[en] The results of measurements and analysis of initial magnetic susceptibility and specific heat of intermetallic R₃Ni (R=heavy rare earth or Y) are presented. The comparative analysis allowed us to determine origin of magnetic anomalies as well as to define their temperatures more precisely. It is shown that strong short-range magnetic ordering remains above T_N. The effect of spin freezing have been found in almost all investigated R₃Ni. The specific splitting of the ground level multiplet leads to rather unusual magnetic entropy behavior in some of R₃Ni compounds