Martingales for jumping. Yes/no?

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Horsemad12

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Just read a training article by Chris Bartle where he says only use a martingale if you really need one.
I don't really need one but tend to use one just in case.
I wondered what others thought/did?
 
I don't but that is because my young horse really hates any form of pressure like that or even a bit with slight poll pressure.

Still ride with a comfort blanket through..a neck strap!
 
I always used to put one on for competing but have had several horses that really want to stretch their necks both over the fence and when landing that have seemed restricted by one, however loose, so now only use them if required, a breast girth or neckstrap can be used for the rider to hold.
I rarely use one at home preferring to train without any gadgets so we can work on getting them going as correctly as possible, which hopefully remains when they go out.
 
I'm one that doesn't, I do initially with an unknown horse but have since removed on everything I've ridden. Unless they're pretty tight, they're not going to do much in an emergency to prevent you being whacked on the nose and personally I wouldn't want one that tight as would then restrict the horse, and if the horse has giraffe like tendencies I'd rather look at bitting, schooling or fluffy nosebands to solve the issue as a horse pulling against a martingale will alter the nature of the contact.
 
I used one for cross country for something to hold onto, I guess a neck strap would have done really. Also recently my breatplate and martingale were all in one but I dont have that anymore so might just stick with breastplate and neck strap!
I hate seeing nearly every horse ridden in them.
 
Interesting question - I ditched mine about 3 months ago (never used it at home, only in the ring) and have noticed absolutely no difference. None of my horses are prone to chucking their heads up though. I'd probably still stick it on for BE XC but am not sure why as I XC school and do hunter trials without.
 
Nope, I just use a breastplate for hacking/hunting/SJ/XC - Allthe martingale attachments are hung up in the garage, never used!
 
Yea i put a running and breastplate on when jumping and xc as the horse is 18 hands and gets the head up when excited, which he does going xc , although i always school in a snaffle and will hack out quite happily in the dressage saddle and snaffle no martingale
 
I only use one for jumping. I have tried without and it was a rather unpleasant experience. If doing fast work with no martingale I tend to stick an Irish Martingale on as a bit wary about loose reins if I fell off.
 
No not unless absolutely necessary.

When I was young, it was automatic in pony club that we'd put a running martingale on if we were jumping.

When I realised that the pulley effect of the running martingale doubles the strength of the rider's hand, I was put off using them as an automatic assumption.

My American sj trainer loathes the interference with the contact that they give and takes them off everything!

I frequently ride with a breastplate - particularly young or unknown horses - and hunt in a standing martingale if the horse is likely to throw his head about but I try hard not to ride in a running one
 
Reg used to go in a running martingale, but recently Al's taken it off. This is because he does get his head right up at times, but she found that the martingale didn't stop that but just caused her to lose her steering. There's been no difference in his way of going, and he's easier to cope with when he does get his head up...
 
I Jump in a 5 point with martingale
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I'm with spacefare's trainer, I really do not like the feel in my hand from a running and don't agree they are neutral. If a horse needs/goes better with one, great, but I don't put them on as a matter of course.

Standing martingales are much more 'standard issue' with some trainers in North America as they used to be considered almost essential turnout for show hunters to 'dress up the neck'. This is less common now warmbloods dominate but many older trainers still put them on young horses as a matter of course. I'm not bothered but again, if it helps I'm not going to stand on principle.
 
I was actually at an international event recently and I noticed a lot of people werent using martingales, they all still had the 5 point breastplate on but the martingale attachment was taken off.
I found this unusual as I thought it was very rare that anyone went cross country without one but they do seem to be ditched lately
 
Could be partly fashion but also might be that event horses, in general, tend to be naturally rounder and better broke than in the past. It has certainly always been the conventional wisdom that all horses 'have to' wear a martingale xc but as more people have tried it and lived to tell the tale that's likely encouraged more people to give it a go.
 
i always used one as a matter of cause when jumping as that was always the done thing, but dont use one any more, i don't ever jump in one at home but always put on on at comps/schooling but forgot it a few times and there was no difference so dont use it any more, one less thing to remember and one less piece of tack to clean! just use a neckstrap for xc now :)

i do think for some people its more of a safety net than anything else, and they'd probably not notice any difference in the horse if they weaned them selves onto a neckstrap or something
 
There's also a bit of an argument about them preventing your reins going over the horse's head- I did a couple of events on a pony owned by a very wise old guard style Lady who was quite perturbed by the fact I didn't have even an Irish martingale on for xc for this reason.
I don't use them on anything as I hate the affect on the rein, but have used a standing to jump. If I'm worried something is going to boff me on the nose on the flat I'll use draw reins.
 
I don't use one as my horse has never needed one so don't see the point.

However I've noticed that now he is getting a bit more experienced at jumping he is really keen and has thrown his head a couple of times. I'm goin to see how it goes but hoping it won't come to using one.

I would use a neck strap if it was for my security.

Have nothing against them tho, would just rather he stay as basic as poss unless need be
 
Read a comment from one of the pros to the effect that you weren't properly tacked up for jumping without one. That said, depends on the horse and the conditions. I regularly school at home without but compete in one. I have a great photo of an approach to the fence where the horse is chucking it's head so high there is a v shape to the reins - some might say that's a sign that I didn't have enough leg on(!) but I know the horse and at times I see the martingale as a necessity
 
No, he doesn't evade by throwing his head up high enough for a martingale to work anyway. Have various breastplates for jumping that double as a grab strap if needed but none have martingales on.
 
Wow seems most are going for the no vote unless really needed.

I jumped without one yesterday as had new reins and did not notice that they did not have stops on.

Think I may ditch mine!
 
I prefer a standing over a running every day of the week! On a showjumping yard we have more with standings than runnings- off the top of my head, 8 compete with a standing and 3 with a running, though we often school at homr with neither, we do hack with running ones because a) they are on the bridles and b) the horses aren't in the main ridden in a contact/ "on the bit" out hacking.
 
I always use one for jumping with my horse - he knows when he hasnt got it on, and throws his head up right in front of the jump to evade the contact just when I need it. Cause him to jump flat and knock fences. He knows when he ha the running on and jumps like a dream, so I will continue to use it.... however he is still in training, and has only been jumping since April with lots of work still needed on the flat before we'll progress jumping, so maybe one day we wont need it...
 
I dont like them personally, so never use them. I see no point in using tack for no real reason, from a safety point of view a martingale wont help you - use a breastplate or something instead?
 
I always did as when bought my horse I was told I should as he had a habit of throwing his head. Always kept him in it until new trainer said to take it off as felt it was restricting his way of going and he does seem to be jumping well without it. Have loosened it but not brave enough to take it off completely for XC as he does have a crazily high head carriage!
 
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