Favorite short girth?

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Tue Mar 05, 2019 12:44 am

Bravo seems to be getting sore behind the elbow - research shows that is the area with the most pressure from girths. I use a TSF StretchTec - shaped because he has a forward girth groove and is a very round barreled Luso. A straight girth winds up pulling the saddle onto his shoulders.

Las week I tried a straight Lettia gel girth and crossed the billet straps. Still sore.

I can't use a longer girth because the 24" ends up right at the saddle pad, and a 22 would put the buckles right at his elbow.

ANone out there have a suggestion? Pic is of TSF Stretch Tec

(to explain my leg position - this is in the middle of a change....)
Attachments
girth image.JPG
girth image.JPG (30.69 KiB) Viewed 16042 times

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Chisamba » Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:26 am

For horses with sensitivity I have had good luck using mohair, ovation makes one, but they are straight not shaped

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Tue Mar 05, 2019 3:54 am

I remember conversations on UDBB about mohair girths. In your experience, how is it for horses that have a forward girth groove?

User avatar
StraightForward
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 3102
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Idaho

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby StraightForward » Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:21 pm

I use a Fairfax and there is a ton of room between the elbow and the girth. I also use the sheepskin covers, so they're extra comfy.

Found mine used on eBay for a less outrageous price, but there is a synthetic version that is much cheaper. However, be aware that they do not have elastic. I don't find it to be a problem, and it's not much different than the limited stretch of the girth you're using now.
Keep calm and canter on.

Beorn
Herd Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:13 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Beorn » Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:35 pm

For a brief time, I think I tried them All™. My horse really digs the Stubben Equi-soft girth. It's ugly as all get-out, but he actually offered to lift his back and breathe with that girth, and only that girth.

Hayburner
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1132
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:48 am
Location: Western PA

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Hayburner » Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:46 pm

On my mare with a more forward girth and a bit of a barrel(Andalusian) - I tried the Thinline Contoured girth. I wasn't happy with the way it fit her - I bought a 24 and this girth has many inches of leather beyond the buckles so it came up to the saddle pad. I think since it is fairly wide it also crept up closer to her elbow. The claim to fame for this one is it doesn't need tightened as tight as other girths as the thinline material holds it in place.

I don't think even with her confirmation that I really need a contoured girth. I have been using a gel filled Wintec girth and it keeps the saddle in place, the girth itself seems to stay where I put it. Tho, I probably do tighten it more than I need to.

Are you sure you need a contoured girth?

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Tue Mar 05, 2019 5:28 pm

StraightForward wrote:I use a Fairfax and there is a ton of room between the elbow and the girth. I also use the sheepskin covers, so they're extra comfy.
.


I have a Fairfax..... went to the TSF stretch tec because I thought the F was too stiff /hard, right where he gets sore. But, I haven't tried it again for a while.....

I went to the shaped girth because the saddle was getting drawn forward by straight girths. At the time I used a WIntec straight girth. Tried crossing the billetts..... And yes I tried it again last week.....

blob
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1752
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:37 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby blob » Tue Mar 05, 2019 10:18 pm

I've found that even the best quality leather girths tend to rub more than synthetic girths. All the horses I know that are sensitive in the girth area have done best in synthetic girths. Ovation has some good ones, including one that is curved for more shoulder relief. I haven't tried that one, but I've used another ovation synthetic girth on several sensitive ones with a lot of success.

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:35 am

blob wrote:I've found that even the best quality leather girths tend to rub more than synthetic girths. All the horses I know that are sensitive in the girth area have done best in synthetic girths. Ovation has some good ones, including one that is curved for more shoulder relief. I haven't tried that one, but I've used another ovation synthetic girth on several sensitive ones with a lot of success.


Interesting. Do you mean muscle sore, or getting skin rubs?

blob
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1752
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:37 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby blob » Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:56 am

lorilu wrote:
blob wrote:I've found that even the best quality leather girths tend to rub more than synthetic girths. All the horses I know that are sensitive in the girth area have done best in synthetic girths. Ovation has some good ones, including one that is curved for more shoulder relief. I haven't tried that one, but I've used another ovation synthetic girth on several sensitive ones with a lot of success.


Interesting. Do you mean muscle sore, or getting skin rubs?



Well, both. My guess is that they distribute pressure in a different way. It might also do with the fact that they often do not have elastic in the same way (it's often in the middle, not on the ends).

khall
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2515
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:47 am

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby khall » Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:47 am

I have forward girth groove used to be round but have changed to more oval with their work and round LusoX youngster. I use different ones depending on the horse:
Rip total saddle fit stretch tec or nunn finer piaffe (one of the softest girths I've ever used)
Gaila ovation anatomic (not sure if they make this one anymore) she is very short backed any other girth will rub her
Joplin nunn finer piaffe

I have not used a synthetic girth in years. Much prefer leather these days. No issue with rubs with these girths or any soreness. I do have to tighten the girt more especially on Joplin since right now she is still very round she is so early in her work years.

User avatar
StraightForward
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 3102
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Idaho

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby StraightForward » Wed Mar 06, 2019 3:09 am

lorilu wrote:
StraightForward wrote:I use a Fairfax and there is a ton of room between the elbow and the girth. I also use the sheepskin covers, so they're extra comfy.
.


I have a Fairfax..... went to the TSF stretch tec because I thought the F was too stiff /hard, right where he gets sore. But, I haven't tried it again for a while.....

I went to the shaped girth because the saddle was getting drawn forward by straight girths. At the time I used a WIntec straight girth. Tried crossing the billetts..... And yes I tried it again last week.....


Mine was already broken in when I got it, but I switched over from a StretchTec, and didn't think the Fairfax was stiffer in a way that would be uncomfortable to the horse - it's wider, so it should distribute pressure better. With the sheepskin it *seems* like it would be comfy, but the horse has the final say.
Keep calm and canter on.

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Chisamba » Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:40 am

I would check your saddle fit. I believe a saddle should fit without slip.

There is a joke at the barn about the day I forgot to put my girth on. After half hour or so my saddle slipped so I reached over to check my girth tightness and had no girth. Stupid, I know but the saddle only slid when I started trying flying changes and I suspect it proves I dont sit balanced enough in changes

Hayburner
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1132
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:48 am
Location: Western PA

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Hayburner » Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:47 pm

Would a thinline pad help with slipping?

I bought just the thinline pad and put it on top of my regular saddle pad and believe me it keeps the saddle in place even before you girth up.
I have since switched over to the BOT Thinline pads and I love them!!!!

Chimsamba - Now, that's pretty wild...you must have one heck of a seat!

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Thu Mar 07, 2019 1:54 am

Chisamba wrote:I would check your saddle fit. I believe a saddle should fit without slip.

There is a joke at the barn about the day I forgot to put my girth on. After half hour or so my saddle slipped so I reached over to check my girth tightness and had no girth. Stupid, I know but the saddle only slid when I started trying flying changes and I suspect it proves I dont sit balanced enough in changes


He has almost no wither, well laid back shoulder, and very forward girth groove (so the girth moves towards it, forward, dragging the saddle over his shoulder) AND he is the equine version of pear shaped - well sprung ribs widen his barrel starting behind the elbow - and that also encourages the girth to slide forward unless I pull it too tight.

The saddle fits if it stays where it belongs. The problem is the girth pulls it forward.

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Chisamba » Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:07 pm

Lorilu, perhaps try ride with a looser girth.? Would he tolerate a crouper?

Not sure if I have better advice? But the mohair girth has the advantage of being flexible. Changing your billets to a y system could compensate for the forward girth. I do wish you well with a solution.

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:26 am

Thanks everyone. I was away for five days last week, so he had lots of time off. When I returned I was careful to not tighten the girth too much - and it seems to go better. Both of us are more balanced now, and I was much less pushed to the right (both of us share some responsibility for moving me right....).
I found a girth I liked down in Welly at the Tackeria, but of course it was a one-of, not able to re-order..... unknown maker, imported from Asia..... but today I found a synthetic anatomic girth at my local store (of course, wrong size...... ) and I ordered it on line. It is softer, especially around the buckles - not a hard "plate" as so many others are. I'll report back after we use it a while - it should arrive early next week.

If that doesn't work, I'm going to try the mohair.

This is as hard as saddle shopping it seems.....
L

Silverado
Herd Member
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:28 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Silverado » Thu Mar 21, 2019 1:53 am

Chimsamba all I can say is I am in awe of you

Hayburner
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1132
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:48 am
Location: Western PA

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Hayburner » Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:18 pm

I wonder if a full elastic girth like Stubben use to make would work?

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Apr 10, 2019 5:38 pm

No, the full elastics rub- I have the Passier- they need a cover

I have found the sleeve old school wintec girth to be very good since the billets go completely inside the sleeve.

https://www.bigdweb.com/product/code/34 ... YsQAvD_BwE

Could never get contoured girths to work since my horse is very narrow and they were all too bulky.
I also like the ovation cotton web. they don't slide forward much either.
My horse has cheap taste in girths I guess~ too bad I have about 500 girths now..............kidding. well sort of

lorilu
Herd Member
Posts: 256
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:54 pm

Re: Favorite short girth?

Postby lorilu » Wed May 01, 2019 11:39 pm

Still battling this issue..... saddle fitter has been out and made some adjustment. Her theory is that he has bulked up some in his shoulders/wither (true) and that makes the saddle sit a bit high, and push down in the back (also true) - so she widened the front, put some flocking in the back of the panels. Some improvement and she is coming back to do more. Haven't tried the mohair girth yet. Maybe I'll order it tonight.....

And Chisamba, the sideways slip is minimal as I become more centered and even in my riding (yay!). It goes forward, following the path of least resistance from wide well sprung ribs forward to a narrow girth groove area..... and then his shoulders stop it, but......

And that girth I found? He likes it but it doesnt work to stop the slide forward. Wish I could install velcro on his belly (would that be illegal? LOL)


Return to “Tack, Apparel, Facilities and Transportation”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests