'Athletico' or similar girth? For 'backwards' girth groove.

[soloequestrian]

I think my girl has a wedge shape/ backwards girth groove and have found the 'Mattes Athletico' girth online. I'm not sure if 'athletico' is a brand name or a name for all girths of this type? Is there another name for them? Are they common? Can anyone recommend me one that's a bit cheaper than Mattes?
At the moment I have a long Fairfax and things are fine in the school. When hacking though the saddle always slips back a bit. It doesn't make the breastplate taught, it just slips back to a certain point, but it puts the saddle in a slightly odd place where I'd prefer not to be. Our hacking involves steep hills and the mare has huge paces and is more forwards out hacking - those things together seem to affect the saddle position.

 

[Red-1]

It is to do with the shape. They did a chart.

Many shapes. Some face backwards, some forwards.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks, I've seen a few versions of that but can't find out if 'athletic' is a particular girth shape made by different companies or is unique to Mattes. Struggling to find much information at all about this type of girth.

 

[sbloom]

I don't think any other companies make that shape or use that term if they do. If your saddle is running back there are a few options - make absolutely sure it is in correct balance and in no way dropping in front. Make sure that wherever possible the flaps, if a jump saddle, are eased over the shoulder by use of a half pad or similar. Consider having a balance strap attached both sides, if the saddle doesn't have one, or, if it does, use it and a middle strap. Use a girth that helps - something like Le Tixerant is also good, a very wide and grippy sternum plate helps stop the girth moving backwards, taking the saddle with it.

In the first instance check with your saddle fitter, but those are all options.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks, but I think it's a girth placement issue. I'm not keen on trying things that stick in place. I can see where the girth wants to sit and I think if it was the right shape the saddle would stay put without having to be held there by anything else.

 

[sbloom]

Thanks, but I think it's a girth placement issue. I'm not keen on trying things that stick in place. I can see where the girth wants to sit and I think if it was the right shape the saddle would stay put without having to be held there by anything else.

The wide sternum plates stay in place a lot better, the Tixerant is stickier than others but it's an awesome girth. You might get a solution purely with a reverse curved girth attached to normal girth straps, but I find that it doesn't always work.

 

[soloequestrian]

I did wonder about just reversing a curved girth!
I saw the Wow H-girth mentioned in another thread on a similar topic.
The Tixerant looks interesting too. I wish they weren't all several hundred pounds to try!

 

[sbloom]

I did wonder about just reversing a curved girth!
I saw the Wow H-girth mentioned in another thread on a similar topic.
The Tixerant looks interesting too. I wish they weren't all several hundred pounds to try!

There are some people that lease some of these premium girths for trial but they're few and far between. You could get a mild effect by turning an anatomical girth backwards but it needs to be one where the buckles are on a straight line I think, not on an overall curve, if that makes sense! So, more like the asymmetric above, but with more of a W shape in the middle eg Harry Dabbs waffle girths. It just might not be enough shaping.