While on the subject....what tack are your horses in and what do you do with them?

age: 16

work: show jumping, dressage, pony club, cross country, hacking (a bit of everything really :) )

Level: mainly local shows but have competed at trailblazer championship for showjumping

old tack: egg-butt, french-link, snaffle with a running martingale, flash noseband.

new tack: full cheek fulmer with no martingale, cavesson noseband which works much better :)

Saddle: thorowgood saddle, GP cob

(don't know if it counts as tack but he is also ridden with rhythm beads. hard to explain but basically necklace with bells on it, quite nervous out hacking and when jumping so this really calms him down, native american technique so it must work ;) :D :p )
 
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2 boys that get ridden, other is a companion

4 year old 16.2HH TB doing affiliated prelim dressage in dressage saddle, plain bridle, nothing fancy, snaffle mouth, no martingale. About to move up a level as rider is a top level dressage judge but taking her time as he goes through his "I am a ****** and I know better than you" year.
He has been to jump with a Top class SJ friend so I will take him to riding club XC next spring and see if he kills me..... P.s he is for sale...;-). Sorry TFC

12 year old (only had him 2 months) 17.2HH ISH, same tack as above but normal GP saddle, just getting muscle so doing unaffiliated prelim dressage and will move up to next level in new year. He has a wind issue so I won't jump him.

About to purchase a 16.2HH tb for XC, he will also be in same tack but with event saddle. Will do SJ over the winter. Try him at very low riding club novice XC in spring and hopefully take him through to BE levels
 
8yr old tb, hacking and dressage. Wears a cavesson noseband bridle, team up neue schule bit. Hes got a wintec for hacking and a stubben for dressage ( well, really its just riding around the arena trying to stay in the arena at the moment... calling it dressage makes it sound posher ).
Also wears overreach boots for everything, as hes developed the knack of pulling shoes half way off, then standing on them again, so they squish back on at a wierd angle.
I don't jump, but if I did, I would put him in something a little stronger, as he gets very onward bound :)
Kx
 
6 year old ex racer wears flash bridle with copper roller kind of bit, it's not specifically a copper roller I don't think but I can't find one the same anywhere! Running martingale as he sticks his head right up all the time. Jumping saddle as that is his owners preference. Brushing boots. He mainly does hacking with a bit of schooling and a tiny bit of jumping. He wears the same tack whatever we're doing. Taken him hunting, on a sponsored ride, regular canters/gallops on hacks and schooling in the field too. Only does anything at a very low level.

16 year old ex racer wears grackle noseband with beval bit, running martingale, jumping saddle, brushing boots. This is for hacking, schooling and jumping in the school. For hunting, sponsored rides etc he has a pelham with double reins. And also when his owner decides to do some 'show' schooling. He mainly hacks at the moment too but also jumps 1m+ without a thought and schools to a good level.
 
Madame is in a hanging cheek snaffle with lozenge and a flash. We hack around at the mo. and she is mad! Only had her a couple of months. She was in a Cheltenham gag. I disliked it
 
10yo ISH. Plan cavesson bridle with hanging cheek snaffle. Martingale. General leisure activities, teaching him his ears don't have to be in my mouth ATM!
 
My mare is in a neue schule lozenge snaffle with cavesson noseband. Occassionally I may put her in a martingale if out hacking and going on the fields for a gallop.

I have pics of her from when she was with her former, former (if you get what I mean) owner as a 6 yr old, and she has a dutch gag. Ridiculous considering she is one of the most sensitive mouthed horses you could ask for - stops on a six pence!
 
16hh 15year old ISH mare. (OR boots on at all times)
Schooling: happy mouth loose ring snaffle with peanut/roller, plain cavesson, OR rope halter, brushing boots on all 4's, 95% of the time no saddle
Jumping: happy mouth roller/peanut wilkie, plain cavesson, tendon and fetlock boots, 50% without saddle, and 50% with saddle and breastplate with martingale attachment
Hacking: same bit as jumping, same boots as jumping, plain cavesson, saddle, breastplate with martingale attatchment.
Competing: same as hacking
Saddle: Total Contact Saddle (looks like a flat roller, you dont sit on the saddle but the actual horse, yes it is competition legal so i also compete in it)

We mainly compete in 90cm-1m unaffiliated SJ, hopefully will do some BE stuff next spring. Both happy with choice of tack, so is physio, dentist and vet :)
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
As title.
What ages, tack and discipline (include level) are your horses?

Seems there are a few threads where snaffles and plain nosebands are the way to go....
but what do you do..
Click to expand...
Current horse is approximately 20 years old and a happy hacker in side saddle and astride. He does a bit of teaching in his spare time. Used to hunt with the draghounds but now has a touch of athritis in his knees. Tack consists of GP saddle (leather - make unknown), Owen side saddle and a leather bridle with plain cavesson, dressage or laced reins and John Patterson loose ring snaffle. When he hunted he wore an American gag (his rider had excellent hands). We use a leather 3-fold side saddle girth or fabric Wychbold girth, both of which he seems very comfortable in. He sometimes wears a hunting breastplate as a "comfort blanket" when my rather nervous friend rides him.

He's typically Irish Draught and that very rare thing - a good, safe, all round family hack. He'll do anything asked of him with anyone who asks, whether it be lead rein walks with a three year old, riding lessons for a policeman, short or long hacks with anyone who asks (and who gets through the gruelling interview with mum!) or side saddle lessons for all comers. He is often used as an escort to young or nervous horses and for Mothers to ride when taking their offspring out, on and off the lead rein. His nickname on the yard is "The Wonder Horse" :).

My hip problem is making riding more and more difficult so I'm thinking of teaching him to drive if I can find a vehicle to fit him but it will only be for pleasure driving, fetching the carrots, etc. Neither of us has any interest in competitive sports.

Hope this is what you wanted.
 
14 Year old TB Gelding

Does everything - hunting, SJ -1m, Dressage (novice), eventing (ex novice eventer), endurance, trekking.

Myler comfort snaffle, plain bridle - mostly without noseband and will stick a martingale on for jumping. Set of brumby xc boots for xc over 90cm.
 
Diva the endurance pony goes in a mechanical hackamore, an Albion K2 dressage saddle, with fenders and ezi ride endurance stirrups and rhythm beads for training. If we are going to be competing on hills, I use a breastplate, but not necessary at home.

Ardashir the retired endurance horse, who does a bit of everything (except jump) has an Albion SLK dressage saddle. He hacks in a bitless bridle, with rhythm beads and when we need a more conventional bridle we use a Sprenger Dynamic RS eggbutt snaffle and a cavasson.
 
My boy is in a Sweet Iron loose ring snaffle with a copper lozenge. He has a grackle loosely fitted on his bridle for jumping - the rest of the time I ride him without a noseband.

No martingale. Saddle is a Barnsby Whittaker jump saddle.

He's a 4yr old ISH, jumping at home 80-90cm. Working towards BN in the spring hopefully.
 
The 26yo has a dartmoor treefree saddle, a biothane bridle with no noseband, and a kimblewick. He also has a biothane breastplate. He's an advanced endurance horse who is now semi retired. When we were competing at 80km+ he had a flaired arabian saddle co saddle but the treeless does us fine now.

The 15yo has a dartmoor treefree saddle, a biothane combination bridle (converts into a headcollar) and a full cheeked snaffle with a losenge. He also has a biothane breastplate with a running martingale attachment. He does low to middle distance endurance.

The rising 3yo borrows the 26yo's treefree saddle, and has a biothane combination bridle (converts into a headcollar) with a full cheeked snaffle with a losenge. He has a biothane breastplate too. He's only 3 so has been lightly backed and is now doing nowt.
 
12 years old TB 16.3 does dressage/SJ up to 95 cm/hacking all in GP saddle, plain cavesson noseband and NS verbindend snaffle (he leans) no martingale or anything else. Yorkshire boots or brushing boots for hacking behind as his conformation means he does brush but only behind so no need for front boots.
For XC/hunter trials up same tack but change bit for Cheltenham Gag and xc boots all round. Hunts also in gag. Dont use double reins :eek:. Usually put a hunting breastplate on for XC/hunting just as something for me to grab if needed but no martingale attached.
 
Though I'd bri g this up again and post :)

7 yr, 16.1 TB x CB
Flatworm/Hacking:
-Albion KB Bridle In Havana with Blingy dot/dash Browband
-Albion Martingale when needed
-Ideal Impala Professional Jump With Matching Ideal girth In Havana
-Harry Dabbs Platinum Calf Stirrup Leathers In Havana
-Cottage Craft brass sweet iron with lozenge
-Full Set Of brushing boots

Jumping/Competing:
-Same Bridle with NS Universal bit
-Same Saddle
-Mark Todd 5-Point Breastplate
-Equipe Short Stud Girth
-Veredus Grand Prix Tendon & fetlock boots if SJ
-Kentucky Solimbra D30 Eventing Boots (Full Set) if XC With overreach boots in varying colours ;)
I always use a LeMieux Lambskin Half Lined Close Contact Eventing Saddlecloth or Thermatex Numnah.

Competes up to 1.15 Indoor eventing, SJ up to 1m10, Dressage up to Novice and does some coloured and WH showing up to County level, hope to introduce him to some eventing soon :)
 
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16 year old TB x Highland:

Schooling/ Dressage

Neue Schule Trans Angled Baucher
Collegiate Bridle (softened up lovely for a relative cheapy)
Bates Innova saddle

Everything Else (Hacking, Jumping, Trec etc)

Neue Schule Gag
Hunter Bridle
Manor Event Saddle
Running Martingale for fast rides and jumping
 
Double at the mo as the showing season is looming fast but normally loose ring, french linked, sweet iron snaffle and grackle nose.
 
Abba. Just turned 7. She jumps DC at 1.10m. Schooled full courses at 1.20m. Just coming back into work. When competing she sometimes goes in a hackamore or just a plain loose ring and regular noseband. Now in a Myler comfort snaffle. Regular noseband with shadow roll and yes a running martingale. Heidi 9. Just a genuine all rounder. Regular noseband and plain snaffe broken in 2 places. Frank 18 ex racer. Regular noseband and snaffle.

Should add Abba did not compete last year due to my situation, not her. So will jump lower this year and hope by end of year up to 1.20m.

Terri (((FF)))
 
Jenny is competing at elementary BD and so at shows is ridden in a double bridle, the weymouth has a low port and short shanks and the bridoon is a kk ultra. At home I sometimes school her in the double and sometimes in a loose ring snaffle and cavesson noseband.
For jumping, she has previously jumped up to discovery BSJA but at 18 now just does bits and bobs jump-wise.... but she can still get quite strong. For jumping I ride her in a myler kimblewick on the top rein, with a grackle and a running martingale. The grackle is more because she finds this more comfortable than other nosebands rather than for any sort of evasion where she crosses her jaw. I would use it for the same reason on the flat if it were BD legal.
For the odd bit of XC or hunt rides that we do I would ride in the same as above but possibly change the kimblewick onto the bottom ring.
 
I have a 7 year old cob mare. she's pretty green due to either her being lame and me being lame :rolleyes:

She's in a mullen mouth pelham with an elastic curb chain and double reins and normal cavessan noseband. She was in a normal mullen mouth but we just weren't communicating well, a friend suggested trying the pelham and she goes really well in it, I can be very light with my hands and she's happy.
 
My Id x cob wears a hunter bridle with a loose ring watterford with gp saddle for hacking and general riding.
We do some western riding and he also has a western saddle and bridle which we use a plain snaffle for.
I have 2 youngsters which have just been bitted with French link snaffles.
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
As title.
What ages, tack and discipline (include level) are your horses?

Seems there are a few threads where snaffles and plain nosebands are the way to go....
but what do you do..
Click to expand...

Meg is 14 next month, not competed last couple of years due to transport but hoping once she comes sound and we get the horsebox we can start again.
General schooling-french link loose ring snaffle, drop noseband. Sometimes put in a loose ring waterford snaffle for a 'change' and discourage her leaning.
Jumping she used to have same noseband etc but a french link 3 ring gag for brakes. Always in a plain gp leather saddle and saddlecloth. I also use a neckstrap.
Did hardly any dressage but she used to do about 2ft 3/6 XC and 2ft 6 SJ at local level. She had scope to go higher but wasn't confident enough due to a fall at that height early on in her jumping days.

Nesta is 13 next month, ridden in a drop noseband, french link eggbut snaffle, wintec gp saddle, hunter breastplate with martingale attachment. She has that for schooling hacking and jumping at the moment.
I've been told with previous owners she did 2ft 9 sj, 2ft 6 xc and prelim dressage being placed in all of them. I hope to take her out competing once I've got more of a grip on her as she's a madam at times! Apparently for jumping etc and xc she used to have a 3 ring gag in.
 
Sorry smothered with a cold so didn't add saddles and boots. Abba and Heidi share a Jaguar close contact saddle. They are half sisters and yes made alike. And it was checked for both. Frank goes in the ancient re flocked Stubben that still looks new. That's a GP saddle. Abba goes in brushing boots on front and elasticated polos behind. Jumps in tendon boots in front and ankle boots behind. Heidi and Frank in brushing boots in front.

Terri
 
gp saddle - normal cavesson nose band - kimblewick bit - that's it, doesn't change no matter what I do. I don't do accessories
 
Sadly, I have no horses now, when I did, I rode the wondermare in the link for about 12,500 hours on extensive hacks - we did the odd low scale trial in the early days and she could jump over ( almost anything!) 5ft but I told her it wasn't necessary to impress me ( I think it let her live longer injury free). She wore a lovely English drop noseband caveson bridle fitted with a large diameter nickel eggbutt Fulmer bit with a set of quite wide plaited leather reins. She also had a made to measure "Eldonian" general purpose dressage cut saddle by Turf & Travel ( the likes of which today would probably cost the same as what I paid for the mare!) over a felt pad, very comfortable to sit in and for her to carry - we went nearly everywhere at sitting trot so I gave that theory a good test! On longer journeys where we'd often stop out overnight at another yard, I'd also take her leather headcollar and picket rope ( worn in front like old cavalry) and maybe a rolled blanket for me but like as not - I slept in another box or barn in the straw. Happy Days.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1stclassalan/8424567988/
 
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6 year old Heinz 57. Wears a cavesson noseband bridle with a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge for everything. Ideal Event GP saddle as can't afford two saddles and we do a bit of everything together: hack for up to 4 hours on a weekend, 1 on a weekday, jump around 2ft when I feel brave, schooling at novice level and hope to go xc this summer :) he wears tendon boots in front and brushing boots in the back for jumping and will do for xc, if we plan on going galloping out on hacks he wears boots but if we're just pootling along on a loose rein he goes without.
 
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