Neck Stretcher
4.5
5
37
44
Great Training Aid
Usually I am one of those people who hates training 'aids'. I have never used side reins, draw reins, etc. But I really like this! The elastic gives so my horse never feels trapped, and he is really learning to stretch down into the contact at the canter. I only use it on the longe, not when I'm riding, but after about a month and a half of using this once a week for 20-30 min, he is starting to become noticeably stronger through his topline and his canter is improving!
April 16, 2013
Neck Stretcher
20 years ago I used draw reins to achieve what the neck stretcher does. This is a fabulous tool for horses of all ages to teach them to get round and use their rear ends. It is adjustable and very worth the $20 price. The only negative is the clips are plastic and can break but you only put in $20 so try one!
March 30, 2013
Great Purchase
For $20, this is an awesome training aid. The neck stretcher itself is pretty basic, just a strong bungee cord with plastic snaps and a plastic clasp, but it works awesome. My horse is young and pretty green and likes to carry her head high, but the neck stretcher helps gently encourage her to keep her head down. I like how it applies poll pressure instead of leveraging on the bit, and is built in to release when she drops her head. She tolerated it really well and I'm pleased with this purchase. Works well with lunging and under saddle.
March 19, 2013
Worth the Small Expense
This isn't the most high-tech piece of equipment--it's basically a bungee with two snaps and a pull-thru cinch--but it works. It's a nice, inexpensive tool to help encourage a longer, lower head set to help engage and tone the topline and back muscles when lungeing. I wouldn't use it with much tension--I'd worry about the plastic snaps breaking--and I found I needed almost no tension and it worked beautifully. Once my mare tested it out a little and found it wasn't constricting and even stretched a little when she pushed against it, she settled in and kept a really nice headset without fighting it.
January 23, 2013
nice training aid
One of my horses needed a little help to get into frame while on lunge line. Side rains did not do much for him as he would get really tense so I wanted to try something else based more on give-and-take basis. I am familiar with the neck stretcher from riding horses in Europe and was hoping that it could be the little help he needed. Because the elastic can give when he gets tense, he does not get stuck in pulling against it but rather re-balances and gives nicely into it. I am very satisfied with the purchase and happy that it works for my guy. I only lunge him with the neck stretcher, never ride him in it.
October 29, 2012
Like them, but worried about plastic clips...
So far, I like this neck stretcher. It is longer than the others I have used, which allows for a greater range of adjustability. Easily adjusts (and stays put). However, as some other reviewers have mentioned, I am a little concerned about how the plastic clips will hold up over extended use.
September 26, 2012