Western Breast Collars Play Dual Role As Safety Gear and Horse Jewelry
Posted: Monday, May 16, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
The breast collar is not only the finishing touch for a well-turned-out horse, giving bling and pizzazz, but it is also a significant piece of safety gear.
It is an important horse tack item that refines the overall “show look” for horse and rider – it can color-match a rider’s outfit, add flash and jewelry to his chest, highlight the horse's muscle and conformation, or simply emphasize the snazzy show presentation of both horse and rider.
In this article, I’m writing mostly about the use of the breast collar in western sport and as the ultimate horse jewelry. As I’ve already mentioned, it is a critical piece of horse tack for many western riding disciplines. In fact, it is a must-have horse tack item for reining, roping, ranching, eventing and racing. But I should mention that breast “plates” (the english rider’s term for this piece of gear) are also used in english horseback riding and training. Whatever the riding style, be it english or western, the breast collar is a universally-used piece of horse equipment that prevents the saddle from slipping while appropriately centering it on the horse.
Little Cowpoke has his pony Turquoise Conchos Breast Collar
decked out to the nines
The breast collar fits comfortably across the chest of the horse, attaching to the saddle. I like to think of it as a gorgeous and necessary horse tack item (and jewelry embellishment if it’s flashy) in the show ring. When the breast collar is properly adjusted, it prevents the saddle from sliding backward, and maintains the correct centered position on the horse’s back. If the breast collar is fitted well and correctly to the saddle, both horse and rider are comfortable and ready for a safe ride.
Here is the proper way to tack up the horse with a breast collar. Just a safety reminder – cross tie the horse or have a handler “head up” him up.
- Assuming the horse is groomed and ready to tack up, place the saddle blanket on the horse’s back. Center the saddle over the blanket, adjust the saddle in proper position and tighten the cinch.
- Then, with the breast collar forming a “Y” on the horse’s chest, buckle first one side and then the other to the D-rings on the saddle. Slide the long strap between the front legs of the horse and attach to the cinch using the small D-ring.
- Now make final adjustments to the breast collar. Adjust the long “y” strap to allow about two inches of slack. Then focus on the side straps – fasten the buckles on either side to fit the horse slightly above the point of the shoulder. Do this on both sides of the horse making sure the breast collar fits symmetrically on the chest of the horse. Pull the leather straps away from the shoulders to test the fit – allow from 3 to 4 inches of “play” to permit freedom of leg movement and prevent chafing.
- Of course, don’t forget to tighten the cinch after all this adjusting.
Pretty cowgirl and her horse - he's wearing a nice conchos studded breast collar. Now doesn't it give the look of jewelry?
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Heidi.
I've often wondered if the breast collar was just for pretty. I've watched Western eventing and I've seen the gyrations that horse and rider go through, so I guess any extra help in keeping the saddle in the right spot is a good thing. :)
I was looking at some photos on the web from past Equifests at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds (home of the oldest continuous rodeo :)) from the trailer races. There are a number of folks who came off while riding around the barrel because in their haste to get a good time, they forgot to cinch the girth tightly. A breast collar might have helped at that point. :)
Anyway, I enjoyed your article.
Hugs,
DianneAs an English rider (predominantly), I have never used the breast collar/plate. I do use the martingale to keep the head in check considering I've had a Saddlebred head womp me in my head. But I have breast collars available to customers and they are the most beautiful things. They are truly gorgeous. I'm thinking about these horse tack items and I know they are really safety gear for high impact, high motion etc and in combination with the heavy western saddle. But when I see the beauty in some of the tooling and jewels or conchos and/or sterling silver, they truly represent a jewelry piece to me. I guess it's a little bit like the lovely Arabian horse wearing a tasseled breast collar or a costume with stunning embellishments. It's visually pleasing is where I'm coming from. Cinching the saddle is a whole different matter (which is why I added that extra line at the end). Often we get so wrapped up tacking up the horse, that we forget he probably took a deep breath, blew up his barrel and we get on to a wobbly saddle. Good idea to cinch properly, what say?
If I was a competitive barrel racer - or anything else for that matter - and my saddle "dislodged", I'd be kicking myself all over the backforty - cause duh duh duh.
So happy to have you read, Dianne. Been missing hearing from you friend!I always check the girth once we've walked up to the arena. By then, he's let go of some of that air and I have to tighten it another notch or two. A friend of mine is always joking that girths are optional, but one day when we were riding together, she forgot the final check, put her foot in the stirrup and ended up on the ground. Her horse just calmly tipped his head back and gave her this look like, "Whatcha doin'?"
I've seem some really pretty breast collars. I especially like the natural tan colored leather with silver conchos and turquoise. But I've seen them studded with crystals as well. To bad the English riders don't go in for a little more bling! Most of the shows I've gone to, the judge won't pooh-pooh at a little (very little) bling on the brow band, but if you have it on the nose band as well, look out. :) Stuffy lot! I can say that because I ride English. :)And I can agree with you because I ride English. You ride forward seat so it is even more traditional and regimented for you. I have a bit more leeway because I ride saddleseat. We do have fun browbands though we mostly defer to the traditional or highlight the browband to our coat lining, or complement the overall picture. Still next to no bling. Funny too, since everything is sort of flashy these days.
Dianne, I can remember my best show days - they were more years ago than I care to remember. But we could really do it up. I rode primarily 3 gaited and in those days, when you showed stake classes, you wore a top hat and a flashy tuxedo jacket. The jodphurs were always black striped and all I can remember, black. The jacket, however, was amazing. I had several - brocade and patterned. I thought they were gorgeous! Now things seem to be subdued. The jackets are long like kneelength skirts and very full. The jackets have the satin stripe but are solid color and may be bright colors but nothing flashy.
I've had times when my saddle wasn't cinched right too. If you're not light on the mount, you know pretty quickly to cinch better, hah hah hah.
I could see someone started a new trend. It would probably have to be at the open shows and smaller shows. Any of the bigtime established shows would make it count against you or even kick you out. But the smaller shows - why could someone not add their own embellishments. I'll bet it would catch on and fast. That's all it would take. That extra bit of gut instinct and intestinal fortitude to go for it.Sorry it took me so long to respond to this, but I got busy yesterday afternoon notifying all the members of Dressage Desperados (I'm the club's secretary) about the EHV-1 going around and cancelling our upcoming show. Mostly it's spreading around the western states with confirmed deaths in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and Canada. It's a very nasty neurologic virus that initially manifests like a flu and then quickly causes brain damage with loss of strength in the hind quarters, confusion, and in some cases death. We are all quite worried for our horses right now. Oh, but I told you some of this in an e-mail didn't I? Sorry, it's heavy on my mind right now.
We do have a bit more leniency about the bling at our schooling shows. Our club color is purple and some of the riders deck themselves out in shades of purple with purple saddle pads for their horses. One rider loves pink and puts it on her black horse. Really pretty!
I've never really understood those shadbelly coats or the really long ones. After all, a shorter coat is just going to make your leg look longer. :)
I think it was in Dressage Today that I saw a competition to design more modern show attire. I think it's about time we brought it all into the 21st century. Although, there is something graceful and elegant about the traditional attire. And why would we want to give up our stock pins. :) But I wouldn't mind them giving up the requirement for tall boots at the recognized shows. With my short legs, I have yet to find a pair that isn't too painful to wear and just go with paddock boots and half chaps.
Anyway, isn't it fun talking about horses and all that goes along with them!
Hugs,
DianneIt's the best of fun. Yesterday I published a news article on Examiner about the virus. Just now I added it here on SearchWarp. I think it is critical to use all sources available to publish the severity of this virus since it is highly contageous and animals have died in several states already. All horses that were at the Championships are being monitored and many are quarantined. I am trying to find out some more details on the virus itself - I have to bring myself up to snuff from my President (of the Connecticut Horse Council) days.
I love having the ability to chat about horses in any way. I'll have to grab your comments for the blog cause you'd be the greatest. Should make you an author on it actually. You could do some wonders with your knowledge of dressage.
I love traditional riding clothing. I think dressage outfits, in particular, are very elegant and classy. I personally do not like the long floppy saddleseat coats that we have now, preferring a bit of a shorter style. The other thing I would like to see - and in today's wonderful world of inventions I don't see why it can't be done - a safety helmet or hardened core built into all riding hats for all disciplines. I think the jump/hunter riders are the smart riders of all of us - they have helmets and some are darned good ones. Same cannot be said about any other riding discipline. In fact, that bears looking into for the blog and another article.
PS Thanks Dianne for all you are doing about spreading the word on the horse virus. It is a bit scary because it's moved so very quickly already!
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