Posted on Tuesday, 24th January 2012 by admin
Opinions about the martingale vary widely. Both the standing and running martingale correct head carriage and stop the rider from getting struck when the horse tosses his head. The standing martingale focuses pressure on the head to prevent it rising above the right height. In western-style riding, a shorter version called a “tiedown” keeps the horse from throwing his head when told to turn or stop.
The running martingale leaves slack whenever the head is positioned correctly, creating a line directly between the bit ring and the hand of the rider. The horse has more freedom, but is encouraged to lower his head when it drifts too high. This means the running martingale is more gentle, and that’s why it’s the only form of martingale tack allowed in horse trials and racing.
A running martingale can be a good idea for training, especially if your horse has trouble raising his head too far. Overuse of either kind of martingale can damage the neck, spine, and nose, especially if the horse falls. Likewise, when a horse bucks, the running martingale can injure his mouth. Occasional use of martingales can correct bad habits so they won’t need to be used during trials.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)