Duchess... thanks :~)
I also noticed Bay’s breast collar. You don’t think it’s up a bit high on his neck?? Almost looks like it could choke him if the saddle slipped back, or if he put his head down to graze any??
I've thought so too, when I first got that one... but the only place to connect it is way up high like that... I could put it through the girth leathers, but then I didn't like how it came over the knee rolls in the saddle, and it sat too low and would slip down. It really isn't too tight, it's got elastic at both ends... So much that up really steep hills, it doesn't really keep the saddle from slipping back anyway. I had to move it forward at our break. And that's a big muscle there, not his airway, but I do take it off if we're going to sit and graze them because I don't think it looks comfortable.
But I have agreed, at times I've used the other one below that's a standard three piece with a ring at the chest. It's not elastic though, and I think it's kindof thin (I should get a wide western one), and it's a bigger hassle to put on, and since it connects to the girth, I think it pulls the girth forward of where I like it and was part of why Bay would get rubs, and yadayada... lately I've been going with the elastic one.
And I rode in the Kimberwick last time, this time I picked the Hackamore because I actually thought he seemed a bit hotter to trot before we left :~) He does hold his head lower in it though :~)
Oh - and yes, he has got a belly, how polite of you to notice ;~)