hunting vs 5 point breastplate

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teazle

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Definitely need a breastplate for my horse as her jumping saddle keeps slipping back, especially now she's actually using herself more.

But I'm wondering whether it's worth getting a 5 point or just an elasticated V-check. What does the 5 point offer that the others don't? Happy to buy her what she needs, but if the 5 point doesn't do anything more than others, I don't see the need for it.

Any breastplate is also to be used with a martingale, and as a neck strap!
 
I used to use a breastplate with girth attachments to stop my saddle slipping to the side. I would have thought that if you only need one to stop it sliding back then a hunting breastplate would be better - plus they're less bulky and look smarter IMO!

ETA with most breastplates you can get a martingale attachment... ;)
 
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I couldn't get my 5-point to fit my horses as they seem to be designed for narrow chested TB types, not big barrelled natives. They don't even seem to suit wide WB types.

A hunter breastplate does everything you need a breastplate to: keep the saddle from sliding too far back without restricting their movement, and a nice grab strap for those :eek: moments.
 
I used to have a 5 point breastplate and have now moved onto a more normal hunting breastplate as I felt unless you could get the 5 point to fit 100% right then they either didnt do much good or could impede shoulder movement.

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ENGLISH-l...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item2eb1357db8 which does have elastic inserts down the side so its kind of a hybrid between a v check breastplate and a normal one - excellent quality and love mine to bits. The sheepskin bit on the front velcros on so you can decide wether you want to use it or not and also useful for keeping it clean!
 
I don't think any breasplates are any good as a neck strap. Unless you've got your hands in a seriously odd place they're too far back to grab. Either use a racing breastgirth (the best way to stop a saddle moving) with a normal martingale on top, or if you're using a V-check or 5-point use a separate neck strap. There's no shame in it!
 
Gamebird said:
I don't think any breasplates are any good as a neck strap. Unless you've got your hands in a seriously odd place they're too far back to grab. Either use a racing breastgirth (the best way to stop a saddle moving) with a normal martingale on top, or if you're using a V-check or 5-point use a separate neck strap. There's no shame in it!
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Unless your horse is nearly 18hh with very long withers and long shoulder! :)

I have to use a breastplate on Vinnie as my neck strap as his withers are so long that a normal neckstrap is way too far forward for me to grab in any 'exciting' moments.

The breastplate strap sits about 1/2 foot in front of my saddle.

The normal neckstrap sits a foot away from the front of my saddle and I can just about grab it with my fingertips- no use in an emergency!

I do feel the breastplate restricts his shoulder though so I'm going to try a racing breastgirth next.
 
It was interesting that a few years ago everyone was eventing in 5 point breast plates - I worked for a company that sold horrendously expensive ones at around £160 and I tried to put people off buying them because they seldom fitted properly and were really restrictive.

Gradually the fashion for the 5 point changed, and people got wiser ;) and most people have either gone back to hunting b/plates or as many have said here, an ordinary martingale and racing breast girth.

Personally I use an elasticated hunting breastplate, with a neckstrap stolen from a martingale so I can put the m'gale attachment through the loop of the martingale and then onto the ring of the breastplate (so when I'm hanging off the side :o the neckstrap doesn't twizzle round).
 
I use a racing breast girth on mine - mostly for the neck strap when jumping mind, but keeps the saddle still too so a huge bonus!
 
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