How and Why to Use a German Martingale

#coltstarting #horsemanship #naturalhorsemanship

[@sarahmarks7082]

Very interesting 🤔! I've ridden an Arabian gelding with a martingale to get him to drop his head, and he didn't like it at all! Sky looks much improved with your German martingale 👍

[@serafinatruth4029]

Interesting to see how it is done by someone else! I use a maringale on my 5 year old colt during ground work before riding. Before it was not tight at all, but now it is quite tight. My colt does 25-30 minutes trot, walk and galop with it and he raises his back so much, he trains his hind legs for all he is worth and puts his nose down almost to the grown. He works hard and gives it all. It seems he loves it. He seems to take his work out so seriously. He is a really "gym fanatic". 😂 Then I loosen the martingale a lot and take a ride and he knows he is supposed to work with a down stretch of his head. But it takes affort and training. He does not do this automatically.

[@cc34945]

I have never seen this particular Martingale used. Thank you. We had something similar where we would go from the saddle through the reins and down to the girth. Not describing it well. If I had this little mare, I would be working her over Cavaletti. She seems very weak. I’m not sure how long she has been ridden. Her whole way of moving seems a bit off.

[@patriciastaton6182]

Good deal

[@pennylane428]

Interesting there’s a third Martingale. I’m aware of standing and running but I’ve never heard of German martingale, are they more commonly used when you’re training a horse.?

[@Apfelkiste]

I am from Germany and what you present does not exist here. What you show is similar to something called “Schlaufzügel” and is more or less banned because too cruel. It s not fixed at the reigns, you have the ends without clips and meeting in the middle like a second pair of reigns. And also almost banned this is less cruel than the version with the clips. The real Martingal used in Germany by English style riders (jumpers, outside in the wood etc.) has a strip from between the legs, fixed loosely with neck rope then divides in two lines with a ring on each end. The length can be adjusted. Most times the length is adjusted that way that the rings are near head/neck joint. It is mainly used to avoid that reigns slip over the head when the horse wears or shakes head too high and to have in such situations the direction of force downwards not further upwards. Not to correct anything.

[@studiodibelcanto3647]

A high head can be fixed by just asking for a lateral step or two when the horse raises its head; upon stepping laterally, the head will fall into place on its own, the hands can then make slight adjustments to soften anything that needs softening (jaw/poll) and the seat/leg can keep the horse straight and upright. It's as simple as that...

[@SteveDyer]

I do not know how this came to be called a German Martingale. Interesting that you are not familiar with it in Germany.

[@thomasbuhlmann6437]

Lowering the head position is first of all a question of trust. In addition, you have to check the saddle fit or other health problems. Second, the relation of your weight to the size of the horse is questionable. To solve the problem with mechanical tools is the last option to take and a failure of your ability of horse training. It's not a help for the horse, it's a sign of your washout. 😏

[@krisbaker9427]

You are just setting this horse up for pain. How does this same horse move when you are not riding her? Horses normally know how to move their own bodies. You seem to think she needs to be taught. Maybe she has a problem with that tack or she is lame? Maybe you (the human) are the problem?