poll: do you use a martingale?

[keep the faith]

just wondered how many of you use a martingale and what type as they seem to be getting an almost essential part of tack on every horse i see. mine included!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Bozzy]

I use a running martingale for SJ/XC as my ex-racing TB is very head high.

[T-bred]

Caesar came with a standing martingale but I took it off of him and now he is fine without one.

Anna

[shaka]

I don't on my current horse, though he does sometimes need one, as I thought it would be something I could train out of him (I can't) and it isn't really that bad so I just leave him without it. I havce absolutely nothing against martingales though.
With my old pony, Shaka, I used to sometimes ride him in a running martingale when hacking or going cross country and very occasionally jumping on grass. Anything fast which required stronger brakes anyway, as he would toss his head up as he got stronger. I didn't always use it for hacking and cross country and whatever, jsut when I felt. When hacking out to the gallops I would also occasionally put the rings through his cavesson noseband as sometimes he would rear and I found that helped.

I don't like seeing jumping in a standing martingale. I wouldn't argue against it, but I don't like to see it.

[motherfox]

I used to use a martingale on my mare as she would throw her head high and then lean on the bit, but now I use a Myler combination bit. Over time and patience it has taught her that the pressure is off when her head is in the correct position, therefore eliminating the use of the martingale. She is now much happier without one. :)

[MelanieD]

Fatty is going to have a running martingale on from now on, she also wears a flash so I'm going to get mistaken for one of those tack fashion victims :rolleyes: :D Most of the time she behaves, but when she has an opinion it's mouth open, head up and bugger off where she wants to go.

[keep the faith]

Originally posted by MelanieD
Most of the time she behaves, but when she has an opinion it's mouth open, head up and bugger off where she wants to go.

thats just like my mare! haha! i have nothing against them either just occured to me that i might have been using one because it's on her bridle.

i agree shaka. hate to see a standing martingale being used for jumping.

thanks for all your replies:D

[Cochise]

Nope he doesn't need it for any discipline and we compete in many English horse sports!

[Kanuma]

nope, dont use them, dont like them, there is always anouther way in my book. i cant use them for showing, and i find that horses tend to lean on them, makeing the original problem worse when you need to take it off,

[Elvengirl]

I use a standing on my horse, mainly because he came with one but also because it's used all the time in hunters here and that's what I mostly competed in this past summer. Thinking of switching to a running, or nothing at all now that I am making the transition to jumpers, but not really sure. Never have a had a problem jumping my horse in a standing though, didn't even realize there were people against it! btw...just out of curiousity, what is an irish martingale? I have heard of them before but never actually understood what they were!

[Kanuma]

you realy shouldnt jump in a standing martingale, as it restricts the horses head movements and unbalances the horse over the jump but not allowing it to form the correct shape for the take off. just because every one else uses one doesnt mean that you should! there are reasons that the jumpers use running martingales

[shaka]

Originally posted by Elvengirl
btw...just out of curiousity, what is an irish martingale? I have heard of them before but never actually understood what they were!

An irish martingale is a piece of leather with two rings that connect the reins, if you like. Sorry I am useless at explaining! They are used to stop the rider holding their hands to far apart and to prevfent the reins going over the horses should the rider fall off.
http://www.cleesaddlery.co.uk/acatalog/455.jpg

[Wally]

Running martingales are something I just cannot, won't, cannot use. I hate the feedback I get through the reins. I won't ride in one. Just one of my silly things I have. I have nothing against them. I think they are over used for the wrong reasons.

[Elvengirl]

At the risk of starting another argument about martingale use, I just wanted to say that I would never use something on my horse just because someone told me to. Sorry if my post was misleading (and now that I read it, it was) What I was getting at was that use of a standing martingale is common and acceptable in competition in my country. I agree with this, as the mechanics of a jumping horse require the head and neck to push down and forward. If a horse is throwing the head up while jumping, some serious re-schooling or vetrinarian attention is required. If the martingale is properly adjusted, it should not interfere with a horses jump at all, if fitted too tight however, which I am sure is why the standing martingale has such a bad rep, it can be seriously detrimental and mean. The standing is simply an aid in aligning the level of hand-to-bit contact to allow the skillful hand to make a delicate contribution to neck carriage and overall outline.

I do, however, totally respect yours and others opinions about the use of the equipment, I just wanted everyone to know I am not the type of rider who puts things on their horse just because I am told to do so. It's very insulting! Please don't be angry:(

[Esther.D]

Don't use any form of martingale - Rupert came wearing a running martingale but it was unnecessary...and adjusted so loosely as to be useless :rolleyes: ...so it got removed as soon as I got him home. I can't use any form of martingale on a driving horse anyway so I am used to finding other alternatives anyway.

[Lovecat]

Murphy has a running martingale but only when out hacking - it's probably so loose as to be useless, but it doesn't harm him (I've certainly not noticed a difference with 'feel' on the reins with it) but it's more there for my confidence and reassurance when out on the roads than for him - we have 200 yards of very busy A-road to travel before we get onto country lanes and I don't believe in taking unnecessary risks!

[Yann]

Rio came with one as part of her tack, which I was a bit mystified about, so off it came and off it has stayed. She does tend to lift her head up when she's excited, so I that's probably why it was there.

[tasha]

I did with Kally for a bit, but since then Ive tried to ride less off my hands and changed her bit to one she doesnt throw her head up to get away from. Took it off over a year ago as an experiment, and didnt notice any difference in how she went! So off it stayed.

They have their uses but I see them adjusted too tight too often.