough for this, in which case a full turn around the noseband keeps it from slipping too low on the nostrils. If you wrap too many times around the noseband, your release is not effective and the horse does not get his instant reward of release of pressure from submitting. Be very attentive when grazing a horse with a chain over his nose.

On a sidenote, covering the chain with Vetwrap for schooling makes it a bit stiffer and also rubs less hair off the nose if you really need to snap it. A trick I picked up from an Arabian Saddleseat trainer — and I’m a dressage/event rider who breeds Quarter Horse sport horses. The point being, keep an open mind and don’t get stuck thinking everything you don’t know yet is wrong.

By Theresa on May 24, 2008 | Reply

Yeah I worked at a show/boarding barn once, every kind of horse, about 10 stallions, TBs off the track, other people’s horses that you didn’t work with and don’t have time to–you just have to move them from here to turnout–then extra reinforcement is safer than not. I always thought you were supposed to put a wrap over the top of the leather so the chain doesn’t come right on the nose bone first. I’ve seen some people run the chain with stallions through the mouth, but that seems a bit much.

Still I’d hate to think my personal horse that I taught to walk with me like a dog heeling–turn when I turn, stop when I stop, if I back up you back up–would need a chain. If he’s been taught to pay attention to the lead rope holder, he’s already not gawking around, calling out, pushing over you. If his attention’s wandering, stop and do some turns and backing up now to remind him he’s focused on you before you put him out or put him up. It’s also a great tool to teach him to give when he hits the end of the line when standing tied, instead of pulling harder as is his instinct. That has to be taught, but it’s a cool thing to see a horse (that say you’re hand grazing) trained to do it spook a little, hit the end of the line, say “oh” and immediately put his head down and slack the line.

By Theresa on May 24, 2008 | Reply

BTW, I resent the “flighty Arab” remark . . . I am personal friends with and have met many, many very sensible, down-to-earth Arabians.

By Jackie on Jun 8, 2008 | Reply

Chains are sometimes a good thing. I’ve had to bring in many horses from the pasture that were very energetic, and like to take off. I find that a sutle yank with a nose chain is good when you tring to keep them under control.

By Bonnie on Jun 10, 2008 | Reply

Every good horse needs a chain at least once in their lives.

Using a chain over the nose for punishment, I disagree with. But, a horse that is overly excited - I put a chain over the nose just in case. Hey, a horse is 1200 pounds of unpredictability, I say that even about my 22 year old retired hunter who doesn’t have a spook in him! You NEVER KNOW!

Every training method, handling secret, and gadget can be misused. A chain over a horses nose can be a very kind safety measure in one hand and an abusive control in another hand.

Use common sense people!

By Elana on Jun 11, 2008 | Reply

Can we sell common sense somewhere, we’d make a fortune!

By Suzanne on Jun 16, 2008 | Reply

I much prefer not to use a chain too, but, there are times when having a chain “just in case” can save your horse’s life - and possibly the lives of other horses/people as well.

Even a well trained horse can be overcome by the “fight or flight” reaction simply because they are horses, and that is an ancient instinct that is there and will always be there. It’s not being bad, it’s just being a horse.

And, as a passing thought, that’s what Natural Horsemanship is SUPPOSED to be about - understanding that horses are horses and training and handling accordingly.

By Diandra on Jul 4, 2008 | Reply

I use a plain old rope halter on my Arabs. Actually…I used plain old rope halters before they became the “cool and new” thing to do. We used to make them ourselves. Two knots in the nose band and it works as well as any chain.
When I was at my last barn, part of my board was helping with feeding and turn out/in. There was a Dutch Warmblood stallion who could be a real pain in the butt, so I did always put the chain over his nose. I never tried the rope halter on him because he wasn’t my horse…but I bet it would have worked just as well.

By Kay on Jul 4, 2008 | Reply

When I worked ranches as a kid, we did the “two knot” trick on a lot of horses because we didn’t have any chains. It worked as well as a chain, especially if you let the halter drop low on the fleshy part of the nose. it works like a hackamore. All our halters we made ourselves from rope because it was cheap. We had “fancy” leather halters we bought from people at the track that we used when we went to rodeos or had to tie horses in a trailer because they looked nice and would snap if a horse fell down or freaked out.

By Cara on Jul 28, 2008 | Reply

how do you think that horse got manners? by someone singing sweet songs to him and stroking his face asking him to be nice? i doubt it! i worked for years on a breeding farm and working with babies to have the ground manners the horses you are buying takes work and dicipline…nothing comes easily. sorry for you, i hope andpray you always have a nice horse who will never test you. a chain does not mean you are evil, it means you have the upper hand on an animal that weighs 1,000 when you weigh roughly 100-150lbs? to say a chain is evil is extremely narrow minded

By Paige on Aug 13, 2008 | Reply

Nose chains can be a good thing, we have one horse at our barn, he has to have a nose chain, cauze he trys to kick you every single time you bring him in or out of the pasture.