Proper adjustment of a standing martingale for hunting?

[asb_own_me]

I searched the forum and found this: http://chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=116577&highlight=standing+martingale which is more about why/preference for a standing vs. a running martingale.

So…can anyone help me properly adjust a standing martingale? I got a new mare last week and will be taking her cubbing Wednesday, weather permitting. The one vice I’ve located so far is a tendency to throw her head up when I apply the brakes. Which are light brakes ;)…french link D-ring snaffle. She was a polo pony for a brief time and standard equipment for the particular string she came from was a standing martingale, draw reins, and a pelham.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

[SidesaddleRider]

You can gauge the adjustment of the standing martingale easily enough. Stand next to your horse when it is fully tacked up and standing calmly. The martingale should be hanging in a loose loop between the neck strap and the cavesson. With one hand, lift the loop and see whether you can touch the leather strap to the horse’s throatlatch - without the horse needing to change the position of its head and neck. If you can, fine -the martingale is adjusted long enough. If you can’t get the leather anywhere near the horse’s throatlatch, or if you can get it there only by pulling the horse’s nose down and in, then the martingale is far too short, and should be lengthened.

[asb_own_me]

Thanks!

[goeslikestink]

if it needs to be shortened you adjusted and add holes with a leather hole punch an inch apart
make sure you have stopped at the center of the neck strap and main strap thats runs from the girth to the reins – warm the stopper up in warm water then add a bit of string one side loop it in the stopper and hold both ends with your foot – this will get it over the rings of the martigale then push it down to the section in the middle of his chest thread the leather end through the rubber stopper so it looks like this x at the chest add rein stoppers about a quarter of the way up the reins on each rein from the bit - done

[asb_own_me]

GLS - I’m not quite understanding what you’re saying, but it sounds to me like you’re describing working with a running martingale? You referenced the “rings” and putting on rein stoppers. I’m going to be using a standing martingale, and haven’t adjusted one to a new horse before. For her particular issue, it seemed to me that the standing martingale would more effectively address that than a running martingale would.