Benefits of Your Click & Connect Neck Strap

 

 

 Click Before You Kick for...

                       ... Safety - Partnership - Performance

Permitted for British Dressage, British Show Jumping, British Eventing and The Pony Club, the Click & Connect Neck Strap from Salute Equestrian is specifically designed to meet the FEI Ruling 2019 ‘Neck straps if used on cross-country must be attached either to the breastplate or the saddle’.

Connecting the neck strap prevents risk of it falling forward, preventing a potentially fatal injury. 

However, connection also prevents rotation and can give shoulder proprioception turning the 'Oh Heck Strap' into a training and performance aid.

Click & Connect

What every rider wants;   What every horse deserves.

Here we have some scenarios to envisage and why not scroll down for more illustrated features...

Scenario 1: Confidence

Should you accidentally lose balance and snatch the rein, you could turn a drama into a crisis as the horse is frightened by the snatch, throws his head, and runs away.
A quick link of your finger around the Click & Connect Neck Strap aids your stability and security while allowing the horse freedom of the rein. The slimline leather means it is easy to hold in conjunction with your reins! 

 

Scenario 2: Relaxation

Mounting can be a time of anticipation for horse and rider.
Reassure your horse and yourself by taking hold of your Click & Connect Neck Strap. In improving both horse and rider balance it’ll help you cope should your horse continue to be jumpy while over time the pressure on the horse’s neck will encourage him to stand more quietly.

 

Scenario 3: Trust

Your horse is convinced there’s a threat in the bushes. You can’t drop the rein to let him look for fear he’ll turn and run.
Pop a hand on the Click & Connect Neck Strap to keep you secure so you can then give him freedom of the rein to look, learn and earn mutual trust.

 

Scenario 4: Improving self-carriage

Your horse likes to lean on the rein.
By applying gentle pressure on the Click & Connect Neck Strap the horse is encouraged to lift up through the base of his neck, and it also helps the rider to move his upper body up and back, so teaching the horse to develop self-carriage from the rider’s body aids and reduce reliance on the bridle.
Scenario 5: Be ready for the big leap
                He's dithering to jump the ditch but if you held a traditional neck strap you'd be stuck in a defensive, backwards position while trying to kick him forwards. 
With the Click & Connect Neck Strap you can encourage him from a forward seat and be ready for whatever leap - in whatever direction - he takes!
Scenario 6: Bucking
                Whether he's bucking for fun on pride or anger or fear, his head will likely disappear.  Pull on the reins and it buries even deeper, and as you lean back you'll also likely be ejected further.  
With the Click & Connect Neck Strap you can pull on it to lift his forehand and keep his neck long and free; plus ride him forwards in more forward seat to ride out/push through those bucks! 
Scenario 7: Shoulder control
                Wish you had an extra pair of invisible hands to control your horse's shoulders -whether wobbly youngster, stiff senior or working on your lateral work or improving accuracy with skinny fences. 
Now the Click & Connect Neck Strap can be that guide, helping control the shoulders.
Scenario 8: Running out
                Eek! He's running out but if you pull him towards the fence with the inside rein he''ll lose his shoulder and drift out further.
Now the neck strap can guide the shoulder or, keep his head free to look with a longer rein and use the Click & Connect Neck Strap to actually directly guide him to the fence. 
Secnario 9: Wobbly hands or lost stirrups
                You want to improve your balance but need a help to get a better connection with your horse.  
Click the Click & Connect Neck Strap to the pommel D rings to allow you to use the connectors to steady your hands or help you gain a deeper seat or regain your lost stirrups - without needing to reach to the neck strap itself which will take you out of dressage posture.  Or, when in forward seat, use the neck strap itself to keep you steady without fear of it flying up towards his ears... it's connected after all! 

 

SAFETY

Horse caught in neck strap vs safety with CONNECTED neck strap  the neck strap can't fall forward and so there's no risk of your horse getting caught in it whether grazing, pecking after a fence or bucking
long connectors to the girth offer shoulder stability for the horse meaning that should he spook or spin he's reassured and it helps break the cycle of anxiety for both horse.... and rider Horse kept more stable by CONNECTED neck strap when he spooks

 

the neck strap stays in the perfect place for you to hold, for security.. not matter what his antics!
the slimline leather is easy to hold - reducing the risk of dropping your reins!

 

 PARTNERSHIP 

 

 

fitting the neck strap over his neck rather than disturbing the headd or ears helps many a head shy or ear-sensitive horse and aids quick fit and release at home or in competition

give your horse the best start to your ride.  Mounting holding the connected neck strap helps you avoid catching him in the mouth and the shoulder support helps encourage the horse to stand still
 the neck strap helps prevent you catching him in the mouth when in forward seat or jumping, leading to a happier horse... and rider.
the neck strap stays in place which means you can ride in forward seat and encourage your horse past that spook or over that ditch without resorting to a defensive, negative seat... and then not be left behind when he leaps! long connectors to the girth have been likened to 'long lines' across his shoulders, encouraging him to stay straight and positive, reassuringly hugged by the connectors.

 

PERFORMANCE

connection negates the need for a strap between the horse's front legs as in a hunting, 3-point or 5-point breastplate.  This means the horse has maximum freedom of movement through the shoulder to jump cleanly or move more expressively.
rebalancing the horse with the neck strap or connectors to the pommel helps teach him to lift up from the base of his neck, lighten his forehand, engage his hind quarters and improve cadence.  Especially useful for bit-sensitive horses that tend to overbend and get tense in their back.
long connectors to the girth help stabilise his shoulders - reducing his tendency to tilt in lateral work, lose a shoulder on a circle or turn as a young horse, run out from fences or skinnies, and reduce his tendency to tilt in lateral work such as shoulder in or half pass, or canter pirouettes!
shoulder security of the connectors to the girth helps act like longlines across his shoulders encouraging him forward and straight, helping to prevent falling in or out on a turn, running out from a fence or losing his straightness on the centre line