Very quick question

Q

Quartz

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Hi, just a quickie!! Do neck straps and balance straps serve the same purpose but are just located in different places? Also do you think either will help with not pulling the reins too much when going round and jump course? I pull a lot as try to control the speed (my horse is very fast on the jump course!!), thought maybe this would help me not aggravate his mouth too much. Thanks
 
The neck strap goes around the neck, the balance strap is usually attached to the d rings on the front of your saddle. (Sorry if that's stating the obvious!)
I prefer a neck strap for jumping as it allows your hands and body to be further forward and go with the movement more.
I use a balance strap when schooling, they're great for spooky horses or to help when doing work without stirrups - they help you get a deeper seat.
Hope that helps?
 
Yes, for jumping a balance strap may be too restrictive, but good for steadying the hands for schooling I think. Bridging reins may help you though, may be wrong
 
Check with an instructor first though.

You can't jump holding on to a balence strap as the hands are fixed to far back and you'd catch the horse in the teeth. A neck strap may help but ideally you should only put one hand on it, leaving the other hand free to follow the head and neck - which won't help with your needing to control speed. You might be better off with something like bridging reins or perhaps even a change of bit.

If your hands are too fixed as you jump not only will you hurt the horse, who might then be reluctant to jump, but you will also unseat yourself as the horse snatches at the reins for balence. Your horse might also be pulling and running forward to get away from fixed hands in which case anything like this will only make the problem worse!

Gadgets have thier uses - but before what it is you need to fix first!
 
Shay said:
Check with an instructor first though.

You can't jump holding on to a balence strap as the hands are fixed to far back and you'd catch the horse in the teeth. A neck strap may help but ideally you should only put one hand on it, leaving the other hand free to follow the head and neck - which won't help with your needing to control speed. You might be better off with something like bridging reins or perhaps even a change of bit.

If your hands are too fixed as you jump not only will you hurt the horse, who might then be reluctant to jump, but you will also unseat yourself as the horse snatches at the reins for balence. Your horse might also be pulling and running forward to get away from fixed hands in which case anything like this will only make the problem worse!

Gadgets have thier uses - but before what it is you need to fix first!
Click to expand...

I thought of buying the balance strap to help with my seat with dressage and even for out hacking if get into trouble.

With the neckstrap for jumping I thought that would help to rebalance after a jump, not sure its necessary though. When he actually jumps now I am trying the crest release, where I put my hands up his neck and hold onto the main high enough up that he can fully stretch his neck. The problem I have at the moment is that when I jump my hands are too far back as I am trying to hard to control the speed at the same time as he charges at the jumps. Then off course I am off balance at the reception as he is trying to regain his head. He is great at jumping don't get me wrong I just need to learn to control it all together!!!!
 
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