Banana Girth - which way round?

[Coblover63]

I have a banana shaped dressage girth for my coblet with a forward girth groove. One like this.... http://www.equinewhispers.co.uk/horse-wear/girths/dressage/neoprene-banana-dressage-girth.html

A friend came over today and was tacking him up for me and I said "Oh, you're putting the girth on the wrong way round" and she replied "No, I'm not, I always put them this way round...." so I pointed out that the way I put it on means that the girth under his belly is in a forward position, and her argument was that by putting it on the other way, it meant that it was shaped out of the way of his elbows. Now that she has said that, I can kinda see her point and it has set me off wondering.....

The only way I can describe the difference is that if I put it onto the near side of his girth and let it hang down, it would make a "C" shape.... and friend says it would be a backwards "C".

I've tried to Google it to see which of us is correct but can't find an answer. Does anyone use one and know because I'm wondering if my poor lad has had it on back to front now?

Thanks

 

[Jnhuk]

Does this link help?

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/horse-forums/anatomical-girth-fit-518092.html

 

[Pinkvboots]

She is right it should curve away from the elbow or it defeats the object of allowing freedom of movement, I am suprised it didnt rub the back of the horses elbow using it the other way.

 

[Darcydoo]

I cheat mine has d rings on it shires sailisbury contoured girth.

 

[bounce]

I disagree. The curve should be forward as it is a girth designed for those horses with a forward girth groove unlike the contoured girths that are cut away from the elbows. This girth helps to prevent saddle and girth slipping forward when the horse has a forward girth groove.
I've never had one rub the elbows.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I disagree. The curve should be forward as it is a girth designed for those horses with a forward girth groove unlike the contoured girths that are cut away from the elbows. This girth helps to prevent saddle and girth slipping forward when the horse has a forward girth groove.
I've never had one rub the elbows.

I know what its for I have one for this purpose, if a horse has a forward girth groove you want a girth that sits further away from the elbow, so the curve is designed to do this so it is more comfortable when the horse moves, why would you want more bulk behind the elbow it makes no sense.

 

[STRIKER]

So the girth should be fit for the horses shape, is it. Does the saddle slip,forward, were those the reasons for buying the girth

 

[Brightbay]

I use a banana girth The way I work it out is this: The banana girth is designed to overcome the problem with a straight girth where the horse's large belly (sorry horse, I hope you're not reading ) means that when the saddle is in the correct position, if the girth is done up, it will sit too far forward, thus dragging the saddle forward. The saddler explained it to me in terms of the girth straps: they should always hang down vertically, and if they look like this: \ the saddle is being pulled forward. If you attach a banana girth instead of a straight girth, the "banana" bit can sit in the forward girth groove, but the curve means that the girth straps still hang down vertically, and the saddle is not pulled forward. That means I would attach it the way you do

A banana girth is quite different from an anatomically shaped girth - it's not designed to protect the horse's elbows, but to make sure the saddle is not being dragged forward by the position of the girth groove.

 

[Dizzle]

I have a mare with a forward girth groove and I have the below girth. I have mine so that the furthest point forward is the section underneath her and the ‘arms’ of the girth come back from the girth groove to the girth straps. Does that make sense?

I have to say since having the girth and using as above it has solved all my saddle moving issues. Saddle stays perfectly in place during hooning and jumping, and it doesn't rub or touch her elbows.

This is (an odd angled) picture of the girth I use:

 

[rara007]

Bounce, Brightbay and Dazzle are right- the curve should follow the forwards girth groove (so the curve points forwards)

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have a mare with a forward girth groove and I have the below girth. I have mine so that the furthest point forward is the section underneath her and the ‘arms’ of the girth come back from the girth groove to the girth straps. Does that make sense?

I have to say since having the girth and using as above it has solved all my saddle moving issues. Saddle stays perfectly in place during hooning and jumping, and it doesn't rub or touch her elbows.

This is (an odd angled) picture of the girth I use:

See this is more like the one I have so the curved bit in the middle where the ring is would face forward because the dips either side allow for the elbows, mine also has rings at the sides so you always know if its on the wrong way as they would be at the back and not the front, the bannana shaped one just looked like it was not shaped to allow room for the elbow thats why I said it needed to curve the other way, flipping things

 

[PollyP99]

I have a banana shaped dressage girth for my coblet with a forward girth groove. One like this.... http://www.equinewhispers.co.uk/horse-wear/girths/dressage/neoprene-banana-dressage-girth.html

A friend came over today and was tacking him up for me and I said "Oh, you're putting the girth on the wrong way round" and she replied "No, I'm not, I always put them this way round...." so I pointed out that the way I put it on means that the girth under his belly is in a forward position, and her argument was that by putting it on the other way, it meant that it was shaped out of the way of his elbows. Now that she has said that, I can kinda see her point and it has set me off wondering.....

The only way I can describe the difference is that if I put it onto the near side of his girth and let it hang down, it would make a "C" shape.... and friend says it would be a backwards "C".

I've tried to Google it to see which of us is correct but can't find an answer. Does anyone use one and know because I'm wondering if my poor lad has had it on back to front now?

Thanks

I gave this girth from this site and it most definitely goes with curve forward as others have said, it's for porkers and does the job wonderfully!

 

[Coblover63]

Thanks ladies, I didn't mean to start any arguments though......

 

[mandwhy]

I'm also pretty sure that they are designed to sit in the girth groove without having to pull the girth straps forward which would in turn pull the girth backwards as the horse moves. My horse actually has more of a backwards girth groove! Maybe your friend is onto something