Martingale

[Liz Newfield <lizfield@jeffnet.org>]

"I sometimes start out a ride with a tie down on my gelding as he likes to
toss his head a lot at first....he's excited. "

I used to have a horse that was a bouncing ball for about the first 5
miles.  I used a standing attachment and when he stopped bouncing it came
off.  I found this very effective and neither he nor I was ever injured --
which I am not sure would have been the case had I not taken this measure.
Only time I ever used one.