Babies and Neck straps... surely not just me??

gingerlegs

gingerlegs

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First question - how many of you ride with a neck strap in all 3 disciplines/eventing?
Second Question - How many of you use it?

I ask because, I ride everything I sit on in a neck strap. I am a confident and competant (i'd like to think!) rider but I like to know I have a seatbelt should things not go to plan!
I have a very quirky (rear, buck, spook, spin, bronc) mare who is thankfully talented but I often grab my neck strap in times of need. I also have a 5yo ex racer who is the most laidback chap on the planet but still learning and has rather long legs which he is learning control so can have the odd wobble.
I recently took my 5yo to his first event, our winter had been spent arena eventing, sj and dressage. We went xc schooling the week before his first event (been previously) and he was super (ditches can be sticky but he was jumping).
We went to our first event and the dressage was wobbly but good, not bothered by the atmosphere. Show jumping was his first time on grass and with the tradestands around the arena, not bothered, a couple of green moments but he jumped well and was bold.
XC he turned green on me, the organisers had put some flowers under the warm up fences (which I'm thankful for!) and he could not understand why they were there... He shot out the start box bold as brass and wobbled at the first. He jumped out of a forward momentum not a stand still but he needed a good look first! This continued for the first 4 fences before he started to fully understand the questions.

Now given his wobble in the warm up I proceeded around the course with 2 fingers around my neck strap. He is a very genuine boy, so the last thing I want to do is sock him in the chops if he finds a bold stride and confidently takes off.
Comment was passed that I looked nervous because of this, just made me think if I am the only one out there using one?!

A couple of pics from the event ... I'm laughing hysterically through the water because he was bounding through it bunny hopping!

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I always have a breastplate on XC on the basis that I should have a neckstrap if I need one, but don't wear it for other disciplines. I've had a variety of horses competing at various levels (4 year olds to schoolmistresses, up to BE Intermediate) over the years, and I just don't find I use it ever! I think maybe when I'm thinking quickly in a sticky situation I just don't think to grab it - but that's never really been an issue.

The times I've fallen off XC have usually been because of poor riding, so a neckstrap wouldn't have saved me! Many professionals always wear one on every horse though, so I don't think you're unusual and I wouldn't worry about it - ultimately who cares if you look nervous if you don't actually feel nervous!
 
I always have a neck strap on the babies or the sharp ones (or any horse without a mane!), but it depends on the horse as to how I use it. Most it just sits there for emergencies however on one horse I ride I have a pretty loose one that allows me to hold it as you would with two reins whilst still maintaining normal hand position. He's too bloody quick for me to grab at it in emergencies, so I just hold on with one hand the entire time.
 
I have a new, five year old horse ( had him seven weeks now!) and have been using a neckstrap on him since he arrived. he has been a superstar but he is very green and sometimes can spook and shoot off when schooling if frightened by something and as we school in about a 20 acre field I would rather grab the neckstrap and ask him to steady up than grab reins and sock him in the teeth. he also has a huge stride and a very powerful jump which I am not yet fully used to after my previous steadier but very downhill built chap, so it helps me to know I have a safety strap if needed ;-).

anyway if it is good enough for WFP then it is good enough for me..lol

whatever works best for you and your horse. he looks fab by the way :-)
 
I think you give a great argument for the neck strap, I don't have one on my horse per say, but I do occasionally reach for the point two attachment at the front of my saddle should my horse see a long one :-)
 
Swear by my neck strap - use it for everything and anything. Even a trusty old steed i'd still use it! You never know what might happen so nope not silly at all :)
 
Away put a neckstrap on when the horse or I might not be sure about doing something, new situation or new location etc.
 
I use a hunting breastplate rather than a neckstrap, does the same job :)

However, in moments of need I find I am more likely to grab the mane or grab the air jacket strap infront of the pommel - these are more convient places to me! I actually quite like the strap across the pommel, discrete and handy.

there is something lovely about riding a horse with a simple snaffle bridle and saddle & no extras - I hack my horse like this (he is awesome!) but I would have no issues using a neckstrap on a young or unknown horse. Just because you have a neckstrap doesn't mean you will need it :D

OP, can I ask though as I'm curious, how did you manage to ride the xc with your fingers around the strap the whole time? Does it not restrict your control/reactions/give over a fence? :)
 
I always ride with a neck strap, never leave the yard without one! I always have 2 fingers in the neck strap when I canter a horse, have ridden alot of racehorses who duck very fast when they see something eg a leaf!

I also always grab my neck strap 3 strides from a fence with one hand, it stops me messing with them!
 
Super photos!

I always stick a neckstrap on babies and anything I'm jumping / hacking. I don't generally for dressage, but mine do have fairly terrific manes for any unexpected moments anyway ;)
 
Thanks all! Thought I was perhaps going mad.. or getting wimpy as I got older haha :)
He has been super and I don't want to ruin that by doing something silly like catching him over a fence!

only_me said:
I use a hunting breastplate rather than a neckstrap, does the same job :)

However, in moments of need I find I am more likely to grab the mane or grab the air jacket strap infront of the pommel - these are more convient places to me! I actually quite like the strap across the pommel, discrete and handy.

there is something lovely about riding a horse with a simple snaffle bridle and saddle & no extras - I hack my horse like this (he is awesome!) but I would have no issues using a neckstrap on a young or unknown horse. Just because you have a neckstrap doesn't mean you will need it :D

OP, can I ask though as I'm curious, how did you manage to ride the xc with your fingers around the strap the whole time? Does it not restrict your control/reactions/give over a fence? :)
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Only_me - I keep my neck strap in one hand through my bottom fingers like a second rein, I swtich between hands on my preparation for each fence to keep it in my inside hand (I school him to turn from outside hand and outside leg and move the shoulder, inside hand only creates bend). In between the fences to gallop I drop it. I find, unlike a fixed strap, I can give quite easily because the neckstrap will move up the neck with your hand.
He is a pretty sensitive boy and although riding him in to a fence you often feel you want a martingale, you can't have one because he'll throw himself on the floor due to the pressure on the rein! Hence, I'm quite delicate with him ... little precious ;)
I did at one point I did have both reins and neck strap in one hand to give him a tickle behind my leg coming in to a ditch palisade!
 
Doormouse said:
I always ride with a neck strap, never leave the yard without one! I always have 2 fingers in the neck strap when I canter a horse, have ridden alot of racehorses who duck very fast when they see something eg a leaf!

I also always grab my neck strap 3 strides from a fence with one hand, it stops me messing with them!
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Completely agree on the interfering before a fence too! :)
 
Gorgeous horse! I wouldn't care what anyone said you looked like. I use a neck strap on my ex racer still and he's going to be 10 this year! I use it a lot for jumping at shows/xc especially when he was younger for the reasons you said and also because when I am nervous I can fiddle, looping a finger through keeps my hands from wanting to do anything naughty and lets him bowl on :p.
Most of the time I don't use it, I have never been quick enough to grab it when he's been naughty! I think they are great, much better to hang onto a neckstrap in time of need rather than their mouth!
 
First of all, your boy is very handsome :)

I always ride the babies in neckstraps, and often on our older one, though I have not evented in one as I use a breastplate.
 
I wear mine for hacking and jumping now but also for schooling when he was just backed. Do what you feel is right and sod what the others may think. As you said, far better to hold that then balance off the rein.
 
Interesting that this thread should come up today as yesterday I did the farm ride at Somerford. I wore a neck strap for the first time and loved it! Total revelation, grabbed it numerous times and really helped my confidence. Have fallen off many many times in my old saddle that didn't fit me at all and now have new saddle and am trying to build up confidence in me & my horse and neck strap really helped! Also horse had a mini tantrum when his friend went out of sight, I knew he would have reared if I'd have socked in the mouth so dropped my reins and grabbed the neck strap, sat calmly and he chilled out too! Brill. They are definitely not just for beginners and I wouldn't question anyone using one, especially on a young or naughty horse.
 
I always have a neck strap on babies & i have a breastplate on my mare xc should i need it

Problem is i never go for it !! I seem to have superglue & the last thing i think is neckstrap :/

My 3 year old who is just riding away popped in a buck the other day, i sat it then thought oh best grab my neck strap after the event !
 
Isn't a horse naked without the 'oh ''help me'' strap?'
Always have neck strap or martingale or breast plate. Never a bad thing to loop a finger or two under it, and I always think the horses go better for me when I do, as I'm not leaning on their chops!?
 
As someone else upthread said - super photos/lovely horse :).

Kali isn't a baby (he's 16 now), but he IS quirky and sharp and I make sure he is wearing either a neckstrap or a martingale when jumping . . . I'd much prefer if a) his jockey didn't catch him in the mouth if he does his trademark spin and rear; and b) his jockey didn't hit the deck (not necessarily in that order).

As he's semi-retired from jumping, the old neck strap will be used less - but it will still be used. Very handy bit of kit :).

P
 
Yes lovely horse - looks like you are having fun!

My cob is hogged - I wear a neck strap for hacking and jumping always. But for dressage only on a windy day when he might be a bit sharp!
 
I put one on everything, at work on the race horse we have martingales which always has one finger tucked into it- especially so on the babies! And it's habit now to use one on the home horses to, I feel lost without it- you never know when you might just need to grab it, saves swinging off a horses gob on those unexpected occasions or to help settle a keen horse.
 
My motto is 'if its good enough for WFP around a 4* its good enough for me' - he rides everything in a neck strap.

I use an old stirrup leather out hacking, or know that the martingale is there to grab when jumping! Neckstraps are so useful when you need them, and do no harm at all if you don't.
 
Something I've done for past 3 years with my now rising 7yr old...second nature now and he wears it for all disciplines eventing/hacking etc. He's a spooky/stressy sort so handy When he's having his moments!

Weirdly he doesn't go well in a hunting style breastplate!
 
I always ride with one after a fall which fractured 2 vertebra. I was getting on from a good mounting block when horse spooked, shot forward and I ended up sitting behind the saddle. Horse which doesn't normally buck panicked and bucked & bucked until I was flung off. I always hold neck strap getting on so if he moves I can still land in the saddle. Also always put couple of fingers through when going up steps so I don't pull his mouth. I don't worry about what anyone thinks.
 
I used to always grab the mane but a few months ago I got some mane wrapped round one finger as I grabbed it and did some damage to my finger! My cob is hogged so I always have a neck strap on her but to be fair she never does anything remotely bad. I grab it if we are about to rocket over a jump tho.
 
Yep ALWAYS when training the youngsters to jump and I always encourage my Pony Club kids to have one - makes reaching over a jump easier for them when you call out "Reach for your neckstrap"
 
Really interesting reading your replies, so thank you all.

I do think my horses look naked without one and although both wear breastplate/girth I find the strap is too fixed to the base of the neck so have my neck strap as well!
 
Always have a few fingers in the mane neckstrap, or martingale when going XC and approachinganything particularly spooky any horse/rider however experienced can get caught out eg. surprised by ditch = launch

Roo is still quite green XC, but very willing and rather than stop will give the horse-eating ditch/ drop some extra clearance, the neckstrap/mane means I stay with her.

Also steps up, not fond of them myself, are not the easiest to ride - at a BE event a couple weeks back and saw many people competing in intermediates and above ctaching the horse in the mouth/ just getting it wrong on their end going up a step to a log so i always keep a hold.

Don't use it in dressage and not so much in SJ but will get handful of mane or quickly hook my fingers under the neckstrap if we take a flyer.

Lovely photos..who is enjoying it the most? :)
 
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