jumping with standing martingale

[Susara]

hi there

My yard had a training show last week, and I was surprised to see quite a few children using standing martingales. I had never seen anyone at my yard riding, never mind jumping, in standing martigales. To my (admittedly very untrained) eye it seems that this unsettles the horse's stabalisation after the jump.

I mentioned this to our yard owner, and he seemed unperturbed, in fact he recommended the standing margingales to some of the children for the show. So I didn't want to push the point.

Now I just want to know whether I'm all upset about nothing. They were only jumping 90cm, and none of the martingales were short, ie the horses could still lift their heads quite high.

[IrisSilverMoon]

there is nothing wrong with jumping in a standing martingale as long as it has been adjusted properly. Adjusted properly means when the horse has his neck in a normal position (resting, not up or down) you can bring the martingale all the way up to his throatlatch without it getting tight on you, if you can't touch the throat with it, its too tight. this means the horse can bascule still, but can't throw its head way up in the air.

I think once you get jumping really high it might be a problem though, i dunno I've never jumped more than 3ft, but when I use a martingale its always been standing and properly fitted, the horses I used it with never had problems jumping with it on.

[Elvengirl]

Lots on opinions on the use of a standing. Like irismoon said, it's not to be used tight like a tie-down, but as an aid in keeping the horse from raising his head to a dangerous level. It's used commonly here, and almost always with younger kids for that reason. A properly fitted martingale should never interfere with a horses approach, take-off, bascule or landing off a 3ft fence, and if it does, it's on wrong. Over 3'6"-4'0", a running martingale should be used if needed because then the horse is required to stretch more on take-off and landing, and needs a lot more freedom. In national competition here standing martingales are allowed up to 3'6" hunters and jumpers. I'm sure if it was in any way abusive to ride a horse in one over a 3ft fence it would not be allowed in national competition.

[Nicole5310]

It is illegal in our rules to use a standing martingale for jumping in NZPCA (New Zealand pony club) Running martingales are accepted, I expect they dont allow standing because It's hard to police the unknowledgable how to use them correctly. I have however never seen them used at federation levels either. It is generally frowned upon for jumping.

A running martingale does the same job with the the extra saftey of having the freedom should the horse need it. A horse cant really stretch in a standing. Its like Irissilvermoon said, it allows for resting position, not really what you want when you want your horse to bascule.

[IrisSilverMoon]

Originally posted by Nicole5310
Its like Irissilvermoon said, it allows for resting position, not really what you want when you want your horse to bascule.

you must have misunderstood what I said. I was talking about properly fitting a horse for a standing martingale. If you fit it when the horse is in the normal relaxed head set it will not interfere with a horses bascule over fences. It should actually encourage a bascule as the horse won't be able to throw its head up and hollow its back over a fence.

examples:

http://www.hanoverian.org/media/Photos/2003Awardspix/Cabalito-jumping-2.jpg

http://www.westernreference.homestead.com/files/hunter.jpg

http://image02.webshots.com/2/7/23/25/47572325DkcGvu_ph.jpg


as you can see, none of these horses is having any trouble whatsoever putting out gorgeous form over fences.

[Nicole5310]

No, you're right. It seems i was quite wrong with that statement. I have never put much thought in it since I dont use martingales. My horses have never needed them since their flatwork has always been way ahead of their jumping. I was trying to picture how the standing martingale fitted. I thought the horse could jump round in a way but I was more thinking of horses ive seen stretch their heads out forwards.

For what its worth in my own opinion I wouldnt ever use a standing martingale just a running if it was necessary. But thats an opinion which is probably born out of the 'frowned apon' status that it seems to have here.

[kedwards]

I think the true disadvantage of standing martingales relative to runnings, is less to do with the ability to stretch when jumping than with the ability to get out of a pinch should something go terribly wrong. Thus, they are commonly used in show hunters where the courses are straightfoward, but not in XC or showjumping, where tough spots and even the occasional fall is more likely to occur.

That said, the advantage of the standing martingale over the running is that they do not rely on the skills of the rider.

[Nicole5310]

Well said, kedwards. I agree. Now why couldnt i manage to say that.

[Elvengirl]

Kedwards, that makes more sense about the running martingale being safer in the event of a nasty fall, and I would definately have to say it would be scary to see it used in XC! <yikes!>

Was just wondering, as I've never seen anyone have a fall with the standing martingale, would the leather break on the standing attachment or noseband if it got caught or the horse pulled up really hard when getting up? I know I have seen bridles break before and leather halters are a better choice then nylon due to their breakability. Just curious if anyone has ever seen an accident occur when a standing martingale was on the horse and what happened.

[Elvengirl]

have to say it would be scary to see it used in XC

sorry "it" being a standing martingale not a running :eek: