What Is The Difference Between a Running & a German Martingale?

*BaRrEL_BaBE* · 02-06-2005, 05:30 PM

What is the difference between these two martingales besides their physical placements? I use a running martingale on Echo but I have seen a lot of competitive riders using a german martingale. Is it time to change?

Wounded · 02-06-2005, 05:37 PM

when you say german martingale do you mean standing martingale??

madvoice · 02-06-2005, 05:47 PM

A running martingale is attached to the reins where it looks like the German is attached directly through the bit onto the reins and works a bit like running reins (though not as severe). Personally I wouldn't use one.
The running martingale helps prevent the horse from throwing their head in the air by putting pressure on the bit indirectly. The German holds the horse's head in a specific position much like a standing martingale but with more control.

Asfaloth · 02-07-2005, 06:14 AM

Ok the Running martingale or training fork is used to teach the horse to get on the bit and not above it. It is helpful on horses that tend to yank on the reins to get away from contact or throw their heads up. I have only ever recommended it once for a rider whose horse would pull her out of the saddle. She simply did not have enought strength to stop him doing this. I now own the horse and does not do this with me at all and I have not ridden him in it even once.

The standing or german martingale also called a tie down because it does just that. Instead of teaching the horse to get on the bit and not throw his head the rider uses this crutch to just tie the horses head down so he can't trow it around and evade the bit.

A good trainer does not need either of these gimmiks.
A good rider usually does not either.

Head tossing is a result of bad hands in most cases (also dental problems can be a cause) so rather than correct the horse it is the rider who needs to be corrected,or the horse should see a dentist. As I said I did recommend the Running martingale for one rider but it would have been only untill I could help her get a better seat and hands. This person tended to balance herself on the reins which caused the horse to starrt this to begin with. Now I own the horse and he never tosses his head with me. He had a terrible habit of leaning on the bit as well but we have fixed this as well with just firm gentle and consistant hands and NO GIMMIKS.

cassidy · 02-07-2005, 06:16 AM

wow that german looks like it just has some sort of attachment like draw reins would do

i have never heard of one only the standing an running kind!

Shans5050 · 02-07-2005, 06:31 AM

barrel babe,

I personally have used the german martingale on a horse with the hard to set head, it works like draw reins sort of, we use them on the arabs because all we are looking for is to get them to break at the poll and pull their noses in a bit, whereas with draw reins you'll get a much lower headset like with QH's or Paints.

Asfaloth · 02-07-2005, 06:34 AM

My mistake for forgetting to include the german. Going back and looking at one I remember tghem again. actually it is very similar in uses to draw reins combined with a running martingale.

Basically rather then running the rein from the girth through the bit to the rider as one rein it rund from the girth through the bit and attaches to the reien so that the horse has a chance to respond to the bit before the pull down action takes effect. It is much nicer for the horse than a draw rein as it is less likely to creat a head set and does allow them some upward movement of the head.

Again it is a gimmik and used to get faster results. The same can be achieved by good hands and taking time to really teach the horse. Sadly most trainiers need to be ready for showring by march and the horse only has a few weeks to achieve the proper showring look.

zorse · 02-07-2005, 06:38 AM

We use a German on one of our TB mares. It works excellent because nothing else does. I don't think it is extremely "harsh", it just gives added control for a difficult horse with a high head.
You can't say that any rider who uses one of these isn't a good rider, that is unfair.

probarrelracer · 02-07-2005, 08:23 AM

A German Martingale is not a tie down. It works completely differently fron a standing or running martingale. The GM. is more like riding without a martingale. You adjust it for the correct headset, and cannot pull the horse's head all the way down to the chest as with the others. The reins signal the bit directly until the horse gets to the point where he is no longer responding, then the martingale kicks in.

*BaRrEL_BaBE* · 02-07-2005, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asfaloth

..A good trainer does not need either of these gimmiks.
A good rider usually does not either...

I disagree with this statement. As for head-tossing, Echo carries her head very low, with the exception of her trot. When she stops, she sits on her hindend and keeps her head down. I have been using the running martingale to help her with her turns more so than to keep her from tossing her head. Back to my original question, should I switch to a german martingale? I do not want to put a tie-down on her if at all helped. What would happen if I just took the martingale off her completely?
*I attached a picture to give you an idea of how it is set on her.

02-06-2005, 05:30 PM	#1
BaRrEL_BaBE Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 4,230 Images: 83 Blog Entries: 4	What Is The Difference Between a Running & a German Martingale? What is the difference between these two martingales besides their physical placements? I use a running martingale on Echo but I have seen a lot of competitive riders using a german martingale. Is it time to change? __________________ (¯`•.¸DoN't l00k BacK¸.•´¯) My_Facebook ::RIP T.H.P* you are so very missed:*:

02-06-2005, 05:37 PM	#2
Wounded Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 649 Images: 22	when you say german martingale do you mean standing martingale?? __________________ Bambi.

02-06-2005, 05:47 PM	#3
madvoice Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Humpty Doo, Northern Territory, Australia Posts: 11,807 Images: 281	A running martingale is attached to the reins where it looks like the German is attached directly through the bit onto the reins and works a bit like running reins (though not as severe). Personally I wouldn't use one. The running martingale helps prevent the horse from throwing their head in the air by putting pressure on the bit indirectly. The German holds the horse's head in a specific position much like a standing martingale but with more control. __________________ Sep 1997 - 15 Jan 2006 ~Fry Baby I'll Miss You~ Some people never go crazy, what truly horrible lives they must live - Charles Bukowski Owner of a lazy TB Dec 1996 - 16 March 2010 - RIP Sky

02-07-2005, 06:14 AM	#4
Asfaloth Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh Posts: 1,025 Images: 36	Ok the Running martingale or training fork is used to teach the horse to get on the bit and not above it. It is helpful on horses that tend to yank on the reins to get away from contact or throw their heads up. I have only ever recommended it once for a rider whose horse would pull her out of the saddle. She simply did not have enought strength to stop him doing this. I now own the horse and does not do this with me at all and I have not ridden him in it even once. The standing or german martingale also called a tie down because it does just that. Instead of teaching the horse to get on the bit and not throw his head the rider uses this crutch to just tie the horses head down so he can't trow it around and evade the bit. A good trainer does not need either of these gimmiks. A good rider usually does not either. Head tossing is a result of bad hands in most cases (also dental problems can be a cause) so rather than correct the horse it is the rider who needs to be corrected,or the horse should see a dentist. As I said I did recommend the Running martingale for one rider but it would have been only untill I could help her get a better seat and hands. This person tended to balance herself on the reins which caused the horse to starrt this to begin with. Now I own the horse and he never tosses his head with me. He had a terrible habit of leaning on the bit as well but we have fixed this as well with just firm gentle and consistant hands and NO GIMMIKS. __________________ Happiness is Owning and Riding Somthing Extraordinary

02-07-2005, 06:16 AM	#5
cassidy Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: england - its sunny sometimes honest! Posts: 23,097 Images: 874	wow that german looks like it just has some sort of attachment like draw reins would do i have never heard of one only the standing an running kind! __________________ bluebell , haribo , william & lil bill May your life be like toilet paper - Long and useful A horse doesn't care how much you know until he knows how much you care. - Pat Parelli http://www.freewebs.com/linz88055/myprofile.htm

02-07-2005, 06:31 AM	#6
Shans5050 Full Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 203	barrel babe, I personally have used the german martingale on a horse with the hard to set head, it works like draw reins sort of, we use them on the arabs because all we are looking for is to get them to break at the poll and pull their noses in a bit, whereas with draw reins you'll get a much lower headset like with QH's or Paints.

02-07-2005, 06:34 AM	#7
Asfaloth Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh Posts: 1,025 Images: 36	My mistake for forgetting to include the german. Going back and looking at one I remember tghem again. actually it is very similar in uses to draw reins combined with a running martingale. Basically rather then running the rein from the girth through the bit to the rider as one rein it rund from the girth through the bit and attaches to the reien so that the horse has a chance to respond to the bit before the pull down action takes effect. It is much nicer for the horse than a draw rein as it is less likely to creat a head set and does allow them some upward movement of the head. Again it is a gimmik and used to get faster results. The same can be achieved by good hands and taking time to really teach the horse. Sadly most trainiers need to be ready for showring by march and the horse only has a few weeks to achieve the proper showring look. __________________ Happiness is Owning and Riding Somthing Extraordinary

02-07-2005, 06:38 AM	#8
zorse Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: BC and NS Canada Posts: 6,683 Images: 188 Blog Entries: 358	We use a German on one of our TB mares. It works excellent because nothing else does. I don't think it is extremely "harsh", it just gives added control for a difficult horse with a high head. You can't say that any rider who uses one of these isn't a good rider, that is unfair. __________________ "I stand, so to speak, with an unposted letter bearing the extra regulation fee before the too late box of the general postoffice of human life." - Leopold Bloom, *Ulysses* Last edited by zorse; 02-07-2005 at 06:56 AM.

02-07-2005, 08:23 AM	#9
probarrelracer Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 2,273 Images: 603	A German Martingale is not a tie down. It works completely differently fron a standing or running martingale. The GM. is more like riding without a martingale. You adjust it for the correct headset, and cannot pull the horse's head all the way down to the chest as with the others. The reins signal the bit directly until the horse gets to the point where he is no longer responding, then the martingale kicks in. __________________ Help a friend to turn his frown upside down. Just rip his head off, and flip it over! He who says that you only have yourself to blame never learned to blame other people!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Difference between Pintos and Paints	lil_horse_whisperer	Horse Breeding	8	11-24-2004 04:47 PM
talk about horses in German...........	Tess	Introductions	47	02-03-2004 02:03 PM
Running Quarter	SoCalHorseLvr	Horse Chat	10	11-21-2003 05:26 AM