# Breast Collars



## ChevyPrincess (Aug 27, 2009)

Congrats! And, yes, the breast collar is used to help keep the saddle in place. If it is snug. It can't be real loose, or super tight, as that would restrict movement of the chest.

Some people ride with them all the time, others only for strenuous or 'uneven' ride like in a mountain trail or something. Hope that helps! =]


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## Kansasbarrelracer (Sep 30, 2009)

I always ride with a breastcollar, always have. Yes granted they "help" keep your saddle in place, but honestly you don't need them. If your saddle is slipping you need to check the fit of your saddle, and also your pad. 

When I don't ride with a breastcollar my saddle doesn't slip. I always trail ride in one though.


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## sunshineo0o (Oct 15, 2009)

yea if i dont ride with one the saddle slips back..my horse has almost no withers and very broad shoulders...i have tried all different types of saddles and they all seem to slide back

thanks for the advice!


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

This thread may help you: http://www.horseforum.com/western-riding/we-talked-about-rear-cinches-now-38876/


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

I use one because I ride trails with lots of hills. But simple arena work does not require one.


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## buddy09 (Nov 15, 2009)

I always put one on just because my horse looks good in the one i have um i would recommend a three-point hook for you because you said you just started western i ride in a tripper breast collar which is really just for roping and cutting though i use it for barrels and team penning. Three points are just alot easier to fit to a horse even though a tripper would look easy they do get their name for 1 reason they tend to trip your horse alittle if they arent used to it. can be a major problem but most of the time alittle trip isnt that bad but trippers arent for beginners.








This is a three-point hook








these are some of my trippers that i have in my tack room


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Ahhh, I see what you are calling a tripper now. Have never heard that term before. I use the pulling style mostly now as I really like how they fit.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

A lot of Western riders are going to the pulling type because of the way they hold the saddle in place without hampering the horse's shoulders.


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

What kind is this? Someone gave this to me.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

As I mentioned on another thread that you showed the picture on, it looks like it is just for show. I would never use it trail riding. A tripping collar is meant to attach lower on your saddle. That collar will end up choking your horse if your saddle slips back.

BTW, where are your reins connected to your bit? It looks very odd. If it is some sort of leverage bit, there is no chin strap.


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## stacieandtheboys (Jan 6, 2009)

The reins are clipped onto the ring of the bit it is just hard to see in the picture.


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

stacieandtheboys said:


> The reins are clipped onto the ring of the bit it is just hard to see in the picture.


^^
what she said. The reins are clipped to the D ring of the full cheek snaffle.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Thanks! From the pictures it looks like they are attached to the bottom of the cheek piece!


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## buddy09 (Nov 15, 2009)

typically trippers dont choke the horse but they do cut of some of the stride when put in the right spot. everyone i no uses trippers but when it comes to trails we still use them. i would say just start with a three point hook they are easier for the horse to adjust to it took my horse about 1 month to adjust to his new tripper because they need to learn that even if the breast collar slips down they still need to just run through the pinch of the collar


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

That is one area where you and I differ, buddy. I believe that a properly fitted breast collar should not pinch the horse at all, even under the most extreme circumstances; such as a 1000 pound cow on the end of a rope behind them. That is one thing that will sour a roping horse faster than anything is to get pinched the first time you ask them to pull. That is one reason why the pulling type breast collars are becoming much more popular. They don't slip down over the shoulder, and due to their design, they don't pinch a horse even under stress.


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## buddy09 (Nov 15, 2009)

yea i no how to hook the tripper so it dont pinch but the horse still has to get used to it so i just hook it lower incase it was to slip down and i was looking in our rodeo handbook it said that the only breast collar allowed in our rodeo is ether a tripper which can be used only in cow stuff and a three point for barrels which kinda sucks cause i dont own any three points. But my horse has been a rodeo horse since he was trained when people say that their horses have good bloodlines for cattle well my horse has cattle running through his blood and im sure he has been pinched before but thats your opinon and this is mine


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Buddy, I would assume a pulling collar would qualify technically as a 3 point since it has 3 points of contact(connection).


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Appyt said:


> Buddy, I would assume a pulling collar would qualify technically as a 3 point since it has 3 points of contact(connection).


Yes it would.


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## TxRoper4Christ (Nov 27, 2008)

Breast collars are there for extra security of the saddle. They are not meant to keep the saddle from sliding back. If your saddle is sliding back then you have a fit issue or you are not placing it correctly on your horses' back.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I find it funny how people say western and english are in two totally different relms where the tack resembles eachother!

A tripper is very similer to a breast girth and a three-point is a breastplate. 
Thanks for teaching me something!


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## skittle1120 (Oct 24, 2009)

ridespaintedponies - Nice fabtron saddle, I just bought one like it not long ago... How well do you like it?


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## Shananigan (Apr 8, 2009)

> Breast collars are there for extra security of the saddle. They are not meant to keep the saddle from sliding back. If your saddle is sliding back then you have a fit issue or you are not placing it correctly on your horses' back.


If they aren't meant to keep the saddle from sliding back, then what are they security for? I'm not trying to sound like a smart-****, I'm just curious! :smile: Or do you mean like if your saddle is constantly sliding back, and you buy a breast collar to correct the problem, that is not a way to solve the issue?

Could someone post a picture of a pulling breast collar? I've always wanted a breast collar because I do A LOT of trail riding with lots of hills and I've always like the way they've looked.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

BTW, a breast collar is made to keep the saddle from slipping back it has nothing to do with poor saddle fit. It was originally designed for cowboys who had to pull a steer to the fire or for cantering up steep hills. For the English saddle, it is also used to keep the saddle in place when jumping.

When a horse is stretched out, his heart girth will constrict allowing the saddle to slip - thus the need for a breast collar. As for dragging a steer to the fire, that pretty much explains itself.


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## Countrygal892000 (Apr 17, 2009)

^^^^^ Thank you iridehorses! I was getting upset with people saying that the use of the breast collar is not for keeping a saddle forward... IT IS!! Just as you had stated about pulling calves... If you have a horse with good withers you may not need one... I have two barrel horses, one I use a breast collar on, because she is very round and has little withers and my other I rarely use one... I also get freaked about my horses becoming sway back so anything I can do (that doesn't hurt my horses) I do to keep that from happening.. I see a lot of people who don't pay attention to the position of their saddle or who thinks you place it behind the withers and there horses go sway back... That is one of my pet peeves because it is so avoidable..


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

skittle1120 said:


> ridespaintedponies - Nice fabtron saddle, I just bought one like it not long ago... How well do you like it?


I like it. It's pretty comfortable. I changed the stirrup though. They were making my knees numb.


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