A chifney bit, sometimes also called an anti-rearing or ring bit, is designed primarily for horses that are strong or difficult to lead in-hand. It’s a useful piece of equipment and is used as a valuable means of additional restraint where necessary.

The majority of horses will not need this level of control but it can be very helpful in facilitating the safe and effective handling of very fresh or unruly animals. It is intended to be used when leading the horse, never during travel or when a horse is tied up.

The bit is named after its inventor, the English jockey Samuel Chifney, and was patented in 1805. He hailed its ability to prevent runaways but unfortunately he doesn’t seem to have benefited much from his creation, as he shortly afterwards became indebted to a loriner (a manufacturer of bits and other metal saddlery components), was imprisoned and died in 1806.

RECOGNISING A CHIFNEY

A chifney bit consists of a thin circular mouthpiece which is placed around the lower jaw and is usually secured in place with a single headstrap (see above).

It is best fitted over a head collar. This allows the lead rope to be attached to both the loose ring on the back of the chifney and the centre ring on the head collar, thereby stabilising the bit within the mouth.

Avoid using the chifney on its own, as if the lead rope is only attached to the loose ring the mouthpiece will pivot excessively if the horse rears up or pulls away from the handler. This can result in severe pressure on the tongue, a painful experience for the horse and a potential soft tissue injury.

The aim is for the horse to learn to respect the chifney and cooperate with the handler. Any bit can cause the horse pain or discomfort if used roughly or incorrectly. However this is especially important with a chifney, as the mouthpiece is much narrower than most other bits. This allows it to exert a lot of force on the tongue and bars of the mouth – try placing one over your forearm and pull on it to get an impression of the pressure it can apply.

FITTING A CHIFNEY

The handler should lead the horse calmly and avoid pulling or jerking on the lead rope. The chifney should only come in to play if the horse pulls against it. Exert even traction on the lead if the horse tries to rear or barge past you: allow the horse to feel the contact of the bit and be ready to reward the desired response by relaxing the tension on the lead rope as soon as the horse moves back towards you. Most horses will realise this very quickly and become more cooperative and safer to handle.

Chifneys come in a range of sizes and are fitted like any other bit – they should be wide enough to avoid pinching the bars of the mouth and be secured so that they sit high enough in the mouth to just wrinkle the corners of the lips.

Some have a straight mouthpiece (like the one above) while others have an inverted port that sits over the tongue (the latter has the potential to apply more tongue pressure). The single head strap is useful as it means that the bit is quick to apply and easy to adjust to fit a range of head sizes.

DEXTER AND TATTERSALLS BIT

The Dexter half spoon bit (pictured above) is another version of a ring bit. It consists of a snaffle mouthpiece with an attached ring around the lower jaw. It gives the jockey extra control and also reduces the likelihood of the bit getting pulled through the horse’s mouth. It’s mostly used on racehorses, with Istabraq being an example of a horse who habitually wore one during his illustrious racing career.

Thoroughbred yearlings are often lead and shown in a Tattersalls ring bit, which has a thicker circular mouthpiece, with or without mouthing keys.

Chifney and Tattersalls bits may also be attached to the rings on a head collar with adjustable straps, rather than a single headpiece. These require more attention when fitting to ensure they don’t hang too low in the mouth and are fiddly to remove. For this reason they are typically left attached to the head collar and used as a bridle, for example when showing horses to potential purchasers at a sales complex.

A chifney bit is a useful addition to your tack room. It’s not something you will need to use every day or on every horse.

However, when fitted and used correctly and with care it can make tasks like trotting up the horse who has been on box rest for the last month (and is full of the joys of life) much safer for all involved!

Karen Dunne MVB MA, CertEm (Stud Med) is a vet and veterinary nursing programme director at Dundalk Institute of Technology.

She’s a member of Veterinary Ireland Equine Group.

E-mail: hq@vetireland.ie

Telephone: 01-4577976