Re: use of running martingale? Long!

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>We've started allowing a little
>more speed, he trots like a dream and his canter is much better than I ever
>expected from such a short backed horse.  Only issue - a couple times now,
>at the canter, he's stuck his nose to the ground.  I'm very proud that I
>managed to stay on - gosh lots of miles are the best thing to improve a
>rider's seat!
>
Just a guess here...if you had been holding him in with a fairly firm rein
(which sometimes happens when a snaffle is being used), he could be
reacting to muscle cramping in his neck.  Be sure to let him stretch his
neck down low about every 5 minutes...especially when he's a bit out of
condition yet.  If *you* let him stretch regularly, he won't start to worry
about cramping muscles, try to be good for as long as he can, and then, out
of pain and desperation, dive his neck down to the ground for relief.
He'll know that relief will be soon and will eagerly and more smoothly take
the reins down to relieve the tight muscles.  Blaze will do this if I
forget to let him stretch...and then stay down an extra long time -- may be
taking longer to relax the muscles but also may be an unwillingness to go
back into that position that caused him the discomfort.  It's a reminder to
me to pay closer attention to this part of the work-out.

Sue

sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.
ARICP Certified Riding Instructor
Recreational Riding II, Dressage I