As for most of the other gadgets you find in tack catalogs that claim to fix this or that problem, you probably won't find a need for most of them if you properly educate your horse and strive to perfect your own riding skills. Many mechanical gadgets force a horse into a physical frame when the rider isn't able to accomplish good carriage through her own skill.

For example, tiedowns prevent the horse from lifting his head above a certain point. It's basically a single piece of leather that runs from the breast collar to the bridle. Like many such gadgets, it's an unnecessary piece of equipment to the horseman who is more interested in improving her own riding and training skills, rather than forcing the horse to carry himself a certain way.

One item you might need is a breast collar, also referred to as a breastplate. Sometimes a horse's conformation makes a breast collar almost mandatory to keep the saddle from slipping back. Various other equipment, such as a martingale, attaches to the breast collar.

A martingale consists of leather straps attached to the breast collar that connect to each rein. Basically, it is designed to give you more leverage to, in the words of the tack catalogs, “use as an aid to develop a proper headset.” They come as running style, in which the reins move up and down rings, or standing style, in which the martingale is affixed to the reins. In some situations, martingales may be useful. However, this is another one of those gadgets that is generally unnecessary if you invest in proper training for both horse and rider.