Martingales

Which martingale is right for your horse?

Though it sounds like a type of songbird, a martingale is actually a useful piece of horse tack. Martingales are straps, usually leather, that connect a horse's bridle to the breastplate or saddle.

The martingale regulates head carriage; that is, it prevents the horse from raising its head too high. This is helpful in activities like jumping, when a rider's head is low to a horse's body. But in some activities, martingales are prohibited because they may artificially influence a horse's posture.

Standing Martingale

A standing martingale is a simple, one-strap leather martingale that attaches to the underside of the saddle's girth, runs between the front legs and connects to the horse's noseband. (To prevent it from catching on other things, it might have a neck strap or be connected to the breastplate instead of the girth.)

A Western version of the standing martingale is called a tiedown. This is much shorter than a traditional martingale and primarily prevents the horse's head from flipping up when it's taking a tight corner or stopping quickly.

Be careful when using a standing martingale; not only can it prevent a horse from raising its head for balance over jumps, but also overuse can lead to the underdevelopment of certain neck muscles, leading to a misshapen neck that might put excess pressure on the rest of the spine.

Running Martingale

The running martingale attaches to the horse's girth and runs between the horse's front legs, like most martingales. At that point, however, it splits into two straps with rings on the ends; through those rings, the reins pass. In this manner, when the horse's head gets too high, pressure runs through the reins to the bit.

This type of martingale is a bit more forgiving than others because pressure can be released if the rider loosens the reins. If a horse trips over a jump, for instance, it won't be painfully restricted. Because of this, a running martingale is the only type allowed in horse racing and show jumping.

Training Martingales

Training martingales are very similar to running martingales, except the front two rings are attached across the front of the horse's neck. This type of martingale is popular in Arabian riding but should not be overused nor used to train the horse how to hold its head. It can increase pressure in a horse's mouth and make training painful and counterproductive.