Neck strap or saddle strap?

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vanessa97

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I had a bad fall recently and as precaution, I am thinking of fitting a saddle strap, (just for something to grab in case my mare decides to spin , again! Which do you think is the most useful?
 
When I lost my nerve a while ago I put a lip strap between the D's of the saddle - it was discreet and I could hook my finger round it while still holding the reins - don't need it any more but I leave it on.
 
i always have a neckstrap, but i ride racehorses so my positioning on the horses is further forward than 'normal' riding..... try a peice of bailor twine or a flash through the D rings on the saddle and get a stirrup leather round the neck for a neck strap and try them out - see which on is in the better position for you.
 
I have both a neck strap (martingale) and a D-ring 'oh-****' handle! ;) The D-ring one is much more secure with horses that spin and whip-round but the neck strap is handy too especially if your horse shoots forwards. It stops you jabbing their mouth by accident.
 
I always used to have just a strap over the front of my saddle but then ended up with a pony who wears a martingale and find that just as useful! The only reason I'd never had a kneckstrap before was because the only one I'd tried was a stirrup leather and was much to thick to hold onto with a handful of reins as well. I find its in a better place round his kneck, but not so secure. This is why I now I have both!! haha but I made the one on my saddle from the two bits of a breast plate which are meant to go back to the saddle. Loop them through the D-Rings and its that bit longer, so easier to grab but just as secure :)
 
MOst definitely neckstrap.

A saddle strap is used when horse is confident but rider isn't.

Did you know that there is a natural stop reflex at the base of the neck so a neck strap is much more useful. It helps the horse off his forehand too as well as good for stopping.
 
I've opted for a strap between the D rings on the saddle.

I'm quite a confident rider but pony has a habit of bucking, squealing and having a little rear when he gets excited. As he's fairly little (14.1hh) I felt a bit more 'unstable' that when my 16.1h has a hissy fit. I tried a neck strap but found this put me too far forwards and out of balance.

The saddle strap allows me to sit more where I would normally and means I don't balance at all on the reins when I'm trying to ride the little s*d forwards while he's pratting about!

I guess a lot of it comes down to personal preference.
 
I put a neck strap on everything i ride, and this is best for me. someone had a strap on the front of the saddle but it felt like you had to tip forward to reach it.
My neckstrap is long enough that i can keep my hands in a normal position, but hold on wit one hand. I could also slow my welsh D down by pulling and releasing on it.
 
Now I just have a saddle strap and dare I say it have only grabbed it once in the last year.

Before that I was regularly riding a Warmblood who could be very sharp and on several occasions I had to hold on to both. In the end I decided that if he was that keen to try and ditch his rider then my life was too valuable and someone braver than I could ride him.

If I need to use both then I need to get off that animal fast as I am over-horsed.
 
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