Should I use a martingale?

[Bexster]

My haflinger has just turned four, I did some schooling with her last year, over the winter been taking her out on hacks so she can just enjoy going out and learning about different things.She is VERY strong, so when she decides to trot to catch up with others or spook at somthing and bomb up the road sometimes I have to resort on pulling at her mouth which I really dont want to do! Cant do any riding in the field at the moment because of the weather, so didnt know if a martingale would be useful to stop her pulling the riens out of my hand and then me having to yank them back, like to use as little training aids as possible but she really is strong??

[Kaboo]

As she is only four, I wouldnt use any "gadgets" if i was you. When shes older, you only have the problem of schooling her out of it.

Correct me if im wrong, but I thought the martingale was ment for when a horse raises there head beyond the controll part:p Hmm, that didnt really explain it well, but I would really think about getting a good trainer, who has experiance with youngsters if you have to result in pulling on her mouth. You want a nice soft mouth, not one thats as hard and dead as a rock.

[Daffy Dilly]

Martingale will be of absolutely no use to you unless she's throwing her head up high.

If she's putting it down instead, so as to pull the reins out of your hand, tense your shoulders as you feel her starting to do it and she won't be able to budge you. Works a dream with my horse who used to pull the reins out of my hands so he could try not to work. He very rarely tries now, although when he needs to stretch his muscles (as opposed to just being naughty) I do allow him to reach down.

Look up the "one rein stop", there are lots of threads on it in training of the horse.

You could consider changing the bit, but given the situations where she does get strong, I don't think it would be beneficial. I would try and avoid the situations until you have found a way of controlling her responses, but also get her used to them, make her stand and catch up, then go on ahead and let them catch up, and lead her out inhand to get her used to the scary things.

[CurlyWurlyRach]

i dont know if it helps but when my horse gets strong (galloping in company comes to mind... good times!) i bridge my reins and then she is pulling against herself really.

[Bexster]

i dont know if it helps but when my horse gets strong (galloping in company comes to mind... good times!) i bridge my reins and then she is pulling against herself really.


Please can you explain this to me? Sounds interesting. People were shocked at how well my youngster was doing last summer, but as Ive not been able to do much with her over the winter she got a luittle lazy in listening to my commands etc. She tends to violently toss her head when she gets excited, and as she is so strong anyway she gets double strong when she gets fizzy.

[CurlyWurlyRach]

hmm its hard to explain - ill try to find you a pic. i was taught to do it by a freind whose a jump jockey so he knows all about strong horses!

ETA - http://ezinearticles.com/?The-How-And-Why-Of-Bridging-The-Reins&id=445943

im still looking for a good pic.

ETa2 - no pics on google :( its basically where you hold your reins normally but then instead of just that beng that you get your left rein in your right hand and vice versa so the reins are doubled across the withers, then if the horse pulls its pulling against itself and cant pull the reins out of your hands.

[Daffy Dilly]

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100772&highlight=%22bridging+reins%22

:)

[Daffy Dilly]

And this one might be of interest

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77460&highlight=%22bridging+reins%22

And another

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61460&highlight=%22bridging+reins%22

[Bexster]

I am gonna try this it sounds a good way to control her without pulling at her which is the last thing I want as she is so on the bit at the mo with her frothy mouth!

Been sat here with my reins trying to work out how to do it, think ive got it, holding reins, crossing over to double them up making a parrell rein in between hands.

Thanks:)

[Laura+Phantom]

I've never come across a horse which I would use a martingale on, I would rather try other methods, as mentioned above. Good luck! :)

[coss]

as curly said, i'd try putting a bridge in the reins, that helped me with my first pony. some horses resent martingales too and at four you don't want to stress her with any gadgets.

[puzzles]

. . . ditto all said, as you don't want to be resorting to gadgets at this early stage, when she is unlikely to fully uinderstand what you want of her and is sytill maturing.
she is still a baby and so will act like one, so take this into consideration and work instead on trying to calm her using exercises to give her something to think about, listening to you.
good luck