Using running and standing martin gales?

Question

whats the diff.?

what is each one used for specifiacly

Answer 1

Hello,

A martingale is a piece of tack used on horses to control head carriage. It is seen in the jumping disciplines: show jumping, eventing, and hunter seat riding, as well as in polo. Martingales are not allowed in the sport of dressage.

The two most common types of martingale, the standing and the running, are used to control the horse's head, and to prevent the horse from throwing his head so high that the rider gets hit in the face by the neck. When the horse's head gets above the point of control, the martingale places pressure on the head so the horse cannot raise it higher.

When first using a martingale (or any piece of tack), it is appropriate to ride in an enclosed area until the rider is certain that the horse is under control.

Here is a photo of a standing martingale:

http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/images/...

The Standing Martingale and the Tiedown

The standing martingale consists of a yoke that goes around the horse's neck and two straps that attach to the bottom of the yoke, at the point where the horse's neck meets his chest. One of these straps runs between the horse's legs and attaches to the girth, the other strap runs up and attaches to the noseband of the bridle. Both straps, as well as the breastplate or yoke used to attach it to the horse's body, are adjustable. A standing martingale should be adjusted so the strap that runs to the noseband can almost touch the throat of the horse when pushed up after attached. It is often attached to a breastplate and, even if only a yoke is used, it must always have some method of attachment to prevent it from being flipped over the horse's head.

A variation of the standing martingale, called a tiedown, is popular among rodeo competitors and is seen almost exclusively in the western riding disciplines. A tiedown is adjusted much shorter than a standing martingale and is intended entirely to prevent the horse from flipping its head up when coming to an abrupt stop. It consists of an adjustable strap, one end which attaches to the horse's breastplate and the other which attaches to a noseband on the bridle. The noseband can be of leather, but may also be of lariat rope, or even plastic-covered cable, which can make the western tiedown considerably harsher than the English-style standing martingale.

With both pieces of equipment, the slack is taken up out of the strap when the horse raises its head above the desired point, and pressure is placed on the horse's nose.

The standing martingale is preferred by show hunter and hunt seat equitation riders, fox hunters, polocrosse and in polo. It is also seen on some military and police horses, partly for style and tradition, but also in the event of an emergency situation that may require the rider to handle the horse in an abrupt manner. It is not legal for flat classes. The tiedown is commonly seen in rodeo and O-Mok-See games, but is not show legal for reining, western pleasure or any other western-style horse show events.

Here is a photo of a running martingale:

http://www.styalways.co.uk/shop/images/4...

The running martingale is similar to the standing in that it has a yoke and a strap that runs between the horse's legs to the girth. However, the strap from the chest to the reins forks at about the level of the chest and has a ring at each end, through which the reins are run. When the horse raises its head above the desired point, the martingale puts pressure on the reins and presses the bit on the bars of the horse's mouth. The leverage created by this pressure causes the horse to lower its head.

A running martingale is adjusted so that each of the "forks" has about an inch of slack when the horse holds his head in the normal position. Some horses become anxious when there is undue pressure on the head and neck and may become unmanagable. The reins should always make a straight line from the rider's hand to the bit ring when the running martingale is not in effect.

A running martingale provides more freedom for the horse than a standing martingale. If a horse happens to trip on landing after a fence, the rider can slide the reins and the horse will have full use of its head and neck. Because of this safety factor, only a running martingale is permitted for use in United States eventing competitions. Show jumpers also prefer the running martingale due to the extra freedom it provides. Running martingales are also used on young horses being trained in the Saddle seat and some western riding disciplines.

A running martingale should be used with rein stops, which are rubber or leather stops slipped onto the rein between the bit and the ring of the martingale. They stop the martingale from sliding too far forward and getting caught on the bit or on the buckles or studs that attach the reins to the bit. Some sanctioning organizations will even disqualify a rider if rein stops are not used with a running martingale.

The German martingale or Market Harborough

The German Martingale, also called a Market Harborough, consists of a split fork that comes up from the chest, runs through the rings of the bit and attaches to rings on the reins of the bridle between the bit and the rider's hand. It acts in a manner similar to a running martingale, but with greater leverage. It is not show legal and is used primarily as a training aid.

Answer 2

A running martingale has two rings that you run the reins through. It is adjusted so the rings are usually about four inches from the withers. This martingale does nothing until you use the reins, and then it applies downward pressure. It can be used with two reins on one bit so you can completely control the amount of pressure from the martingale.

A standing martingale attaches from the noseband to the girth and just keeps the horse from lifting its nose too much. Riding, there is no way to control the length.

Basically, running martingales offer more finesse and control, while the standing martingales are just there to keep the horse from throwing its nose up.

Answer 3

no diff..