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A breastplate (used interchangeably with breastgirth and breastcollar) is a piece of riding equipment used on horses. Its purpose is to keep the saddle from sliding back, and is most helpful on horses with large shoulders and a flat ribcage. It is also a safety feature, especially on cross-country, should a rider's girth or billets break, as she will have enough time to stop the horse and dismount before the saddle slipped off the animal's back or underneath its belly. A junior horse riding event at the Melbourne Show Equestrianism relates to the riding of horses. ...
See: A saddle is a seat for a rider fastened to a horses back. ...
The hunting breastplate is used on both English saddles and Western saddles, although for the latter it is usually covered in engraving or silver and is sometimes more of an ornamental piece than functional. When used in English-style riding, the hunting breastplate is made of thinner straps of leather than the thicker, sturdier Western-style breastplates. The breastcollar and breastgirth are not used in the Western disciplines. The saddles known as English saddles (as opposed to Western saddles) are used throughout the world, not just in England or English-speaking countries. ...
A Western Saddle Western Saddles are saddles used in — or based on the ones used in — cattle ranching in the United States. ...
The Hunting Breastplate
 A pony wearing a hunting breastplate. Note where it attaches to the D-rings of the saddle. Being the classic breastplate, the hunting breastplate is the most common type. It consists of a yoke (with a neck and wither strap), a breast strap at the bottom of the yoke which runs through the horse's front legs and attaches to the girth, and two straps at the top of the yoke which attach to the D-rings of a saddle. There are usually buckles for adjusting the size of the yoke as well as the length of the straps which attach to the saddle and girth. The hunting breastplate not only helps to prevent the saddle from slipping, but also may be used to attach standing and running martingales, which are clipped or buckled onto a ring at the chest. A girth is a piece of equipment for riding a horse, used to keep the saddle in place. ...
A martingale is a piece of tack used on horses to control head carriage. ...
The hunting breastplate is most commonly made of leather, and some have elastic inserts on the yoke to help prevent it from restricting the horse's shoulders. Those used in endurance riding are commonly made of lightweight nylon or another synthetic material. Endurance riding is an extremely strenuous form of horse racing, requiring the horse to complete, at the top levels, up to 100 miles. ...
The hunting breastplate is worn by endurance horses, show hunters, fox hunters, equitation horses, eventers (it can be seen used in all three phases), and show jumpers. It is also occassionally see in flat racing, as well as steeplechase. Endurance riding is an extremely strenuous form of horse racing, requiring the horse to complete, at the top levels, up to 100 miles. ...
The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going. ...
A riders equitation is her/his ability to ride correctly with a strong, supple position and effective aids. ...
Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...
Flat racing is a term commonly used in the United Kingdom to denote a form of horse-racing which is run over a predetermined distance and in which the horses are not required to jump over obstacles such as hurdles or fences as in National Hunt racing. ...
The steeplechase was initially a form of horse-racing, but the term is now applied to similar other events as well. ...
Disadvantages Because the hunting breastplate is attached to the D-rings of the saddle (which are known to be pulled out under great pressure), it is not as reliable as equipment attached to the saddle by means of the billets. Therefore, the breastcollar is sometimes preferred on cross-country.
The hunting breastplate also tends to have a restrictive effect on the shoulder, even when correctly fitted.
Additionally, a hunting breastplate may cause the tree points of a poorly-fitting saddle to dig into the sides of the horse's withers, creating rubs and great discomfort. In this case, it is best to get the saddle properly fitted before using a hunting breastplate.
Fitting The breastplate should not be fitted in any way that will restrict the horse's movement. Special attention should be paid to the shoulders, chest, and the area between the horse's front legs. In general, a fist should with between breastplate and the horse's chest, and there should be a hand's width between the wither strap and the withers. The breast strap should be have some slack, and care should be taken that its buckle doesn't rub the sensitive skin in the area. The withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ...
The Breastcollar  This racehorse wears a breastcollar. The breastcollar consists of a chest strap, which buckles to one billet of the saddle, runs around the horse's chest, and attaches to the first billet on the other side. It also has a wither strap, which is used to adjust the height of the breastcollar, and prevents it from slipping down too far. The breastcollar is often made of leather, strong elastic, or webbing.
The breastcollar is more secure than the hunting breastplate, because it attaches to either the front billet of the saddle, or to the front branch of a split-end girth (which is even more secure). It is therefore most desirable in eventing, especially on the cross-country phase, polo, and other jumping disciplines. It is not used in dressage, hunt seat, or equitation. A billet is the place to which a person, generally a soldier, is assigned to sleep. ...
Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Dressage (a French term meaning training) today is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to Olympic. ...
Hunt seat refers to a style of English-type riding commonly found at American horse shows. ...
A riders equitation is her/his ability to ride correctly with a strong, supple position and effective aids. ...
Disadvantages - Tends to restrict the shoulders moreso than other breastplates.
Fitting The breastcollar should be fitted so the chest strap is horizontal from chest to girth. The wither strap should be adjusted so that it is not so low that it interferes with the horse's shoulders, or so high that it presses against the animal's windpipe. As a general rule, a fist should fit between the wither strap of the breastcollar and the withers, and the chest strap and the chest of the horse. The withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ...
Breastgirth The breastgirth is made of strong elastic, and runs from either the D-rings of the saddle, or is attached to a loop that runs around the saddle's stirrup bars. Although similar to the breastcollar, there is no wither strap. Breastcollars are usually seen in show jumping and eventing (usually on the cross-country phase). They are desirable because when tend to be less-restrictive to the shoulders, so the horse is better able to pick up his front legs and fold over a jump. Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...
Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ...
Disadvantages If the breastgirth is not adjusted correctly, it will restrict the horse's breathing because it will press on the windpipe. Additionally, it is not as secure as the breastcollar when it is attached to the D-rings.
Fitting First and foremost, the breastgirth should be adjusted to it does not restrict the horse's breating. It should cross at the base of the neck, and may be adjusted snugly. |
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