On the safety of a running as a standing… I get that it’s tacky and I’d never do it in a show situation, but I’m having trouble understanding why it would be unsafe compared to a purpose-made standing.
oh I’d say it’s no less safe, but I’m also not saying Rugbug or anyone has to do the cheap tacky things we do :lol: It’s just what we do.
I would think it would be way too short to be properly adjusted as a standing if it’s the correct size martingale to use as a running. I don’t really love using martingales anyway, but a schooling quality standing is extremely cheap on the scale of what horse things cost. I don’t really see being cheap as a good excuse. Lazy, maybe, but my lazy go-to is no martingale at all.
Drop five holes. That’s pretty much what works for us. IPEsq, time saving certainly is part of it. As in you are working and need to switch from one to the other for a particular training question. Much faster. But also to have less equipment to buy and drag around.
Again, not saying anyone else has to do it, just saying we do it and it works for us. You do what works for you. You know, nothing lazy or tacky :lol:
I saw multiple horses in the CH/AA jumper classic at WIHS with runnings used as standings. I didn’t think it was legal to use a standing for that class, but apparently I was incorrect.
This is the current USEF rule about martingales. Previously I believe the amount of prize money in the class was a factor.
JP111 Tack and Attire
1. Martingales.
a. Classes offered at 1.30m or below—No martingale restrictions when used in a conventional manner (see also JP111.3).
b. Classes offered above 1.30m (and all classes restricted to young horses)—The only martingales permitted are running martingales used in the conventional manner.
3. Draw Reins/German Martingales. Draw reins and German Martingales may only be used when schooling or in classes with no prize money that are offered at 1.20m or below. Ponies may not be ridden by a Junior in draw reins or German martingales at any time. No other head set devices (chambon, etc.) are permitted in any class.I’ve seen a running used as a standing at a show (I also, was like, “huh, who’d have thunk it”). School in one and switch to the other for the ring…so I doubt they were being cheap, but mostly being the big time saver while standing at the ingate. Just redo the noseband, rather than also removing rider and saddle (of course, on some other occasion, I have seen someone change a martingale, undoing the girth with rider mounted. Safety 93rd).
Anyway, I would guess perhaps that is where Randy’s distaste for it comes from (well other than looking tacky too) given that he also mentions martingale stoppers in his list? Don’t want to look like you were out there schooling in a running (that actually perfectly legal piece of tack). Wonder if anyone doesn’t like seeing draw rein rings on the girths 
I don’t feel using a tie down that is attached to the cavesson with a metal ring is a great idea. You are counting on something else to break if things go wrong…which it probably will, but you never know.
I can envision a few other unsafe scenarios…but I do have an overactive imagination when it comes to worse cases. 
[quote]Originally Posted by poltroon
On the safety of a running as a standing… I get that it’s tacky and I’d never do it in a show situation, but I’m having trouble understanding why it would be unsafe compared to a purpose-made standing.
I don’t feel using a tie down that is attached to the cavesson with a metal ring is a great idea. You are counting on something else to break if things go wrong…which it probably will, but you never know.
I can envision a few other unsafe scenarios…but I do have an overactive imagination when it comes to worse cases.
[/quote]
A raised standing martingale is not going to break in the loop the cavesson goes through. Those things are tough and probably the cavesson will break first.
A running is still leather and could break not only at the cavesson, but at the rings where they are sewn or the two thinner straps where the running splits. If anything, I think it is more likely to break in an emergency.
Every martingale I’ve owned has needed a lot of extra holes punched to be small enough, so I think the length would be OK.
The only thing I can think is that the two different sides might not hang/drape together, making a loop, but I don’t see how anything could get caught in it.
Again, not that I plan to do this. Just trying to see why people think it’s unsafe.
