Martingale - opinions and advice please.

[kerilli]

Okay, first of all, i hate running martingales. i hate the interference between my hand and the horse's mouth. if a horse really really flips its head high enough to need a martingale, i think a nice long standing martingale is much kinder, pulling only on the cavesson noseband, not interfering with the mouth at all.
BUT
my new mare (ex-racehorse) has obviously been ridden in a running martingale a lot, and she expects the pull of it, shoots off occasionally and then chucks her head up sharply against it even tho it's not there. she's not threatening my teeth, so my instinct is to keep it off, stick to my principles, even if it takes longer to get the results i want, but would you put it back on just until you'd instilled a bit more calmness etc in her? thanks.

 

[ihatework]

I have exactly the same opinions on martingales as you! Hate running with a passion for anything other than xc and would opt for a loose standing if I really needed one.
Personally I'd go for the standing.

 

[madhector]

I hate schooling in martigales, but Jerry came back in a running which Ali had been schooling him in while my leg mended as she said she had nearly ended up with a broken nose on several occassions. I left it on for a while, but in the end took it off, as cant stand the interferance. I use it for hacking and jumping now as thats when he is likley to knock me out. So if it was me I would probably take it off

 

[kerilli]

thankyou, i'll stick to my instincts then. they just seem so ubiquitous that sometimes i think there must be something wrong with me, not using one!

 

[lifeslemons]

I'v had the same problem before, but perserverance should overcome the problem, I would have come. She will soon learn that shes not restricted and uncomfortable.

 

[vicm2509]

I never school in mine, although I do use it for SJ.

 

[Scarlett]

Nope - I'd take it off...

I had to put one on my mare - 4 yo exracer - for a while as when hacking she was taking the p!ss and the martingale helped me keep her head down and thus keep control. Now she is coming on a lot better in her flat work so martingale has been binned, might keep it handy for starting her over xc as I'm not sure how she is gonna be - though I'll try her without first and see how we go though....

 

[HenryandPeta]

I dislike martingales too - keep it off!

 

[vhf]

Consider a harbridge training aid? (Make sure it's one with elastic, aparently originally they didn't have???) - I hate the feel of running martingales too but don't mind those for schooling/hacking.

 

[harrihjc]

I'd probably take it off, i really don't like martingales unless they're really necessary.