Should mare Be ridden With a Martingale????? YES OR NO?

Question

I have a 13 year old appaloosa mare who I can not get to put her head down for anything. I have had some of the top instructors ride her and she just will not do it. I have had vet exames I fit her saddle 2 a year I have switched bits numerious times. I am having chiropractor out. So finally I have to crack down and think about a martingale. The last people who had her rode her so wrong and just beat her to jump.. So what do people think I mean she will do it at the walk just not trotting or cantering. expecially cantering. I mean her head normally aint up but I have had her throw her head and rear up last winter.. She is a good horse but I am unsure of what to do. She responds immediatly to poll pressure and nose pressure but I jump so I can only use a running martingale and she has to have loose reigns or she will go extreemly fast at a canter.. HELP!!!

Answer 1

I don't like martingales.

You cannot expect a good low head set in an English horse if you're riding with no contact!  Head set comes with good, soft, but consistently in contact hands.  

Use a full cheek snaffle with correctly fitted keepers.  This will provide the poll pressure she responds to so well.  Get her on the bit; don't worry about low head set yet.  Keep your hands consistent, don't jerk or yank or put your weight on the reins, and don't leave them loose!!  

Once she's used to and depends on the contact, you get her to lower her head by slacking the reins slightly.  She'll reach for the contact you've released, and stretch her head down.  Not even an expert can make this happen in a lesson or two; it takes time and consistency.

For jumping, you don't actually want their heads down.  I had to retrain my formerly western pleasure boy to bring his head up, so he could see the jumps and take them properly.

Only when you can get a good controlled canter, on the bit and at the proper pace, should you try jumping.  She's just not ready for it.

Answer 2

You can jump with a standing martingale! Where'd you get the idea you couldn't? In shows, you're not allowed to use them on the flat, you can only use them over fences.

As a training aid, I would get a German Martingale (not show-legal, but it will help you give more leverage on her head for training purposes). Then you can move up to a running martingale if she's responding well to the German. If not, you may have to stick with the Standing.

As for her rushing the canter with more contact, you need to do gymnastics with her and pole work.

Answer 3

start with a cotton martingale that goes around the nose and see how it works for you, they are not painful in any way and usually help a ton...

Answer 4

she might have to thick of a jaw to really collect and be on the vertical or maybe she just likes seeing all the pretty sites

i know one horse that just held his head high because he liked seeing everything we put blinders on him his head went..doooowwwn i think it was because noe he payed more attention to the reing aids

it might work but then again it might not

Answer 5

well it all depends on the horse and rider!

a more experienced rider that has used one before and understands how to work and ride in one id say yes but if the horse constantly refuses to lope with a martingale id say no! in my oppinion small circles and a lot of bend and flexing work better! while you on your horse at a halt hold your reins lightly untill he/she gives then praze him/her and do it again you horse will eventualy slow down and lower its head with out the martingale! if you need any advice go to google.com and type in Turning Point Equine Center Ed Chambers he will help you alot!!!!

Answer 6

have you ever considered that maybe she cannot physically put her head down?

Does your saddle fit? Any soundness issues? Any problems with teeth or back?

Any of those will play a part into how a horse can lower it's head. A head uphigh means it's avoiding the bit.

What bit do you use? I suggest going back to a normal snaffle.

I'd also get a vet out and do a FULL checkup on her for any pain

Answer 7

try lunging her in side reins so she can build up muscle to make it easier for her

Answer 8

I think you should move on. Why pour any more money into her? You must love her, but she seems unrideable.  I guess one other option would be to find a horse whisper?

Answer 9

Your horse needs some help in the form of re-training.  Mechanical devices are not the answer, especially for her.  Make sure her teeth are good.  If a horse doesn't understand what you ask of her, it doesn't matter if the best rider in the world rides her - the communication is not there and she doesn't get it and it's not her fault.  You have to start at the beginning and bring her up through the proper steps.  If you aren't willing to do that, you will never achieve what you could and she will not be happy in her work.

Answer 10

http://www.parelli.com

I had a twin appy to this horse, Parelli TOTALLY helped him. I mean, it saved me with him. After 3 months of Parelli, this horse, who used take the bit and bolt at the speed of light when cantering, was cantering nicely, smoothly, comfortably bareback in a rope halter. When we went back to a bit, it was so much better. Check it out, and ask for a free DVD.

Answer 11

I would have to say that I suggest using a martingale, they do wonders for me. At my lessons I ride a horse that likes to run off with people and she likes to keep her head up high, but it's a lot easier to get her collected when I put a martingale on her, and I have yet to have any issue with them yet. You just have to be careful that when you stop or are just hanging around that the horse doesn't decide it wants to chew on the martingale, because then it'll end up bad, and most likely with the horse rearing and possibly falling, or so i've been told by my instructor.

Answer 12

You say the prior owner beat her to the jumps, and that you have kept switching her bits...I assume that was to find the one that would fix her problems?

Now you are considering use of a martingale.  Do you think the martingale can really fix her, when all those bits couldn't?

A horse that has been mishandled and manhandled is mentally damaged and needs to start over in the mildest of bits and with patience.  There are no shortcuts and no magic devices to replace what this horse really needs.   I hope you don't let the rush to find an answer outweigh what she really needs.

Answer 13

yeah... use one

Answer 14

Well, a martingale should only be used by an experienced rider - you have to know when you can pull and when you have to give.  Otherwise, things can backfire - I have seen horses rear and flip with inexperienced people.

The best thing that I would say to do is to get a surcingle and side reins.  Then you can lunge her.  After she's mastered it with the side reins while lunging - THEN move up to the martingale.

I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing a video from a guy called "HorseProblems Australia" on "mouthing" a horse.  I have been training and showing horses for 20+years and thought that this was an absolutely spectacular video and have adopted many of his practices.

Check him out:  http://youtube.com/horseproblems (these are his youtube videos so you can see if you like his style!)

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/DVD%20Sa...   (this is where you can purchase the acutal mouthing dvd - again - it's great and will help you!)

The guy "Mr HP" is WONDERFUL - you can email him and ask him if he thinks that his videos will help you and answer some of your questions.  You can even email him a video of you riding and he can help you via email for FREE!

Best wishes!