Opinions on running martingales used with sidepulls?

[Kristi Schaaf <iluvdez@yahoo.com>]

Hi all -

I keep waiting for someone to discuss the use (or
misuse) of running martingales with tack other than
bits. I ride in a rope halter sidepull, and even
though I do try to use seat and legs for most control,
sometimes I have to use the reins for communication or
whoa. I've found that if I don't use the running
martingale, the sidepull has a tendency to slide up my
horse's face and becomes much less effective. It makes
sense to me that the RM helps put 'downward' pressure
across his nose (helping to remind him to drop his
head instead of resist), instead of 'backward'
pressure; so I never thought of it as a crutch when
used with a sidepull, but maybe it is! Any
opinion/comments? Oh, also, my RM is a homemade jobby
-it not only has rings that the reins slide through,
the running martingale itself slides through the ring
of a scissor clip attached to the breastcollar (which
gives my horse much more freedom laterally). Has
anyone ever seen one like this made commercially?   
Kristi

=====
The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved in return 

-Moulin Rouge

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