I do firmly believe in breastcollars for safety... look at any picture
of me and my horse, and you'll see I use a breastplate and crupper (I
ride treeless). My comment was because it sounded as if she thought
she had to buy an HRM and biothane tack in order to begin
conditioning. I figured, if she's been riding without a breastplate
for all this time, and she's just getting started, she doesn't have to
change anything until the need presents itself.
-Sharon L. in Maine


Quoting Barbara White <barbdoug2@...>:

> Not only can a breast collar save an expensive saddle as Angie said,
> it can also save a life.  There was a major accident several years
> ago at a 100 miler.  A horse went berserk when his saddle slipped
> under his belly, and he crashed into other horses, seriously
> injuring two riders.  One of those riders had to be taken out by
> helicopter for surgery.  A breast collar may seem like a nuisance if
> your horse doesn't need one, but after that accident I became a
> believer in my horses wearing breast collars regardless of their
> need for saddle slippage.
>
> Barbara