The Tie Down, Does my horse need it?

I often see people out for a pleasant trail ride and the have the horses head cranked down with a tie down. For those of you who are not familiar with a tie down ( standing Martingale for the English set) it is a strap which is attached to a noseband of either leather or stiff rope and connected to the girth on the other end. The purpose of this equipment is to keep the horses head down. I understand why they have it on; to keep the horses head from coming up too high and hitting them in the face or to keep them from evading the bit. All the tie down is doing in cases like this is masking a step in the horses training. It is a short cut and a way to handle a horse that hasn't learned to give to the bit. I would like to see more people work on teaching a horse to give to the bit then have to rely on the tie down to force the horses head down.
Riding with a Tie Down can also become a safety issue. Let's say you have to cross deep water and your tie down is left on your horse,there is a good chance you horse won't be able to lift his head above water.
There are times when a tie down is necessary, for instance in polo and standing Martingale prevents a horse from coming up with it's head and whacking your opponents horse or it's rider. I can also see in rodeo roping events. Horses often balance and brace against the tie down to help take the shock of stopping a calf or steer.
There is no substitute for teaching a horse to give but if you do need to have an aid out on the trail try a running martingale, it is safer and more effective in teaching your horse to get his head down where it should be.
Happy trails
Steve
www.horselife.ca