Hi again
I am not familiar with USING breat collars too much, but I did notice at the
Fort Valley last year that a rider was warned by the vet because the
brachiocephalic muscle on her horse was VERY sore on the left side. They
couldn't figure out why, and I couldn't either, until I saw the horse reach
DOWN to take a bite of grass... That breast collar dug right into the area
The thing that was weird was, the breast collar did not appear tight on the
horse when the horse had his head up. Luckily I haven't really had to use a
breast collar yet, I usually just climb off if need be to fix the saddle at
home, which hasn't been too often. I am sure I will have to when I begin
heavy duty competing.
Good luck, my two cents only...
Gwen
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Exactly. Some folks fit the breastcollar when the horse is
standing-not tight or even snug.
Two problems occur. ONe is when folks place the saddle too far
forward over the shoulder. When the cinch loosens somewhat and
the saddle moves back to where it "should" be, then the breastcollar
is too tight.
Other problem is not taking the horses movement into consideration.
What I think riders need to do is put their hand under the
breastcollar when the horse is trotting and see if their hand is
getting pinched. Keep loosening it until it is not binding at the
trot.
We had an experience at Pt. Reyes. A group of "know it all" Western
trainers joined our group
by knowing a third person. They all had
standard Western Breastcollars-the type that go straight across.
They rode over to the beach and back, on the climb back it became
apparent one horse was having problems. It seemed like a
combination tie-up, colic. They got him slowly back to camp and
discovered the breastcollar was really cutting into his windpipe,
had left an impression on his neck as well at giving him a heck of
a sore. What we all deducted (with all our "vast" knowledge) was
that he had tied up probably from lack of oxygen. To me, this
sort of carelessness seems almost inexcusable from horsemen with 30
years experience.
I see my breastcollar as an "emergency" device; if my saddle really
tried to slip back it might get stopped. Otherwise it holds my
sponge, map holder and running martingale. I don't see it as being
used to literally hold a saddle inplace.
Karen
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