Hunting breastplate?

[Tonto_]

I've never used one before but where he's lost weight on his belly and back but not his shoulders yet his saddle has started slipping back.
So my question is do the work much differently to having a martingale on (in respect to rearing/throwing his head)?

 

[MrPerkins]

If you have martingale rings attached to it I don't see how it would work any differently.

 

[Tonto_]

If you have martingale rings attached to it I don't see how it would work any differently.

That's what I thought! Thank you! Hopefully with a bit more work he will loose the weight off his shoulders too

 

[MrPerkins]

I've always used them instead of regular martingales tbh - no particular justification! (although it's handy as an 'oh-sh*t strap'!)

 

[Tonto_]

I've always used them instead of regular martingales tbh - no particular justification! (although it's handy as an 'oh-sh*t strap'!)

I'Ve been using a regular one as that's what he came with, didn't think he needed it to start but he does, he's gone up (though not right up) a few times now

 

[Goldenstar]

Some horses particularly strong ones hate martingale attachments on breastplates there’s something about the saddle and the reins being joined that affects them .
My best horse was like that so we used a breast girth and a martingale .

 

[Tonto_]

Some horses particularly strong ones hate martingale attachments on breastplates there’s something about the saddle and the reins being joined that affects them .
My best horse was like that so we used a breast girth and a martingale .

He's not strong just rude and tries it on a bit! It's taken months to actually get him working forwards rather than just plodding!

 

[Tonto_]

Am I being completely stupid?
I've got this breastplate but can not work out how to fit it to the saddle! The whither straps aren't like any I've ever seen before!

 

[Tonto_]

think I found where I'm going wrong! They attach to the girth straps not the D rings!

 

[cremedemonthe]

When people attach any sort of martingale or breastplate to their saddle, they often put them on the dee rings and not the fall down staples or fixed staples (IF the saddle has them that is) where they should go.
Not all saddles have them unfortunately but most dee rings aren't designed to take a lot of strain and can pull off. All that's holding them on is (traditionally) a piece of panel/seat hide wrapped round them and tacked on to the tree. The leather will yield eventually, especially where it dries out where you can't get at the leather to condition it.
Some are if you are lucky on newer saddles are secured with a metal plate and a rivet.The fall down staples on the other hand are designed to take the strain as they are inserted through the tree itself and secured with a split staple type of fitting, some I have seen are bolted on too.
The dees were originally associated with hunting and used for flask holders etc but people strap martingales and breatplates to them now instead.
Lots of things seemed to have evolved over the years, like the surcingle loops on the saddle flaps, most people think they are for the ends of the stirrup leathers to tuck in to but they originated back in the hunting (and racing) field when a separate surcingle was placed over the saddle for security and went down through these surcingle loops to help keep it in place.
I have a photo of a fall down staple if anyone wants to see it.
Oz

 

[Wheels]

Have you had the saddle re-fitted since his weight loss OP?

It may be a slight adjustment to the head width or to the flocking might stop the slip without having to use a breastplate (which dont always work that well anyway)

 

[BethanT]

I've never used one before but where he's lost weight on his belly and back but not his shoulders yet his saddle has started slipping back.
So my question is do the work much differently to having a martingale on (in respect to rearing/throwing his head)?

I would look at a Breastgirth/bridge breastplate with martingale attachment if you are using it because of the saddle slipping back, by attaching it to the D rings on the saddle you will create more pressure on those points and pull the front of the saddle down. The brestgirth style ones attach to the girth and I have found are better at preventing saddle slippage

 

[be positive]

Have you had the saddle re-fitted since his weight loss OP?

It may be a slight adjustment to the head width or to the flocking might stop the slip without having to use a breastplate (which dont always work that well anyway)

This, a breastplate will stop a saddle slipping back to a degree but if it is used on one that slips back in normal use it will pull tight on the shoulders, possibly cause issues as it will become uncomfortable, the saddle will continue to go back until it finds it stopped by the pull in front which is not solving the problem just creating a different one, if the horse is now a correct weight it is time to get the saddle refitted.

 

[Tonto_]

Have you had the saddle re-fitted since his weight loss OP?

It may be a slight adjustment to the head width or to the flocking might stop the slip without having to use a breastplate (which dont always work that well anyway)

I'm getting the saddler out, this is just a temporary solution as 1) he's got more weight to loose and 2) until the saddler can come out

 

[Tonto_]

This, a breastplate will stop a saddle slipping back to a degree but if it is used on one that slips back in normal use it will pull tight on the shoulders, possibly cause issues as it will become uncomfortable, the saddle will continue to go back until it finds it stopped by the pull in front which is not solving the problem just creating a different one, if the horse is now a correct weight it is time to get the saddle refitted.

He's not the right weight yet, he still has BCS of about 4/5.,he was extremely overweight to start. Once he's closer to the correct weight I'll be getting the saddle refitted

 

[Wheels]

I would get the saddle fitter asap and then again once more weight is lost.

Otherwise you may end up with all sorts of problems

A saddle slipping back can mean that the saddle is too wide (one of the many reasons but since this horse has recently lost weight it would be a logical reason!) If it is too wide then it could likely sit low enough to cause pressure points either side of the wither and it might even sit low enough to sit on the horses spine. The back gets wider further back so that saddle ends up in a place where it is supported, trying to keep it forward will stop that happening = more issues.

You may find the fitter can pad up accordingly