[hunterrider23]

Color ME confused.

Sure, there are plenty of horses out there with martingales on that are not necessary. However, I can't seem to understand this idea that everyone in the hunter ring just automatically puts on a martingale because it's the fashion. I could sit here all night and show you pictures of top hunters that win all over the EC in any division...that don't have martingales on. Of all the horses in our barn, one wears a martingale. He doesn't wear it because it's the fashion - he wears it because he goes more suitably with it. If a trainer is putting a horse in a martingale because he or she believes it is the fashion, then so be it. Do tell - how is it hurting the horse? However, as I said before, I would go so far as to say that at the upper echelon of the sport - you're more likely to see horses without martingales rather than with them.

As a sidenote, dressing your horse to meet the "fashion" isn't an anamoly reserved for the hunter ring. I've seen it in other disciplines as well, and as long has it isn't harming horse or rider, then what is the problem? In the everyday world, people dress to match a certain fashion or style trend, so it's not that surprising that it happens in horse world as well.

LA hit it right on the nose. Who cares if other people are dressing for fashion? If it's not your horse, and it's not hurting the horse, then it's really not quite your problem.

[annaelizabeth]

Well I never said it was hurting any horses or that there use was wrong, I put out my opinion and then asked for everyone else's. I like knowing reasons behind the different tack that is used.

It really does baffle me why the standing is seen as more appropriate then a running. I've been taught that the standing is kind of a last ditch effort but we also don't have hunter classes over fences and our jumpers aren't judged on their head carriage (not the only thing I know)

But as someone said before, wouldn't it be better in a class where your horse is judged on temperament and way of going to not use tack that is designed to stop a behavior problem, or is it just in case type thing?

[axl]

But as someone said before, wouldn't it be better in a class where your horse is judged on temperament and way of going to not use tack that is designed to stop a behavior problem, or is it just in case type thing?

It's camouflage. Use it on all of them so the one who needs it doesn't stand out.