# How should you attach a breastplate to the saddle?



## skewby (25 August 2009)

Bit confused here.  My awesome saddler asked me did I use a hunting breastplate, which I do, but only for very exciting stuff (XC and hunting, don't bother for anything else as it's only more tack to clean!).  He asked do I attach it to the d rings, which I do.  He said it should in fact be attached to the girth, which did in fact make more sense as I presume D rings can be pulled out!

However looking at my breastplate, I'm not sure the straps are actually long enough to go to the girth!  (Not tried yet.)  So I am a bit confused.  What do you all do??


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## OneInAMillion (25 August 2009)

You would never attach a hunting breastplate to the girth. It should be attached to the "D" rings which are underneath the skirt of the saddle were the stirrup bars are and not the "D's" which are attached by a piece of leather as the one's under the skirt are drilled straight into the tree of the saddle!


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## Maesfen (25 August 2009)

Is he getting confused with a racing breastplate which does indeed fasten to the girth straps?  If he isn't confused, is he actually a qualified saddler as they were never invented to be used with girth straps, they always go to the dees under the stirrup bar?


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## chaps89 (25 August 2009)

I used a breastplate/running martingale recently which did indeed fasten through the girth. It's the only one I've ever seen like that tho- all the rest that I know have little leather straps to attach to the d ring near the stirrup bars.

ETA piccies 
	
	
		
		
	


	
















2 different types of breastplate, attach in 2 different ways. Possible your saddler was getting confused as to which type you had/use?


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## Silverspring (25 August 2009)

I'm hoping what your saddler meant was that you should not use a breatplate that only attached to the saddle by the D rings.  If the breatplate is actually required (ie the saddle slips) and the D's take the tension they can be pulled right from the saddle, damaging the tree by doing so.

Thats what eventers use 5 point saddles as the breat plate isn't just for show it may actually be needed!


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## ofcourseyoucan (25 August 2009)

i would love to know what a 5 point saddle is???????????????????????


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## teddyt (25 August 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
i would love to know what a 5 point saddle is??????????????????????? 

[/ QUOTE ]

pmsl

OP- a hunting breastplate is attached to the pinned Ds, not the leather attached ones, they are for saddle bags/hunting horns


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## Silverspring (26 August 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
i would love to know what a 5 point saddle is??????????????????????? 

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL apologise for the miswording, I meant a 5 point breat plate.  english isn't my first language and clearly it isn't yours either if you were unable to decipher that


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## skewby (26 August 2009)

Ooh thank you all, especially for the pics!  My saddle does indeed have two lots of Ds (I checked) and I have been attaching the breastplate to the wrong one (oops) so I have learned something!

To be fair my saddler didn't say a hunting breastplate, he said a breastplate - I think it's me who's confused and not him


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## michelleice (26 August 2009)

dont have hunting but this is mine















mine attaches to girth


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## suzysparkle (26 August 2009)

The ones that attach to the girth, and go in a straight line round the front of the chest (chaps89 pic) are called breastgirths not breastplates.


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## RunLikeaTheWindDexy (12 August 2012)

There are hunter breastplates that attach to the girth, theyre not as common and are DIFFERENT to those that attach to the D's, the wither strap's longer to accomodate with the lower attachment to the saddle- http://www.equestrianclearance.com/...stplates/index?instance_id=386649#placeholder


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## sarah23 (12 August 2012)

chaps89 said:



			I used a breastplate/running martingale recently which did indeed fasten through the girth. It's the only one I've ever seen like that tho- all the rest that I know have little leather straps to attach to the d ring near the stirrup bars.

ETA piccies 
	
	
		
		
	


	
















2 different types of breastplate, attach in 2 different ways. Possible your saddler was getting confused as to which type you had/use?
		
Click to expand...

Sorry but they are NOT both breastplates. The first photo is a beast GIRTH and the second one is in fact a breast plate.

I work in a tack shop and so many people call a brest girth a brest plate.


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## mainpower (12 August 2012)

I always attach my breastplate straps to the girth, ever since I read an article by Lucinda Green reccommending this method, about 30 years ago! Pass the strap under the first girth strap and fasten onto the 2nd or 3rd. And I do mean breastplate, not breastgirth!


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## Enfys (13 August 2012)

suzysparkle said:



			The ones that attach to the girth, and go in a straight line round the front of the chest (chaps89 pic) are called breastgirths not breastplates.
		
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  Saved me the bother of saying the same, Thankyou.

Except when breastplates are called breast collars 






I used to hunt and ride on the Welsh mountains, always used a breast girth, as we did on the racehorses, flat and NH, personally I much prefer them over the breastplates, aesthetically as well as practically.


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## RunLikeaTheWindDexy (28 August 2012)

mainpower said:



			I always attach my breastplate straps to the girth, ever since I read an article by Lucinda Green reccommending this method, about 30 years ago! Pass the strap under the first girth strap and fasten onto the 2nd or 3rd. And I do mean breastplate, not breastgirth!
		
Click to expand...

You should be careful about that, if the breastplate is designed to be attached to the d-rings then it is probably better to have it on the d-rings. If the breastplate is designed to attach to the girth, then attach it to the girth. Theyre two types of hunt breastplates, and should only be used how theyre designed to or it could be uncomfortable for your horse, and even dangerous to use.
this is one that fastens to the girth:
http://d3br2zgx0humm.cloudfront.net/cms_media/images/290x1000_fitbox-breastplate1.jpg
whereas this should fasten to the d-rings:
http://guitsola.info/img.php?fl=g4t...4q424v4g3o2s2q2a464m2h5b3l2j4i464n5d4f584m5e2


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## mainpower (28 August 2012)

RunLikeaTheWindDexy said:



			You should be careful about that, if the breastplate is designed to be attached to the d-rings then it is probably better to have it on the d-rings. If the breastplate is designed to attach to the girth, then attach it to the girth. Theyre two types of hunt breastplates, and should only be used how theyre designed to or it could be uncomfortable for your horse, and even dangerous to use.
this is one that fastens to the girth:
http://d3br2zgx0humm.cloudfront.net/cms_media/images/290x1000_fitbox-breastplate1.jpg
whereas this should fasten to the d-rings:
http://guitsola.info/img.php?fl=g4t...4q424v4g3o2s2q2a464m2h5b3l2j4i464n5d4f584m5e2

Click to expand...

I attach the straps high on the girth straps, so not much lower than the D rings. I have had D rings pull out when the horse has done a big leap. And if it works for LG it's fine by me!


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## cremedemonthe (30 August 2012)

They should be attached to fall down staples, not the dees which are different, if attached to the dees they could get pulled off as the dees are only attached to the tree by a piece of panel hide and some tacks.
The fall down staples on the other hand are designed to go through the tree and are much stronger, Here is a fall down staple


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## ILuvCowparsely (30 August 2012)

RunLikeaTheWindDexy said:



			There are hunter breastplates that attach to the girth, theyre not as common and are DIFFERENT to those that attach to the D's, the wither strap's longer to accomodate with the lower attachment to the saddle- http://www.equestrianclearance.com/...stplates/index?instance_id=386649#placeholder

Click to expand...

Is there a reason why this was resurrected??? this was a 3 year old post before it came up again??? just curious


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## Mike007 (30 August 2012)

Interesting subject nevertheless.


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## nat_1 (30 August 2012)

He might have meant a breast girth,which attatches to the girth


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