Should I use a running martingale when jumping or not at all?

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Quartz

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I am thinking of using a running martingale on my horse when jumping. Reason being that he often bolts after jumps and when I pull him back he will throw his head up (not just a little bit). I am slightly dubious about putting one on as he also tends to bolt and buck first, am worried that a running martingale would make him more likely to buck harder as he would not be able to throw his head up. Please can you offer me some pros and cons, thanks
 
Personally I don't have a problem with jumping in a martingale and nearly always use one when jumping, just for that extra bit of control. Also it will make no difference to his bucking.
Just wondering though why your horse rushes away after a fence though and bucks etc. Normally that is a classic sign of pain. I know you probably have but is its back and saddle ok? And is your jumping position fairly good, i.e not landing hard on his back?
 
I use a running martingale to hack in, as my boy, if he loses it, will chuck his head in the air and has whacked me in the face.

Remember it only comes into action if the head is thrown beyond the point of control.

Maybe as Dominobrown has said there are issues to address. Do you have jumping lessons? Sometimes someone on the ground can really see what is happening.

Jane
 
I do have regular lessons. However, they are group lessons which I find quite difficult as the others are school horses/ponies. My horse is a brill jumper, and before him was jumped in competitions by a girl of galop 7 (am in France so use the galop exams, I am only galop 3, although I am an adult!). On bounce jumps we don't have a problem but we when we get to do a more complicated courses with lots and lots of tight corners (which my instructor seems to love) he goes nuts. Rode him on a really tricky course last week and even my instructor got on and struggled with him. I just can't figure out if hes mucking about or in pain. As I say he doesn't always do it.
 
Forgot to ask, could it be a sign of Navicular disease. The girl who used to have him told me he was sold on as they believed he may have had Navicular. I brought him from a dealer so didn't know about his, although it changes nothing for me anyway as I love him to bits.
 
Well if he does it with your instructor then is probs not your riding :)
When my horse back problems he wouldn't stop as he enjoyed his jumping but would explode or rush off after the fence, as he had to use his back to jump a fence. Thats what makes me think its pain, in a bounce he won't have time to think about it. Does he rush into fences?
And has he always been like this, even before you got him?

Sorry just red about navicular- it could be as there is a lot a pressure on his front feet when he lands so this is why he rushes away from the pain. Get the vet to check it out. I do believe if you cathc navicular early enough and its mild it can be managed (speacial shoes, trims etc).
 
I'm not really a fan of running martingales tbh, as when they come into force, the horse is no longer going from your hand, they are fighting something else, and more often than not get socked in the teeth by the action of the martingale.

I think its likely your horse has some underlying issues if he does it with someone else too so I would look at getting him an MOT, vet dentist back person and go from there. I don't know enough about navicular to comment on that aspect.

Going forwards, if the problem is not eliminated, I would consider a correctly fitted standing martingale to start with, and perhaps a change of bit. :)
 
Interesting, I didn't think you could jump in a standing martingale? Will get him an MOT, I think it is the best way forwards. Thanks
 
Quartz said:
I am thinking of using a running martingale on my horse when jumping. Reason being that he often bolts after jumps and when I pull him back he will throw his head up (not just a little bit). I am slightly dubious about putting one on as he also tends to bolt and buck first, am worried that a running martingale would make him more likely to buck harder as he would not be able to throw his head up. Please can you offer me some pros and cons, thanks
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Your horse is bitted, when you pull him up of course his head will come up, he's evading discomfort. The problem is the bolting. Does he rush through poles? Do you land heavily on his back after a jump. There will be a reason why he behaves this way, your lesson is estabilishing what it is! Don't resort to artificial aids until you know the cause:)
 
blazingsaddles said:
Your horse is bitted, when you pull him up of course his head will come up, he's evading discomfort. The problem is the bolting. Does he rush through poles? Do you land heavily on his back after a jump. There will be a reason why he behaves this way, your lesson is estabilishing what it is! Don't resort to artificial aids until you know the cause:)
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He doesn't rush through the poles, its on landing that he will bolt. Sometimes straight on landing and other times one to two strides after. Honestly I try to stay up in two point just pulling my shoulders back. But as I said before he also did this with the instructor, so although I am not a great rider I am learning through him. I know I have a better position and follow with my hands a lot more all thanks to him:)
 
I too am not really a fan of running martingales. Don't get me wrong, when I was younger I used to wear one (god knows why really, think it was fashion! Lol). I feel that when the horse throws it's head up the result is, with a martingale on it'll then get pressure on the horses mouth. A standing martingale may be better as you're not interfering with the bit as well.

Have you tried a market harborough? they can help control wise, similar to a martingale but don't exert the same type of mouth pressure as far as i know.

Maybe also play with some bits? The 'bolting' sounds like it's most likely to be pain/fear related to be honest.
 
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