thoughts about german martingales?

[firstlovesong]

I just wondered what opinions you all have of german martingales?

I ride in them a lot and see them as a great tool for communicating and teaching horses to flex and give to your hands. Of course in the wrong hands anything can be mis-used but I ride and show Saddleseat so I have been using them for years and never really thought anything about it but I just wondered if they are used in other disiplines very much and are there negative opinions of them?

[cowpuncher]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the running or German martingales, as long as you are using them to develop softness, and not just letting your horse lean on them. I use a running martingale when I'm starting colts about 95% of the time, at least for the first ten or so rides.

[WashingtonBay]

I like them for their job... and they're simpler than carrying both a draw rein and snaffle rein.

[Palogal]

Martingales , german or otherwise are training wheels. I have no issue with students them as long as the training wheels are removed eventually. Martingales are not to be used forever.

[Turn and Burn]

I really love them. I use them every once in a while, and they are a really great training tool.