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PLEASE, if you are going to use a martingale on your horse (I prefer German) work with him on the ground first!  I have had much success using side lines and a bitting rig.  Yes, the horse may go over backwards or back up, and most of them will test it one way or another, but it is best that you are OFF when this happens!  Usually they test it once or twice and never again.

Louise Burton

Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians

http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms

 Celeste Murray <celestem@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Mel
>
> I would like to give ytou something to think about considering your
> statement below about feeling that she will panic.
>
> I bought an arabian mare nearly 12 years ago that also carried her head like
> a llama. I took her home and put her into a martingale VERY loose so that it
> would only connect with the reins when her head was straight up, perfectly
> safe, no blue eye or broken nose for me. Got on she panicked first time the
> head came up, flipped over backwards and put me in hospital in traction for
> 6 weeks and on crutches for 6 weeks. I cannot swear it was the martingale
> but the once I tried it coming out of hospital, on the lunge she panicked
> and flipped over. I never used it again actually rode her ina halter for a
> few months and she went on to be a wonderful endurance horse that would
> "star gaze" occassionally but was never a danger to me in any way once I
> realized that she knew where my face 
> was I just had to accept where her head
> would occassionally be :-)
>
> Celeste and Sparta (21 years old 4th Jan 2003 and just weaned my next
> endurance Champion :-))
> (South Africa)
>
> >I have a feeling she will panic if her head is confined. Does the running
> martinagale only engage if she pulls up?
> How does a horse react the first time she wears one?
>
> >thanks...
> >Mel
>
>
>
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