[Grasshopper]

So I've used an old stirrup leather as a neckstrap on my greenie a few times, but it tends to slide down to her ears every time she puts her head down (which annoys her if she's being good and stretching over her back, and is just plain unhelpful if she's being naughty and thinking about a buck!). She does have kind of a short little neck.

Would a yoke (like THIS) solve the neckstrap-becoming-a-throatlatch problem, or should I just tie the neckstrap to the saddle dees or something? I'm pretty good at grabbing the breastplate in a moment of need (when I use one), but we're planning to start over fences soon and I'd like to have something more along the lines of a neckstrap.

Thanks!

[wildlifer]

I guess I'm just a cheap redneck -- take a piece of haystring and tie it to a saddle dee. It's free. If you don't like the look, use an old spur strap or a flash strap.

[subk]

I love neckstraps and visualizing your delima made me smile. The problem I have with yokes and martingales is--as I think you've notice--they sit a little too close to the withers, especially if you are jumping. I think I would try a little connector to your saddle Ds. Maybe with a thin leather strap like what would be used on the drop part of a flash. The other possibilty to try would be a braiding it in to a hank of mane.

[justhoofit]

Braid it into the mane where you want it and secure the braid with a rubber band - takes two seconds (one sloppy braid will do).

[Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl]

The other problem with yokes is if you dont use baling twine, a braid, or a leather contraption to secure it near the pommel, when she puts her head down and it slips to her poll you're OK, but when she tries to pick her head back up there can be a panic situation when the girth attachment means now the yoke is acting as a true tie-down...

[crosscreeksh]

I NEVER get on a horse without my neck yoke!!! Saved my butt too many times to count. (40 years of TB's) As pictured...the yoke is not connected to the top of the saddle, but only to the girth. You adjust the girth to chest ring and also the loop that goes around the neck...as loose or tight as is comfortable to the normal riding position of your hands. I've not had problems of the neck strap sliding down a lowered neck...if adjusted correctly it will catch on the mane. I've used leather and biothane yokes. I prefer the biothane...less chafing on my hand and that material is super strong...won't break when you need it and the care is minimal. Check out : wwwbigdweb.com They have several different colors of leather, nylon and biothane. I'm getting ready to put an order in for three and I believe they are under $20 for biothane and under $25 for top grade leather. A wise investment!!

[retreadeventer]

Oh yeah, Crosscreeksh.....me too...I'm a yoker! Have been for years and years, I ride in one daily, I got mine at Bartville and it's in a cobsize so it doesn't hang too low between his legs, and as soon as I can get up there again, will get a horse size for a 17-hander in the barn.

They can slide down the neck if they put their heads down, but it is loose enough not to worry them, and I can reach up and slide it back when they put their heads back up....I could affix it to a breastplate ring, but I don't need anymore straps and strings to get my arthritic hands stuck in....but I love my leather yokes very much, my favorite piece of tack.

[NorthwoodsRider]

What makes the yoke preferable to a breastplate anchored to the saddle?

[crosscreeksh]

Oh yeah, Crosscreeksh.....me too...I'm a yoker! Have been for years and years, I ride in one daily, I got mine at Bartville and it's in a cobsize so it doesn't hang too low between his legs, and as soon as I can get up there again, will get a horse size for a 17-hander in the barn.

They can slide down the neck if they put their heads down, but it is loose enough not to worry them, and I can reach up and slide it back when they put their heads back up....I could affix it to a breastplate ring, but I don't need anymore straps and strings to get my arthritic hands stuck in....but I love my leather yokes very much, my favorite piece of tack.

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When I met my husband 40+ years ago, I was a show hunter/foxhunter...he was a race horse trainer. I gave him so much flak over his "chicken strap" it is a wonder we ended up married!! As I started galloping some of his winter lay-ups and newly broken youngsters in the Walthour Moss Foundation in So. Pines, NC, I began to appreciate his "gadget"!! One day we ran into a flock of quail on a narrow trail. Both of our young horses did a 180 and thanks to our yokes..so did we!! It has become as much of my tack as my bridle or girth!!! I think having a yoke really helps with a nervous or silly horse because you can be "anchored" on without hanging on the horse's mouth. To say nothing of an unexpected long spot!! I feel naked when I get on a horse without one.

[retreadeventer]

OMG...you've been two beautiful places I would love to be, Oklahoma and Walthour Moss....and I too have that naked feeling without one.

[Winding Down]

I use stirrup leather and for jumping, make sure it is far enough on the neck so that I can put my finger around it on the larger jumps and drops. It also keeps me from coming back too early. With the younger horses, I use a longer one, farther back and closer to the saddle so I can keep a finger around it at all times, as necessary.

I've not used a yoke before, and haven't ever had a problem with losing a neckstrap when the horse's head goes down.

A

[NorthwoodsRider]

What makes the yoke preferable to a breastplate anchored to the saddle?

Anyone?

[subk]

Anyone?

I don't like breastplates as grab handles because that seem to have more upward mobility before they "catch." And for jumping it is just in the wrong place--much to close to the saddle. I haven't used a yoke, but I would be concerned about being able to adjust it so it is as high on the neck as I want it for jumping.

Look how high this neck strap is adjusted:
http://www.clixphoto.com/details.php?gid=237&pid=290

[crosscreeksh]

Anyone?

A "yoke" attached to the saddle becomes a "hunter breastplate". It restricts the placement of your hands too close to your crotch reducing your center of balance. You want to be able to do a nice crest release while still holding the yoke. I've often joked that holding on to the breast plate/grab strap on your saddle is about as effective as grabbing your own zipper fly!!

[Winding Down]

A "yoke" attached to the saddle becomes a "hunter breastplate". It restricts the placement of your hands too close to your crotch reducing your center of balance. You want to be able to do a nice crest release while still holding the yoke. I've often joked that holding on to the breast plate/grab strap on your saddle is about as effective as grabbing your own zipper fly!!

LOL! I totally agree about the breastplate and grab strap. Totally useless. I am wondering if one could use the yoke and place it far enough up the neck as to be useful.

I had a grab strap on one saddle and the only time I used it was to carry the saddle. I don't think I ever touched it while riding. It is gathering dust in the tackroom and I should probably give it away or do "something" with it.

[kcmel]

I love my neckstrap! I bought a yoke at Bartville because I thought it would make me look less like a chicken hunting , but haven't really been able to use it because the horse size is HUGE.

[Hilary]

I'll go with personal preference and horse shape as to where the sweet spot is for something to grab - my hunter breastplate works just fine as a yoke, and since I have it, I just use it. I also do like the fact that the straps attaching it to the saddle means it doesn't slip up the neck, and if I have a horse who needs a breastplate, it's already there.

But yes, I ride with it and it makes a big difference.

[crosscreeksh]

I love my neckstrap! I bought a yoke at Bartville because I thought it would make me look less like a chicken hunting , but haven't really been able to use it because the horse size is HUGE.

Check out the yokes at Big D...link in a previous post. Theirs are a bit more "normal horse" sized!!

[spacehorse]

I love my neckstrap! I bought a yoke at Bartville because I thought it would make me look less like a chicken hunting , but haven't really been able to use it because the horse size is HUGE.

I also got mine at Bartville for my oversized ISH, and it needed adjusted. They customized it for me while I shopped.

[crosscreeksh]

OMG...you've been two beautiful places I would love to be, Oklahoma and Walthour Moss....and I too have that naked feeling without one.

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Southern Pines/Walthour Moss...definitely!!! Oklahoma...Not so much!!! All cowboy/indian/barrel racers in our area and the weather sucks!! 60's today, high 30 tomorrow. NO rain since May and rock hard black clay ground!!! Did I mention the W*I*N*D*???? And the tornado threats??? And the earthquakes??? And the fires?? Save your pennies and go to Southern Pines!!! We've been trying to sell and move south for 6.5 years....only lived here 7.5 years!!! The fact that we built a "real" horse farm with stables, riding rings, cross country courses on a lovely 80 acre farm is irrelevant...there are only cattle ranchers looking for land around here!!! They don't care if there is an $80k stable!!!