Best control headcollar for nig, strong pony

[aengusog]

You said...'I have had to only use it once on my horses and they learn straight away, if you pull up, it will hurt. The lesson is learned and we can move on....'

I have to take your word for that, as I have never used a Chifney on any horse.

I wonder how you can justify or condone teaching horses that if they pull with a Chifney in their mouth it will hurt.

I handle and retrain horses for other people, using pressure and release and empathy, and I've never resorted to the use of pain or fear to gain control of them.

Surely it's better to have a horse trained into habitual desirable responses, rather than have it controlled through fear of pain?

As matter of fact I do ride and drive horses using a bit, but I make a point of completing their training prior to introduction of a bit. That way I can use the bit as it should be used, to give aids rather than force control.

[delfachhighwayman]

I justify that because that is how a horse would learn in a herd as would any young animal would from its leader if you don't follow me, it will hurt, you will see many mothers giving their offspring a nip etc when their offspring need to learn acceptable behaviour..

Also how do children learn not to touch the radiator....."they will only touch it once"... They don't touch it again because it hurts....

Too many people waste time dreaming that horses do things because they WANT to... They don't want to, we have domesticated them and they have to follow our lead. If you watch Monty Roberts work, he will teach the horse, if you don't follow my lead it will hurt, with his halter....many people trying to utillise natural horsemanship evoke anthropomorphism, attaching human emotions to the horse that simply aren't real.

The chiffney is the best tool to use with a horse that has become too strong and knows his strength. I use it once on these horses, and I almost never have to chastise them again, it's simple, and clear.

[aengusog]

If you say so.

[sarahp]

I do think there's a difference though between a horse trained properly from a foal and one that has learned bad habits. For the latter, sometimes measures must be taken you might not choose purely for safety's sake, but for the former, you should not ever need to resort to harsher measures.

And I would not look on a nip or often just a shake of the head from another horse in a herd as inflicting pain, more as a gesture of displeasure, at risk of being chased away, which is the worst thing for a horse which is a herd animal. I try to teach mine that to do what I want gives a happier, more co-operative life all round for both of us.