Interested in Roman Riding?

[John Conyard]

Yes Hal wears a breaching strap. Most of us use humane girths but we do have on lovely woven girth with no buckles, just a hoop.

I think Xenophon mentions a neck strap, and primarily they are probably something to catch hold of in an emergency, and secondly for decoration. But they can also be used to help support the weight of a heavy metal breastplate.

I don't like standing martingales. The only evidence I know of for a strap running from the saddle to the horse's breast strap to the bridle is in a relief carving of Asadu and Sa'dai from Dura, around the 2nd or 3rd century AD. The costumes are typically Palmyrean. It is now in the National Museam in Damascus. But it may just be a typical horse hair decoration from the bridle hanging downwards towards the breast strap. It is unclear.