Who uses a neck strap?

[doodle]

Robin always wears one, just an old stirrup leather. I very rarely use it but definitely feel reassured it is there. The other day he had a huge upset out hacking, not his fault, and I was very grateful for it, it definitely helped me feel more secure. I also used one on Soli my ex racer. He could get quite sharp warming up and so we warmed up with a couple of fingers hooked under it.

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, I used to use one.

 

[soloequestrian]

I love a neck strap. I have one made from the relevant bit of an old martingale and I use a leather shoelace to tie it to the saddle so I can let the horse put its head down without the strap going over its ears!

 

[doodle]

I do think it detracts a bit from the pictures I have doing dressage. Robin has not put a foot wrong but I would still prefer it’s there.

 

[Roxylola]

I use one, not every time but it helps if hes a bit lit up

 

[ycbm]

Hate them. I feel they are in the wrong place, put me out of balance and stop me using my arms to balance or to turn the horse to stop it doing stupid things.

I do occasionally use a Jesus strap, a long cord or strap between the D rings.

 

[Meredith]

I use the neck strap of a martingale not a stirrup leather and also have a dog collar attached to the D ring on one side of the breastplate.
This is because I have injured one arm 3 times and must not jerk it again.
I can hold the dog collar all the time and drop the rein if necessary. The neck strap is for premeditated stuff, jumping etc.

 

[greenbean10]

Hate them. I feel they are in the wrong place, put me out of balance and stop me using my arms to balance or to turn the horse to stop it doing stupid things.

I do occasionally use a Jesus strap, a long cord or strap between the D rings.

Exactly the same as me. I would never think to grab it. I have a handle on the front of the saddle which is much easier. I can grab that without leaning forward. If my horse is having a bronc I want to be able to get their head up and I think that holding onto a next strap around their neck would just pull me even more forward out the saddle.

 

[doodle]

Neck strap sits here so not that far from my hand and I don’t feel it pulls me forward.

 

[milliepops]

I find those grab handles on the saddle Ds too far back whereas a loose-ish neckstrap does sit where I'd find it more useful.
I use them now and then. If TB didnt wear a breastplate I'd use one every time.

 

[emilylou]

Me! I have one on everything, helps with the acrobats. I just loop a couple of fingers through and pull the strap upwards which anchors my seat when I'm in the safety position and helps me stay secure in the saddle.

 

[Mule]

I find they sit too far forward for me to hold them without leaning forward.

 

[sherry90]

Yep. Always. Backed him with one and have just kept it on since. He’s not sharp but I use it when we are in new or exciting situations or when I can tell he’s going to take a flyer at a fence!

 

[huskydamage]

I use a stirrup leather if I'm riding bareback. If I'm jumping I use a 5point breastplate, I bought it purely because I think it looks cool but I'm a nervous jumper and my horse jumps stuff quite big and well as getting excited and leaping about so I feel better knowing I can grab it if I need too. I also use it to balance myself when I jump down off her, esp if my landing is muddy!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I give up. I wish HHO would get its sh1t together so I can type onmy phone without throwing it at the wall in frustratio the forums god awful retardedness! its taken my 5 mins just to write that!

 

[teddypops]

I use one and I don’t have to lean forward to use it, a handle on the front of my saddle would not be in the correct position for me to grab quickly. I use a stirrup leather and since I started using one on a pony I was breaking in 4 years ago, I don’t like riding without one.

 

[JennBags]

I always use one, it transformed hacking with George so nowadays it's just part of my tack. I don't have to lean forward to get it, at times of tension I just slip my fingers through it.

 

[indie1282]

Hate them. I feel they are in the wrong place, put me out of balance and stop me using my arms to balance or to turn the horse to stop it doing stupid things.

I do occasionally use a Jesus strap, a long cord or strap between the D rings.

I find neckstraps are too far forward, and too bulky if using a stirrup leather. I always have a breastplate and use that if I need to anchor myself, it's just in the right place for my hands.

 

[criso]

I do, it's a stirrup leather but may buy a purpose designed one at some point. TIgger can be spooky jumping and it gives me something to grab hold of when I know he's going to do something unseating. It was when I stopped using a martingale, I was doing combined training and forgot to put it on and realised I didn't need it and saw some research about breast plates restricting jumping movement so didn't want to use that.

With dressage I might have one for the warmup but I take it off before I go in the ring.

 

[Otherwise]

I try to always have a neck strap as well as a grab strap on the saddle, then hopefully I'll have something in the right place to grab no matter what happens. It's probably totally in my head as I can't remember the last time I needed either but I ride better with them so it's worth the 2 seconds it takes to put on. I have a 'proper' neck strap that's rein thickness but I've seen a diamante one I quite fancy.

 

[Steerpike]

Yes I never ride without one, mine are thin like a neck strap on a martingale so not bulky and I have them slightly longer so they don't make me reach for them.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I had an individual lesson a couple of weeks ago, and the instructor at one point had me use an old stirrup leather for a neck strap, and hook the little finger of each hand under it to help keep my hands still...

It's been a long time since I felt the need for a neck strap or Jesus strap / monkey handle (most saddles up at the yard don't have one), but I often wonder if one would be useful to stop me bouncing around when the instructor has us do seated trot.

 

[little_critter]

Yes, I use one. Partly to help me stay on and partly to prevent me accidentally socking him in the mouth if there’s are any acrobatics.
My trainer suggested using a rein instead of a stirrup leather. It’s thinner and a bit longer so it’s easier to hold. Just hook the billet through the buckle hole and securely tape it up.

 

[ihatework]

Every time I ride.
But not for acrobatics, it’s because my lower back is so imobile, I use it as an anchor to get off the damn horse ?

 

[Archangel]

No.

I have some long suede chaps for those days when a flying lesson might be on the cards (for one horse, thankfully now retired, that was every day).

 

[Red-1]

I never used to, but when I bought Jay Man he was a habitual rearer and I started to wear one then. He soon learned not to rear, but the habit has stuck.

When he had a whoopsie, if you touched the rein he would be up. So, I taught him control from a neck strap, it was not just to hold on with. We have videos of us doing a jumping round with no bridle and a few photos of galloping in a stubble field, no bridle. People said I was 'brave' but not really, as if he had a whoopsie moment I could not touch the rein anyway, so may as well not have any!

I did usually have a bridle as well, but found that in SJ and XC I could rely more on steadying him with the neck strap, as this created no resistance and he could always see the fence.

I have just kept this habit with my new horse too.

I just disassemble a martingale and use the neck strap off that.

 

[cauda equina]

I always put one on, mostly for the placebo effect
Simply knowing it's there makes me ride more positively

 

[Gusbear]

No, I use a Jeezus strap, as in Jeezus horse, stop that or I’m going to hit the deck.
I have a monkey strap on my saddle. Hold on, sit back and pray that mob of kangaroos hops off before I fall off!

 

[welshstar]

Use one all the time xc as it gives me confidence at the scarier jumps! use one on my Welsh when we play bareback as he is welsh so I would bounce off!
use the super country ones

 

[Pippity]

I use one on Blue because she's hogged, so no convenient grabstrap built in! I very rarely use it, but if I'm feeling nervous, it's reassuring to just slip my fingers under it.