# Irish Martingale's



## Gentle_Warrior (1 January 2007)

What are people's views on these?  Am I right that it would help my lad, he has a habit if getting excited whilst hacking which he shows by throwing his head up and down.  This normally results in the reins getting caught up in the bridle and sometimes hitting his ear !!!!  I am guessing that this would be £8 well spent for damage limitation - advise please.


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## Fleur100 (1 January 2007)

Sounds a good idea and would solve your problem.


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## Marnie (1 January 2007)

The only thing I would say is that if your horse has a thick neck, they can cause you to lose direct contact - bit difficult to explain, but the reins go through the martingale rings and then come out to your hands at an angle as the leather may not be long enough - if you see what I mean!  It also means that you can't open your hands, as instead of contacting with the horses mouth, you hit the martingale rings first.  It perhaps explains a bit better at  Irish Martingale  - if you click on the martingales, it shows you the Irish one.

Don't know if that helps or confuses more!!


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## Gentle_Warrior (1 January 2007)

hhhmmm was hoping someone would mention that !! trouble is he only does it hacking and not constintley. Would not use for schooling, Only hacking.  dont really want to go down the route of running martingale as will be a waste of money and I like the fact that he is a very minimal horse as far as gadget needs go !!  i went on exactly same site !!!  so har to find things that fit him too !!!

may be 2 connected together !!! LOL ....


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## Marnie (1 January 2007)

It may work - wouldn't work for me though as  I have a cob mare with a very thick neck that I only really hack, but do basic schooling while I am hacking - things like leg yielding, and I wouldn't be able to open my hands.  You can get imported leather running martingales for not much more than the Irish one, and as it wouldn't be an 'essential' piece of tack (i.e. not holding anything on, together etc!), it may be worth getting one of those instead?

Hope you can work something out, after ending up with both reins on one side of my old horse's neck once when he tossed his head, I know where you are coming from


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