The most basic type is the standing martingale. Standing martingales are particularly useful in situations where the rider might not have fine control of his hands, such as jumping or speed events. The standing martingale or tie-down should be adjusted so that the horse’s head can be held in a comfortable normal position at all gaits, and the downward pressure on the noseband comes into play if the horse tosses his head or tries to raise it above the bit. An overly short tie-down can cause problems by forcing the horse into an unnatural position while working, which can create soreness and stress injuries. Also, there are times when it is vital that the horse be able to raise his head – if a horse stumbles, for example, he will toss his head and neck up to help regain his balance. If the tie-down interferes with this, the horse could fall. A too-loose standing martingale does nothing to help the horse and becomes just another piece of equipment that can be useful with horses who carry their heads too high and with the horse who throws its head backward endangering the rider.  A correctly fitting martingale allows the horse complete freedom of head and neck when performing.  Should never be fitted to a drop noseband which would interfere with the action of the bit.  Used with a snaffle. 

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