Rider error or more tack needed?!

[tangoharvey]

My confidence at riding again has come on leaps and bounds, I no longer scream when a bird flies out of a tree incase the horse went mad, or worry about the crisp packet in the gutter as a life threatening problem, but once thing i have noticed is that if Nancy doesnt want to go where I ask her, or doesnt want to stop, she lifts her head really high, like a giraffe to evade the snaffle bit. Now, is this my incompetence or does she need a martingale or something, I have always beleived in as little tack as possible, but just wondered if anyone has any suggestions?!
Hot aple pie and whipped cream for reading...x

 

[noodle_]

i use a martingale on my 4 year old - purely as she has spooked a few times at stupid things or rufused to go forward etc

rather than pulling on their mouths and a bit of security for ut - martingale

or use a stirrup leather ??

 

[dafthoss]

I would use a martingale it will only come in when her head is to high and it will give you something to hold on to aswell. As someone has in their signature its like a seatbelt you hope you wont need it but it is there if you do. She might also work out that it means she cant throw her head up so high and she will stop trying. Well done on getting back out there aswell I know how hard it is after a confidnece knock

 

[monkeybum13]

Was it Tim Stockdale that said a martingale is like a seatbelt in that it won't come into play until you need it and acts like a "safety" piece of tack.
There's no harm in trying a running martingale.

Good on you for building your confidence