What would make you decide to use a martingale and would you use a breastplate to keep the saddle in place during every day riding or for a specific event like cross country or jumping?
I don't use a breast plate, my saddle doesn't slip back and I don't like extra tack for the sake of it. I do use a martingale when hacking because Daisy can be spooky and I don't want to have reins up by her ears because it is much harder to get her back quickly from a spook like that
Would chose a breastplate over a martingale when jumping every time. My saddles fit my horses and do not move forwards or back on them but recently I did have a saddle slip sideways whilst xc schooling. My breastplate stopped it from going right over and me being dragged.
i always use a breastplate for xc, for safety's sake.
i only use a martingale on a horse that really needs it, that is chucking its head up to the extent that i am losing control or fearing for my nose/teeth. i don't mind high head carriage or a horse that goes to a fence with its head high, as long as it isn't doing it to avoid my input. if i use one, it's either a long standing martingale for a few times to break the habit, or a longish running one for jumping only, until no longer needed. i can't stand seeing martingales on horses that don't need them, put on just out of habit.