From: Robin
Hi, Recently I moved my 12 year old, gelding Thoroughbred to a new barn. The trainer, who is going to start giving me lessons this week, watched me ride the other day to see how my horse moves. She suggested that I needed a martingale to improve his trot. He is a very small horse with a very bouncy trot which feels like he's throwing you out of the saddle. He also keeps his head up alot....but does not throw his head around at all. My prior trainer never thought he needed a martingale but instead believed that the better rider I became the better my horse would respond thus bringing his head down more often. I would like your opinion about whether I should go ahead and start using the martingale on my horse. Up until now no one had ever suggested that I use one. I am a new rider, just started 9 months ago and am still learning. You know the old saying, "If it's not broke don't fix it." Does that apply here? I would SO APPRECIATE A RESPONSE! Thank you,
Robin
However, improving the trot is a matter of training and riding - as well as conformation and comfort - and NOT a matter of adding a gadget.
Martingales have a particular purpose, which, in the case of a standing martingale (I'm assuming that this is what your new trainer has in mind, but I'll mention running martingales later, just in case), is to keep a horse from flinging its head sky-high and possibly breaking its rider's nose in the process. That's it - and that's ALL. A standing martingale, correctly adjusted, will not have any effect at all unless the horse throws its head straight up into the air. The purpose of a standing martingale is NOT to pull the horse's head down, restrict its movement, or keep it in an unnaturally low position. If it does any of those things, it is adjusted poorly, wrongly, and far too tightly.
You can gauge the adjustment of the standing martingale easily enough. Stand next to your horse when it is fully tacked up and standing calmly. The martingale should be hanging in a loose loop between the breastplate and the cavesson. With one hand, lift the loop and see whether you can touch the leather strap to the horse's throatlatch - without the horse needing to change the position of its head and neck. If you can, fine -the martingale is adjusted long enough. If you can't get the leather anywhere near the horse's throatlatch, or if you can get it there only by pulling the horse's nose down and in, then the martingale is far too short, and should be lengthened.
Just in case you need THIS information, I'll mention the adjustment of RUNNING martingales. Like a standing martingale, a running martingale can also be used incorrectly - again, adjusted too short - to modify the horse's head-carriage, but in this case, the horse's mouth will be harmed as well as its neck and back. A too-short, too-tight running martingale turns ordinary reins into draw reins, putting constant pressure on the horse's tongue and bars. This is sometimes done quite deliberately to create an arched neck and tucked-in head - but it isn't training, it's just force, and it doesn't teach either the horse or the rider anything worth knowing. To check the adjustment of a running martingale, stand next to your tacked-up horse with the running martingale dangling loose from the breastplate, then pick up the rings and see whether the length of the leather straps will allow the rings to reach the horse's withers. If not, the martingale is too short, and should be lengthened.
Your last trainer had the right of it - as your riding improves, your ability to help your horse use himself correctly will also improve, and your horse's ability to carry you easily whilst moving correctly will improve as well. If your horse threw his head around, there might be a reason to use a standing martingle just to protect your nose. ;-) But what you've described is a small, short-strided, high-headed horse that holds its head steady - NOT a candidate for a martingale of any kind. Martingales don't improve gaits, and adding a martingale to your horse's tack won't improve his trot.
I don't suppose there is any way that you could manage to continue taking lessons with your previous trainer? That would probably be best. It's not always easy to find a trainer who understands the importance of rider ability and rider responsibility, and it sounds as though you were lucky enough to have just such a trainer. Far too many trainers think in terms of solving every riding problem with force and gagetry - and far too many riders accept those methods. Your horse is lucky to have an owner who will stand up for him - but you are lucky too, because in standing up for your horse, you are also doing what will, in the long term, be best for your own riding skills and your horsemanship.
If you can't continue to take lessons with your previous trainer, and the other trainer you've mentioned is the ONLY person allowed to teach at your new barn, you may need to make a choice between staying at this barn or going somewhere else so that you CAN have good lessons. With only nine months of riding experience, you'll definitely still need lessons for a long time to come, but whereas good lessons are worth whatever expense and effort it takes to get them, bad lessons are worth less than nothing, because the things you're likely to be taught aren't good riding OR good horsemanship, they can damage your horse, and you'll need to start over again when and if you get serious about your riding. It seems to me that you are already serious - or you wouldn't have written such a thoughtful letter. I know it's not easy to hear that you might be better off somewhere else, with a different instructor, but in order to learn well, you really need to be able to relax and trust your teacher to do what is in the best interests of both YOU, in terms of long-term education in riding and horsemanship, and of YOUR HORSE, in terms of management, training, and long-term soundness .... not to mention job satisfaction.
So, what should you do NOW - TODAY? It would be easiest if you could stay at your new barn, so let's begin by giving the trainer a chance. In the best of all possible worlds, you would have misunderstood her suggestion - let's give her the benefit of the doubt. Ask her why she thought a martingale would help, and how long she meant for you to use it. If the answer is "once, for five minutes, under supervision, for a specific reason, and never again" then that answer might actually be, if not good, at least acceptable. ;-) Then watch a few lessons given by this instructor, and follow your instincts. I know that with less than a year's riding experience, you probably don't feel qualified to judge the quality of an instructor, and you're right - but you're obviously observant, you clearly have good instincts, and you should be able to distinguish unsafe/gadget-oriented training from the kind of responsible, progressive, horse-oriented lessons that you could feel comfortable and happy taking.
If what you see and hear makes you think that you would like to work with this trainer, sign up for a lesson or two - but stay alert and don't do anything that will harm your horse. If you decide that you DON'T want to take lessons with this person, just say no, and take your business elsewhere. You are the client - you are the customer. You are paying for lessons, and you should spend your money on the lessons that you truly believe will do you and your horse the most good. If those lessons aren't available at your current barn, you will need to bring in an instructor. If you can't do that, you will need to take your horse somewhere else. Before you move, talk to your previous instructor, even if you know that you won't be able to take more lessons with him/her. Eplain that his/her philosophy and style of teaching is what you want to find again, and ask for suggestions and recommendations.
If you're feeling "stuck" right now, I'm truly sorry. You're not alone, if that's any comfort. I hear from a lot of riders who know that they want to become riders and horsemen, care a lot about their horses, and desperately want to have the opportunity to do the right thing for their horses and themselves, and yet are living and riding in an area where there are few or no good instructors. It's very frustrating, I know. But - as I tell the other riders - don't make the mistake of thinking that you can learn a subject from someone who doesn't teach (or even know) that subject. It doesn't matter whether the subject is riding and horsemanship, figure skating, or violin - the only thing that's different about riding and horsemanship is that both you AND your horse will feel the consequences of poor-quality instruction. Don't take even a single step down a path that's leading somewhere you don't want to go.
Jessica
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