Good argument for using a running martingale or.....

[Bluey]

—“A running martingale properly adjusted WILL NOT come into effect unless the horse GROSSLY lifts it’s head above the contact. How is this going to help in reschooling for dressage???”—

Aha, that may be the problem here.
Who is “rescooling for dressage”?

I learned to ride correctly, where the horses didn’t know if it was “dressage” or not, it was the correct way to ride and train, from the very basics on.
We didn’t “do dressage”.

When I learned to ride, dressage was just the way all trained and rode, for any task a riding and driving horse was used, other than running in a race track.

So, there is the problem, that many here think training for dressage is special, something only some riders do, the rest are NOT doing “dressage”?:eek:
I say that not training correctly in teh basics is the problem, not that people may or not “do dressage”.

Just rethink this.
“Dressage” is pure training, from the start, supposedly to have a horse work properly when ridden, no matter what you will then use a horse for, as far as the subsequent discipline you will use him for.

We started many horses for the race track, cutting and general ranch training and guess what, they were started just exactly like any young horse that eventually may have “done dressage” by that meaning go on and become a specialist in the higher aspects of dressage as a discipline.

Sorry, the basics are the same for all horses that need to be trained or “retrained”.

I think that may be why some are not understanding the use of some gadgets, that are not needed, really, if the trainer is very experienced, but can help save the day for the less experienced trainers, that will tend to have more of those moments where something like a running martingale may be of help.:yes:

[LookinSouth]

@Bluey;3016777

—“A running martingale properly adjusted WILL NOT come into effect unless the horse GROSSLY lifts it’s head above the contact. How is this going to help in reschooling for dressage???”—

Aha, that may be the problem here.
Who is “rescooling for dressage”?

I learned to ride correctly, where the horses didn’t know if it was “dressage” or not, it was the correct way to ride and train, from the very basics on.
We didn’t “do dressage”.

:sigh:

Apparently the point was lost a long time ago.

The OP in question was asking about using the running for specific DRESSAGE retraining purposes.
One would assume a horse going into the show ring. A horse that has learned to lean/balance on a running is going to have a hard time getting great scores when the running is taken off for the test. Here lies the problem.
In the jumper ring,XC, Eventing, Foxhunting you can leave the running on, therefore you do not have this problem.

BTW, I have to disagree that any flatwork/riding is
Dressage. No, it is not something special but the cues/aids in riding a well schooled dressage horse are different than the aids and cues in riding a well schooled hunter, cutter etc…

Yes the very, very basics start out the same but it changes after the basics. If the OP was not posing the question specifically for DRESSAGE I would have a different response.

Neither are better or worse than the other, they are just DIFFERENT. I’ve known a number of very good H/J pros who would have difficulty on the flat getting collection and extension from a well schooled dressage horse. Why? because the aids are different. Especially the seat and weight aids.

A dressage rider would likely have difficulty getting a hunter to GO LIKE a hunter.They are two different disciplines with two different goals.

Anyone that says that Dressage is just flatwork like in any other discipline clearly has not done much riding with a serious Dressage professional with competition in mind beyond Training level. I have yet to ride with a Dressage trainer that has me flat my horse anything like the H/J trainers I’ve worked with. They have 2 very different goals.

These goals suit the purposes of each discipline, but they are not one in the same.

[Bluey]

—"Anyone that says that Dressage is just flatwork like in any other discipline clearly has not done much riding with a serious Dressage professional with competition in mind beyond Training level. I have yet to ride with a Dressage trainer that has me flat my horse anything like the H/J trainers I’ve worked with. They have 2 very different goals. "—

Maybe turn that around?

Someone that has not trained with a HUNTER trainer doesn’t know what they demand.
I have extensive experience with JUMPERS and DRESSAGE, to the highest levels.
I will keep insisting that we trained our horses in the basics and “flat” the same for both.

HUNTERS, I don’t know, will bow to your seemingly great knowledge of them.:yes:

[siegi_b]

In Europe they use what they call a “Stosszuegel” which is a strap that goes from the flash to the girth and can be adjusted. No pressure on the bit, but the horse knows when he’s gone too far…

[LookinSouth]

Bluey- Apparently the OP’s point has been lost long ago. :rolleyes:

Sorry no Hunter expert here but I do understand the differences of the end goals. That was my point.

Let me refresh your memory… the OP asked for opinions regarding the running martingale in Dressage remember??

Some say YEA some say NAY. Apparently you say YEA I say NAY as do others who feel it can potentially become a crutch when training to develop a competitive and correct Dressage horse.

Opinions are going to vary BUT that does not mean those of us who don’t agree with you have never used a running OR do not understand the concept of a correctly used running martingale.

Ultimately this is what you need to realize, rather than implying that those that feel a running isn’t the best tool for Dressage are just a bunch of idiots who do not understand what a running martingale does or should be used for.

A difference of opinion is really not that complicated.

[Bluey]

—"Opinions are going to vary BUT that does not mean those of us who don’t agree with you have never used a running OR do not understand the concept of a correctly used running martingale. "—

Sorry to keep offending you, but what some are mentioning as WHY a running martingale doesn’t work is what I am trying to explain is a poor use of one, so of course it doesn’t work used like that.

I will insist that, used correctly, it is not going to make a difference if you use it when training a dressage or any other kind of horse.

Guess that we just have to agree to disagree that we just can’t seem to get our points across.:lol: