For what it’s worth, up here in the Great White North, running martingales have always been allowed in hunter over fences classes, but just never seen in recent history. I always thought that if I had reason to use one, I’d be sure to carry the rule book as there would be no shortage of people saying it was illegal. Of course, there’s also the consideration that if your hunter truly needs to wear a running martingale to jump around, you’re likely not going to pin anyways…
[QUOTE=Madeline;8023657]
I agree. The OP’s horse is a prime candidate for a correctly adjusted standing martingale. That will deliver the correction exactly when needed, and release the correction immediately when the misbehavior stops. Only gunslingers and a very few brilliant horsemen have the reflexes to apply and release the correction as accurately using a running.[/QUOTE]
Exactly-- which would, IMO, have been the rationale for so many standing martingales in pony classes: a safety precaution for the children which has no effect unless needed.
Except, of course, for mouthy equines constantly seeking straps, etc., on which to chew.
yes! standing martingale. i started riding this sassy mare (one of my trainers horses) who is still rather green, who is a head thrower. she has a tendency to get very quick at the canter, and throws her head way up and gets pretty heavy. my trainer and the woman who leases her are the only two to have ridden her in two years, so my first time on her, she threw and threw her head and really gave me a difficult ride. my trainer and i talked about it and put a martingale on her and voila she has been a different horse the past times i have ridden her, the corrective action of the martingale has helped her as she’s still rather green and i think at times doesn’t understand the “riding thing”. i think as she continues to work and build on her foundations and training, she will no longer need it.
[QUOTE=succulents;8026909]
yes! standing martingale. i started riding this sassy mare (one of my trainers horses) who is still rather green, who is a head thrower. she has a tendency to get very quick at the canter, and throws her head way up and gets pretty heavy. my trainer and the woman who leases her are the only two to have ridden her in two years, so my first time on her, she threw and threw her head and really gave me a difficult ride. my trainer and i talked about it and put a martingale on her and voila she has been a different horse the past times i have ridden her, the corrective action of the martingale has helped her as she’s still rather green and i think at times doesn’t understand the “riding thing”. i think as she continues to work and build on her foundations and training, she will no longer need it.[/QUOTE]
Yes. Sometimes it works really well to let issues become horse vs. tack rather than horse vs. rider/lunger. I think head tossing/standing martingales are like that vs. using a running martingale which necessitates a highly skilled rider to accomplish the same end.
