Breastplates for Horses

What is the breastplate used for on a horse?

Martingales and breastplates are mainly used as auxiliary reins for hacking, jumping, eventing, pole work and Western riding. The actual purpose of a breastplate is to prevent the saddle from sliding backwards. Particularly with young horses, breastplates are often used because the back muscles still have to develop and the saddle can be fixed with a breastplate.
A martingale is used when the horse or pony withdraws from the rider's aids. When properly buckled, the martingale has no effect on the horse's posture unless the horse raises its head above the normal head position. A martingale restricts upwards and prevents the horse from escaping the rein by lifting its head, suddenly snapping its head up or shaking its head.

What is the difference between a breastplate and a martingale?

A martingale is a horse-friendly auxiliary rein that restricts the horse upwards should it lift its head beyond a natural head position. Usually a martingale is made of leather and consists of a martingale fork, a collar and a strap to attach it to the saddle girth. The reins are passed through the martingale rings. To prevent the rings from getting caught on the bit with the rein buckles, martingale stoppers are necessary, which you can find in our bridle accessories.
A breastplate consists of a removable martingale fork, two breast straps or a breast collar and a strap which is attached to the saddle girth. It has no effect on the horse's head position, but only prevents the saddle from sliding backwards.
In the Kramer online shop you will find martingales and breastplates made of high-quality leather in black and brown. They are adjustable and available in pony, cob and full sizes. For the dark you can equip yourself with reflective breastplates.
To clean and maintain your leather martingale or breastplate in the long term, we have numerous leather care products in our range.

Which breastplate is suitable for a Western saddle?

In Western riding, too, breastplates fulfill the same function, namely to prevent the saddle from slipping. In some Western disciplines a breastplate can make sense, where the horse moves through a lot of turns and abrupt stops.
As the look is also an important criterion when buying a breastplate, our breastplates for Western saddles are elaborately decorated. You can find matching Western headstalls and Western reins in our online shop, so that the overall look is coherent.

Which breastplate is better - 3 point or 5 point?

There are two different types of breastplates, 3 point and 5 point breastplates. The 3 point breastplate is buckled on both sides of the saddle at the withers and at the girth, while the 5 point breastplate is additionally fastened to the girth straps. With a 5 point breastplate there are pressure points on the chest, which are often padded with sheepskin.
You must discuss which breastplate makes more sense for your horse with your saddler. Every horse is different and the choice of equipment should be just as individual. 5 point breastplates have two more straps to buckle, which is why many riders prefer the 3 point breastplates. Therefore, the decision which breastplate to buy is ultimately up to the rider's taste.

How is the breastplate buckled to the saddle?

The way the breastplate is buckled depends on the type of breastplate. A breastplate with integrated martingale fork is buckled to the saddle in the following way:

• Attach the breastplate to the rings of the front pommel with snap hooks or leather buckles.
• Pass the girth through the loops of the breastplate, then fasten the girth.
• Or fasten the girth and attach the breastplate with hooks.
• Pull the reins through the martingale rings just before mounting.

Which breastplate comes without a breast collar?

A classic ring martingale generally comes without a breast collar, as it concentrates on the movements of the head.
Breastplates can consist of either two straps or one breast collar. In our shop you can buy breastplates with or without a breast collar. The breastplates are anatomically cut and narrow so that the horse's shoulder movement is not blocked.
If the saddle slides heavily backwards, a breastplate with a wide breast collar can be very useful. However, in this case you should first have a saddle fitter look over the saddle. A saddle that slides so much backwards that a wide breast collar is necessary needs to be adjusted urgently.