Martingale/Breastplate help needed!

B

Baldybear

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 March 2005
Messages
285
Location
Surrey
www.freewebs.com
My 15.2 horse has lost some weight recently, nothing drastic but it is causing his saddle to slip back when riding. Dont want to fork out and cant afford another saddle so does anyone think a breastplate would do in the interim, as I know he will put all his weight back on when we move fields in a month or so! He already has a running martingale so thats half the breastplate done! Does anyone know of any attachments you can buy to make it into a breastplate too! Have looked in all the usual horsey catalogues (Derby house, robinsons) but cant seem to find anything! Thanks!
smile.gif
 
Is the saddle still fitting though? Might be worth getting the saddler out as you don't want to cause him discomfort....better a fitted saddle than one staying on with gadgets!
 
His saddle still fits fine, just seems to slip back every so slightly (inch at most) when out riding! Always seems to happen at this time of year when they are in the last month of their winter field and the grass is running out! As soon as they move fields he will be the right shape in a few weeks!
 
I would echo Stimpy in getting saddle checked anyway. BUt would also always ride in a breastplate if there is any possibility of the saddle moving, just too dangerous not to. Anyway breastplates are cool, all my animals have been fatties, I only recently bought a pony which runs up a bit light and am loving owning a breastplate
tongue.gif
I splashed out and bought a treadstone breastplate martingale, as he will do workers and it needs to be smart. if you don't want to spend as much, why not get an imported leather one, or look round for a 2nd hand one.
 
You could just get a elastic *sp* breast girth there every wear and cheep, Probs best go in local saddler. If you haven't got money about then changing his saddle on the cheap seems more risky then using a breastgirth for a month or so...Winter do back risers, Eg, Use the 'wither riser' on say a NF which are barrles and the 'back riser' on say my ISH who has whither but no back...Don't know if this would help as don't no how the saddle fits or horse.
 
If the saddle is slipping backwards when you do it up put the girth on the last two straps, this will ease the pressure over the shoulder and will stop the saddle sliding backwards it will also allow the muscle behind the shoulder to the wither to rebuild back up, you can also just pop on a soft half riser at the front.
 
I would never girth up without using the front strap, it is fitted to the tree as a safety measure, seperately to the back two straps.....
 
Actually no it isn't, it used to be back about 30 years ago, but nowadays they are all attached either seperately or on some of the saddles eg. Devoucoux/Butet they are one large piece of webbing which is attached directly onto the tree and the girth strap is stitched to the webbing. The girth straps you use on a saddle should ensure that the girth is hanging down over the girth groove of the horse. If you have a horse which is round with not alot of wither then yes use the 1st and 3rd girth straps which will stop the saddle moving forwards up the neck (which when we all had round ponies at pony club we all used 1st and 3rd for exactly this reason). Using the second and 3rd straps will help stop the saddle shifting backwards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top