Can you share why you use ?
Your favorite kind brand and whether 3 or 5 point ?
Specifically used for showjumping
Thank you so much
I don’t use any because my saddle stays in place (as it fits, and my horses both have very large shoulders) but if I were to use one it would be designed like the Fairfax due to the research they have that found breastplates effect jump arc/ shape negatively. Another reason (besides not having to buy and then clean) not to buy one unless you absolutely have to - I’m all for less is more with tack.
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Yes to what kaya says. And, if you need one, then something like the Fairfax or the Correct Connect, or just a breastcollar seem to be a better choice than the traditional 3 or 5-point ones.
I think most horses are ok with one, but it definitely can impede their jump, so why use it if you don’t have to? The most ridiculous example I know of is a horse my trainer used to have. He seemed to feel he couldn’t jump in the ring with a breastplate on- and he was an eventer, so it’s pretty necessary for safety’s sake on XC. She could put a breastcollar on him for XC because he tended to be ok once they got galloping, but he would start off out in the field hopping up and down until she got him going forward. In stadium even in a breastcollar he would be very awkward and upset and just not want to leave the ground. She didn’t use one at home, so it took a while to figure it out, but when she took it off he went back to being 100%.
I think at a certain level for jumpers, or for certain horses, they are a safety measure, but if one isn’t jumping GPs, they maybe aren’t as necessary. I’ve never needed one on my older guy, regardless of the height we jump (up to 1.45m at home). Even my young backcracker’s saddle never moves, so I’m not going to impede his jump with extra equipment until and unless that changes. I don’t even need a running martingale on mine, so I don’t bother with that, either–again, some horses will need those things, but my policy is if the horse doesn’t, then leave it off. And, if the saddle is slipping a lot that needs to be taken care of through saddle fitting.
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I use the CWD bridge breastplate primarily with the running attachment. I don’t have issues with saddle slippage, but I like the extra security over bigger tracks, and my horse definitely needs the running. I’ve seen zero difference in his jumping arc with or without the breastplate, so I personally think the impact of one also depends on whether it’s properly fitted and the confirmation of the horse in question.
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I need one as my saddle tends to slide back when my horse jumps (he’s got a huge shoulder!) - I use a 5 point for this reason specifically so I ensure my saddle stays in the right place. I use the HDR one, it is relatively budget friendly.
I really like the look at quality of the Voltaire 5 point but. They are spendy!!
Try a shammy (chamois) under your saddle instead of a breastplate. Dampen it first, wring it out. Can be a real lambskin one, or made out of the stuff you put under a tablecloth or line a cupboard with. Both work.
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I LOVE my Correct Connect Free Motion.
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I used a 5-point Nunn Finer up until Jimmy Wofford told me to come back tomorrow with an elastic breast girth instead. Your horse doesn’t like that strap between his front legs, he said. And I said, yes, sir. But that was one horse, one clinic.
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