Should I be using a martingale?

[tashcat]

My horse always used to wear a standing martingale. It was habit and I never thought that he might actually not need it.

A couple of years ago I thought the martingale wasn't a great choice for jumping, as we did a lot of xc and sj. (I just want to add in no way did the martingale restrict him or make it dangerous, but it just wasn't the most suitable). So i took it off and have never looked back.

For daily work he doesn't need it, but if we go out he can tend to throw his head up and a martingale is quite useful.

Recently I've been wondering about putting him back on a martingale: this time it would be a running one. I can't see myself really needing it, apart from the odd naughty moment, but I have noticed that he holds his head much lower without it. I know this is something I should be correcting through riding too, but I wonder if adding the martingale back might lift him up a bit. I also think that the extra protection could be useful.

What do you think? Is there any need? Am I being over cautious, or is it sensible. Would it ever make a difference to his head position? Thank you.

 

[Cragrat]

So you are saying you are thinking of using the martingale "to lift him back up a bit" ?

The only way it could do that would be if he braces against it Therefore, no, I don't think you should put him back in it.

Martingales can have a use for a horse that lifts its head dangerously high, e.g. in front of a jump, or for horses that fling their heads around wildly possibly chucking the reins over.

 

[oldie48]

Lots of people on here will disagree with me, I know, but I always use a correctly fitted running martingale when I hack out. I feel happier as I've got something to grab hold of if needed and on the very rare occasion when my horse gets upset and throws his head up, it's there to help me. If correctly fitted, a running martingale does not come into play unless the horse sticks his head up very high but it won't help a horse that is leaning on your hands and not carrying himself (if this is what your horse is doing). Schooling is the way forward with that.

 

[tashcat]

Thank you for your replies, yes maybe I am being a bit too optimistic and silly in thinking a martingale will help me out with his head. Back to the drawing boards with schooling!

Cragrat thats the reason I want to use it again, he can be very spooky and use his head as a device. However he only does this rarely and I'm uncertain as to whether he should be wearing it all the time. I meant to say he always wears it for trips out.

Thank you both, I think I might give it a trial and see if it helps me hacking oldie48, and I appreciate that the martingale should not be interfering at all unless he lifts or shakes his head too high.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Lots of people on here will disagree with me, I know, but I always use a correctly fitted running martingale when I hack out. I feel happier as I've got something to grab hold of if needed and on the very rare occasion when my horse gets upset and throws his head up, it's there to help me. If correctly fitted, a running martingale does not come into play unless the horse sticks his head up very high but it won't help a horse that is leaning on your hands and not carrying himself (if this is what your horse is doing). Schooling is the way forward with that.

I always hack in a martingale both of my horses have one I just feel happier knowing its there if they get a bit excited.

 

[kc100]

Martingales can have a use for a horse that lifts its head dangerously high, e.g. in front of a jump, or for horses that fling their heads around wildly possibly chucking the reins over.

^This. I get why they are used for jumping and hacking out, but never understand why you'd even attempt to use one for flatwork.

If you need 'lift' i.e. the outline is too deep, then you need to spend more time working on playing with the outline when schooling. You should be varying between different neck positions when schooling, some long low work to stretch, then picking up into a more more uphill outline, then back down again to stretch out, then maybe up a little more asking for some medium strides, then down again etc.

Personally with the horses I ride I dont worry too much if they are a bit deep, yes wouldnt work when out competing but at home providing the neck is soft and relaxed, and they are not on the forehand, then I dont worry if they feel more comfortable carrying themselves a bit low. Every horse has its own preference of where it neck goes when you are schooling, some have a naturally higher head carriage and some have a lower head carriage. Providing you are light in your hands, their neck is relaxed...then dont worry so much, it is better than forcing it into a more uphill frame and being very heavy handed to hold the neck there.

Becoming more uphill comes with lots of time and patience - you need the back end to develop properly first so they are pushing through from behind before they have the strength to offer a more uphill frame. Do lots of fittening work, and in your flat schooling sessions do LOADS of transitions and all the other various schooling exercises out there to get the horse working from behind and off the forehand.

Work with your trainer to ensure the neck is relaxed and the horse is working from behind, this training will need to continue for months before you start to notice the difference and then eventually the horse will become strong enough to start to offer you are a more uphill head and neck carriage.

A piece of tack is never the answer to correct something like this, correct riding, schooling and fittening work are always the answer - yes it takes a lot longer than sticking a piece of tack on but you build the muscle correctly and will have a much stronger happier horse.

 

[tashcat]

Thank you kc100, really helpful advice!

I promise to not think about relying on tack again: guess I'm just a bit frustrated!

Thank you also for the reassurance that his head position is okay - I guess I have much more important issues, like his health and happiness. I will be trying out what you said though, as I need a kick up the bum in turns of better schooling.

Thanks all, no martingale for us unless we've travelled somewhere necessary.

 

[dianchi]

Prepared to be shot down here but.......

I hate running martingales- to me more pressure on the mouth doesn't make sense, plus you see many riders using one incorrectly fitted that creates a break in the reins and thus causes more issues than you started with!

I jump/hack my mare in an elasticated standing, as after breaking my collar bone with head tossing once I don't fancy it again, and the elastic has enough give that if she's in trouble (never had it happen) that she could save herself. Plus is nose pressure rather than mouth.
No amount of schooling (15 years) can stop the occasional head toss nor the head up and charge that we get xc sometimes

Again just my opinion!