Tie downs and such

Do all of you beleive that grass reins for a kid are a crutch and a cover up?

^ I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with putting a tie down on so an unexperienced rider doesn't get unseated when messing around on someones horse like macrabes situation or to aide a child..but these are "crutches". However, using a crutch for these types of rider is usually a smarter idea than leaving them to their own devices.

Its the stereotypical "game" riders that flail around the pattern on hot, gate sour horses we are mostly (or at least I am) worried about.

Thank you spastic, this is exactly what I was trying to say.

I am sorry to anyone who thought I was being condescending or mean.

No blanket statement covers everyone in every instance. There are exceptions to every rule but if you watch the average barrel racing you won't see very many exceptions.

Good to know you don't think there is anything wrong with the way I am using the martingale. Or is that not what you were trying to say?

Honeysuga, take it easy.

I asked what you meant by your statement. Don't believe I called you names, either (unless you're talking about when I referred to the "dipsticks" on HC). I didn't necessarilly mean YOU personally. Re-reading it, I could see how one could think that I called you a name.

So this isn't condesending, eh? I want an answer to my question and I haven't gotten it yet. All everyone wants to do is... gab about how we are soooo wrong for using a martingale so loose it could wrap around his neck thrice. Yes, I'm irritated.

I don't know; maybe I took your posts wrong. But 95% of the ones I've read were, to say the least, irritable.

I apologize if this isn't the case.

Thank you kevinshorses.

I think more then a few people on this forum could learn to keep their mouths shut unless they can actually be bothered to HAVE helpful advice to back up their oh so insulting and condescending opinion.

Just another example of everyone having an answer and only one bothering to find out what the question is. I'd trust any horse that came out of kevinshorses hands.

^ Ditto.

Once again. Amazing :) So do you think that practicing stopping and going is a good place to start? Before collection, I mean?

Thank you ladies!! I hate to see a good thread shut down because someone called someone else a name and that someone thinks the first someone is being mean. Come on people lets all act like adults.

I have used running martingales for people that needed help keeping thier horses head under control but I told them it was because they didn't ride well. I would consider putting a tie down on my kids horse if it would help them ride an otherwise suitable horse (very few suitable kids horses would need one). Many really succesful trainers use running martingales on every horse they ride. That's thier choice. I choose to take more time and not rely on a peice of equipment that is not legal in most competitions. If you need a tool to get done what you want then use it but realize that you're covering a hole in your riding and your horses training. If that is what you have to do then that's what you should do.