How to use a Running Martingale?

Question

I have a running martingale sitting around the barn, and was told to use it for my horse. He is really head throwy, he will hit you in the head with his head almost. So i have had him in a tie-down, and its been working like a dream. I'm starting to introduce him to jumping, and have been told not to use a tie-down, but use a martingale. So my question is, how excatly is the running martingale supposed to fit? Whats the proper way to use it? How can you use it to prevent head throwing? To what degree will it stop head throwing?

All answers appreciated. Thanks!!

Answer 1

So, tie downs attach to the noseband and girth. You don't want to use a tie down while your doing big jumps. Little crossrails Ive found tie downs to be fine. Running martingales are better because then they can move their heads more. They go around the reins.  

Answer 2

Well, honestly the head throwing can be helped by pushing him foreward and getting him to focus on something, i tend to bend them in and out in order to stop it.  If hes thinking about you he can't bob his head.  

And, the running martingale has a strap that goes around the base of the neck (so put that on first) then, there will be a long strap that has a single loop in the end, this goes around the girth.  finally, there is a "fork" with a ring on each end..  One rein goes through each ring.  When the rings are NOT on the reins, they should stretch back to his shoulders.  

It shouldn't be short enough that it is constantly pulling on the reins, its should be loose until the horses head gets to high.

It can prevent head throwing, because when the horses head gets to high, the martingale will pull down on the reins, giving you leverage.  

It will only stop the head when the head is too high.  

They are usually used on horses that put their heads up and RUN, so that the rider can use the downward pressure to bring the head down.

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Answer 3

It should be fitted so that it doesn't restrict the horses movement in any way unless there is pressure on the reins.

The running martingale does nothing until the rider makes it work by applying rein pressure. This is why it is okay to use for jumping.

Fitting a Running Martingale

As a rough guide, when the martingale is attached to the girth and both rings are taken to one side, the martingale should be long enough to reach to the horse's withers. If used with a double bridle, the rings should be on the curb (bit) rein. The reins should be threaded through the rings, so that the rings can run freely up and down the reins. The reins should be fitted with "stops" between the rings and the bit, to prevent the rings getting caught over the hook billets of the rein, or any part of the bit. The neck-strap should be fitted as for the standing martingale.

Answer 4

My horse tosses her head too, she is a jumper and they tend to be a bit fussy and excited. Running martingales help to keep their heads down by attaching to a breast collar and then attaching to the reins (http://www.libbys-tack.com/shop/site_ima... like so. It allows more freedom and movement but when a horse tries to throw its head up it places pressure on a horse so that they lower their heads or simply cant raise their heads any higher. I would definately reccomend it because it works really well! Hope it helps!

Answer 5

Put it on so it is attached to the girth and then around the neck. Pull the 2 straps with the rings they should easily reach your horses throat. this is so it can allow your horse to move his head while jumping because they use their neck for balance and will still stop him from flipping as bad.  

Answer 6

Hate to say this*waiting for more thumbs down*, but no contraption is going to fix a behavioral or riding vice. You need to find the root of the issue of head tossing before trying to mask it with an aid such as a tie down or martingale.

Has this horse's eyes, ears, mouth, back, and legs been checked? Is the horse in over all good health. Is the tack proper fitting?

Putting a tie down and martingale on a horse to mask head tossing is like putting duck tape over a leaky pipe. It'll help and aid for a while, but once it is removed, the problem is still there.

Try and figure out why your horse is head tossing, and work from ground up to fix it. Not only will you have a better mount because of it, but you need to discover whether or not this is health related before it goes for a prolonged period of time that could do more damage to your horse.

Answer 7

If your horse is throwing his head violently with tack on, I would have him thoroughly vetted before you worry about changing tack. Make sure it's not a health issue--if it's not, then let's look at the running martingale.

Running martingales use two separate pieces of leather that slide onto the reins. The rest of the running martingale is pretty much the same as the standing. The martingale works when the horse throws its head. Reins, obviously, are attached to the bit. Your hands hold the reins firmly. When the horse raises its head, the martingale slides on the reins. The horse is allowed to move freely (a tie-down prohibits that), but when the horse raises its head gentle pressure is felt on the bit. This is not a serious fix, though.

If your horse really wanted to raise its head, it could. You need to have a firm hand when using a running martingale.

As far as fit goes, I was taught the following:

For the part that circles your horses neck, one hand between the neck and the leather. Since my hands are small I use a hand and three fingers.

The 'fork' part, when unattached to the reins, should lay flat along the underside of your horses neck and the rings should just reach the throatlatch.

Adjust the part the meets the girth as your normally would.

Please keep in mind that you must use rein stoppers when using a running martingale. Rein stoppers are small leather or rubber pieces that slide on the 'mouth end' of the reins to prevent the martingale rings from sliding over the edges of the bit. If you're going to be showing with a running martingale, there may be penalties if rein stops are not used. Also keep in mind that a running martingale can be dangerous when used with a drop or figure eight noseband because of pressure points and soft cartilage.

I hope this helps. =)