6 running martingales that are handy to have in the tack room

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Published In Buying Guides
Rider jumping grey horse wearing a running martingale
(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

The best running martingales for horses prevent your horse from raising his head beyond the point that the bit works correctly in his mouth. It works by stabilising the reins and applying downward pressure on the mouth via the bit and reins when the horse raises its head too high. Many riders like to use a martingale when jumping, especially on a young or strong horse. Running martingales are popular because they don’t influence your horse when he is going correctly, plus they can also double as a neck strap for sticky moments.

A running martingale is made up of two straps. The first attaches to the girth, passes through the front legs and then branches into two straps, each with a ring at the end of each through which the reins pass. The reins should have rein stops (usually rubber or leather) added to prevent the rings from getting snagged on the buckle or billet where the rein attaches to the bit. This split strap is held in place by a second strap that sits around your horse’s neck.

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Georgia Guerin
Georgia Guerin
Deputy Website Editor and Head of Ecommerce

Georgia is Horse & Hound’s deputy website editor and equestrian products expert. She curates content across the website with a particular focus on upcoming equestrian events horse care and buying advice. She also manages all the ecommerce opportunities that allow us to give you easy access to the best products at the lowest prices via our buying guides. Georgia has first-hand knowledge of all the equestrian brands and their ever-evolving product lines, having been working with them closely since she started in equestrian media in 2015.