Martingales....do you use one?

Bug2007

Bug2007

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I am in the group of not wearing a tack shop on your horse. All my horses are in snaffle bridles and normal saddles not gagets, well they were until I put a flash on my TB baby ex racer, she was opening her mouth as far as possible and doing one with me, flash on, solved the problem and she is happy in it, next thing was the stamping the feet and throwing her head in the air and twisting it if asked to do something she didn't want to do. Martingale been on for two days and that has now stopped too, she did it twice with it on got a tug between her legs and now doesn't bother so i am hoping in a few months time she can have it back off.

Sorry the point being is sometimes there is a place and a horse for these things.

She has had saddle, back, teeth etc....done so it was all baby behaviour but much nicer to ride when she isn't facing you when you are sitting on her. Little Miss Attitude!!!!
 
I have used a running martingale for years and it had become a security blanket as not very confident. Enter 4 year old very laid back but gobby horse who HATED martingale and I had to take it off. I never thought I would ever do this and when I go to jumping clinics its always commented upon. I think we just need to treat them as individuals.
 
I too am not a fan of sticking a martingale on willy nilly but if it's needed then yes, I'll use one. I use a neck strap pretty much all the time and by goodness, it's come in handy plenty of times!
 
Totally agree, it's all very well saying you don't need to ever wear one but i have found it has worked wonders for my girl in two days, i do hope to take it off one day when she is more consistant, it's not like it does anyhting when she is working nicely only comes into action when she has a paddy.
 
Yes both wear a martingale, do they really need them?.... well yes and no.

Lado, I used one on him for hacking, he's got a very high head carriage when something takes his fancy or he blows himself up huffing and puffing at something, so it's there for extra control if needed, doesn't need it on for schooling etc but most of the time I just leave it on.

TB, she's wears one, she can be a bit scatty at times if she spooks at something or gets excited.

Both are fitted correctly, I'm not one of these that puts a smaller size on in order for it to have more of a hold like some do, so I suppose if I think about it, they can still put their heads right up before it really puts any pressure on the rein, so to be honest they don't work as much we are lead to think.

As an experiment, I'll venture out at the weekend and see exactly what differnce it does really make with the mare, she's not been out for a while, so it will be interesting to see if there really is a big difference, or just a little.
 
Sienna needs one 3 strides out fromm a fence & at no other time, but I can't be bothered to keep taking on & off so she tends to have one on all the time. It's doing nothing 99.9% of the tie.

Coco is unlikely to ever need one, he has a short neck & is very well balanced, he's not a speed freak so be suprised if he has one. I am indifferent to them, on or off, it's no reflection on the rider - it's not exactly a cruel gadget.
 
I dont like to see unecessary tack but if its working at the moment stick to it.

I used to ride without any additional tack, then out on hack mare decided to stick head in air and gallop flat out (to the point where I thought we were gonna flip over as her legs were everywhere). So now I hack in a hunting breastplate with martingale attached. Have found this also useful for novice rider on her as handle rather than grabbing at mouth.

So use tack to sort out issues and then decide if it needs to stay or go. Generally speaking a martingale if fitted correctly should not affect horse unless horse needs it so no harm in leaving it on.
 
Yup. Dizz had a running one. Took it off as thought she no longer needed it.

Now she's coming back into work, she's off with the shaky head again, so, knowing her, I'm going to try a standing with her on the lunge (so if she does hate it, it's the lunge that will get it!).

Hopefully, once she's settled again, she'll be back to not wearing one :)
 
Mine doesn't have one on all the time (hasn't at the moment due to bridle malfunction and he's wearing the spare leading bridle), but do generally prefer to have most horses in a fairly lose one. Just prefer to have one on especially for jumping etc. I like how if they do stick their head up then you can give with your reins but still keep a normal angle with your hands/reins. Probably because I'm a bit crap, but never mind!! I don't think a running martingale is particularly restrictive so don't see the issue with them.
 
I really hate running martingales as they interfear (sp) with the contact and when they do throw their head up in the air they get a sock in the teeth.

I love standing martingales though but I hate jumping in them. So basically I try to avoid using them but if I need to I will. Lots of people tell me to put one on Andy as he has a very high head carriage but I'd rather school this problem out though.
 
I don't have any problems with the contact when the Dizz isn't being a twit :D

The only time it causes an issue is when she's being a complete donk, then it gets a bit interesting. It will be interesting to see how the standing martingale goes.
 
I dont like just sticking them on cause its pointless like i see so many people with them and you know when it just looks like they dont need it ahahah?
i only use one for jumping as she sticks her head up and runs and it reaaaaallly helps
 
Kokopelli said:
I really hate running martingales as they interfear (sp) with the contact and when they do throw their head up in the air they get a sock in the teeth.

I love standing martingales though but I hate jumping in them. So basically I try to avoid using them but if I need to I will. Lots of people tell me to put one on Andy as he has a very high head carriage but I'd rather school this problem out though.
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Don't really see why they get a sock in the teeth? Much less abrupt than the sock on the nose they get from a standing, but I've never used one of those. Dads little TB ponces about with his head up like your Andy does when he's excited and his RM come into play, but it doesn't sock him in the mouth. We just have loose, leather stops on reins that would stop it going onto the rubber bit but not stop the runners, if that makes sense.
 
I think its cause Andy is so sensitive in his mouth, he has a fit when it comes into play and its just easier not to have the argument with him :p
 
ive been told to stick a martingale on my boy for hacking. i personally havent ridden him out hacking yet but i know he can try and shake his head in the school, he has stopped doing it with me but does try with others. I dont know what to do, do i put one on or shall i see what i think after?
he is an ex racer, only had him 6 weeks and he has hacked twice but with other riders.

and do i go for running or standing? obviously this would only be for hacking.
i really dont know!

and Kokopelli - i wouldnt expect you to like jumping in a standing, you aren't meant to. there was a woman trying to jump an arab round a class the other day in one...it was horrid to watch :(
 
Kadastorm said:
ive been told to stick a martingale on my boy for hacking. i personally havent ridden him out hacking yet but i know he can try and shake his head in the school, he has stopped doing it with me but does try with others. I dont know what to do, do i put one on or shall i see what i think after?
he is an ex racer, only had him 6 weeks and he has hacked twice but with other riders.

and do i go for running or standing? obviously this would only be for hacking.
i really dont know!

and Kokopelli - i wouldnt expect you to like jumping in a standing, you aren't meant to. there was a woman trying to jump an arab round a class the other day in one...it was horrid to watch :(
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Just put a running on, it won't hurt, honestly.
 
Charisma wears a running when we are jumping. She gets a bit onward bound with her head up on the approach and I want it to come into play as her head gets too high! Works for us :)
 
I'd love to be able to ride my mare without a running martingale... i dont think id ever put a standing on her, she'd fight to much. I've ridden her in double reins without one but I think that's it. If I went hacking without one i'd be on the floor... or galloping along the A6.. haha
 
Kadastorm said:
ive been told to stick a martingale on my boy for hacking. i personally havent ridden him out hacking yet but i know he can try and shake his head in the school, he has stopped doing it with me but does try with others. I dont know what to do, do i put one on or shall i see what i think after?
he is an ex racer, only had him 6 weeks and he has hacked twice but with other riders.

and do i go for running or standing? obviously this would only be for hacking.
i really dont know!

and Kokopelli - i wouldnt expect you to like jumping in a standing, you aren't meant to. there was a woman trying to jump an arab round a class the other day in one...it was horrid to watch :(
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Hi,
Perhaps he isn't ready to be hacked out yet if control problems can still arise in the school? Don't wish to sound doom and gloom but really isn't worth hurrying the process. I am in the process of re-schooling an exracer, I have been working him for about 10 months now and patience is paying off. Initially when hacking, he did throw his head about a couple of times ( excitement really). Next time I put on a running martingale (well fitted, and not restricting) and he was worse and really resented it - possibly weight of it on reins? I always ride with a neck strap (off the said martingale!) and it is great when you need to keep your hands low and for more stability (or should I say, stickability!) in exciting moments!!
 
If the horse I am on never throws his head up it doesnt ever get a Martingale on. But my curent horse is so big and strong Id be lost without it he could just put his head up and he is off if he wants but the martingale only ever comes into play when he is misbehaving so even if it was to give him a sock in the mouth (which i dont think it does) its telling him not to do that! It just stops him being able to put his head up quite so much and gives me a chance of holding on. But I hate it when people have a martingale on and the horse has his head in the air and its not even come into effect, if you are going to wear one have it the correct size!

Standard martingales can be jumped in. Go to america 99 out of 100 hunter ponies and horses are in them and jump around fine upto 4ft but i think over there it is a bit more of a fashion statement. I would do a little work in the ring in a standing martingale before trying to hack out on one, some horses can just find them a little restraining.
 
My share pony sometimes goes in one- very rarely, most of the time shes just in a snaffle.
However, last couple of times she was a naughty madam out hacking, so for the minute its back on. Will come off when spring fever has passed!
 
It depends on the horse. My ISH wears a running martingale for hacking and jumping but I school him on the flat without it. When I bought my Appy he also wore a running martingale, my Instructor suggested I try him without one day not long after I had bought him and he's never wore one since (even for hunting!) as he doesn't need it!
 
Lady didn't get socked in the mouth by it. It was the action between her legs that did the trick as she was pulling on herself. I like to school a problem out but, it's a bad habit.
 
I used a running as a standing today, off a cavesson noseband.

The Dizz was not impressed at all, but eventually realised that if she didn't wave her head around, then there was no pressure between her forelegs or on her nose.

It took a good half hour of arguing, but that is what she is like - by the way, she was aguing with herself/the martingale, I just kept riding her forwards and tried to ignore the idiocy that was going on.

Eventually she settled :D. I found it good in that when taking a downward transition from trot, she can sometimes lift her head to the point where I can see her blaze - from the top! and give her neck a good twist (she's been checked, frequently, for everything), but today she couldn't get the twist in, so it meant we could concentrate a bit more on the work and less on the 'Oh for goodness sake!':D

Once she has started to work and takes the self head carriage, then I'll take the martingale off again :D
 
I have a soon to be 6 yr old who was in a JP french link until she had wolf teeth in the lower jaw. She is now in a hackamore whilst we wait for them to erupt.

Due to the fact that we hadn't established turning off the leg as we never really got started, her teeth have been bothering her since Dec 2009 but it took until August 2010 to diagnose what was bothering her. She was presenting with bilateral lameness and with her teeth being so rare, it wasn't picked up by the vets or EDT's who'd seen her.

So, back to the point in question, I am in a running martingale as an aid to turning whilst in the hackamore. Prior to having it on, it could be a bit hairy at times when on a hack but now she feels much more secure :). Didn't really give it any consideration as to how it looked, just if it worked or not.
 
Kadastorm said:
and Kokopelli - i wouldnt expect you to like jumping in a standing, you aren't meant to. there was a woman trying to jump an arab round a class the other day in one...it was horrid to watch :(
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I used to ride at university in the USA and all the English riders at our barn (hunter jumpers) used standing martingales for jumping. The trainer explained to me that running martingales are not legal in hunter jumper (style) classes and are only for jumpers (speed, more like BSJA) classes. So everyone just used it because it was like a 'seatbelt' for emergencies.

Personally I do dressage, Western and hacking so I would never use any martingale. It isn't allowed in my disciplines.
 
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