bit of a bizarre question about horses weight and girth

C

chilworth23

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2010
Messages
344
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
Ok so i took saddle home for a clean, took saddle back to car day later, went to tack/feed shop with the fella, to get some feed, thought bugger left girth on radiator, fella said oh well buy a new one, save us going home. shop owner says what breed / height, said 14hh sec c (yes i know she is over height regs) shop owner says i have 4 sec c's all mine are in a 40, or 42 inch girth, thought it looked a bit long, but someone else in shop said, oh yes you'll def want a 40 at least, my sec c is in a 46!!!! (i went with a 40 as they all looked huge!) got to yard went to tack up, girth went to top holes both sides of saddle, and was still huge....slipped right round when mounting, felt wobbly when i was on and in general, when fella took a pic, u could literally see it hanging down from her belly!!! borrowed a 34 inch off lady at yard (no one else around today) went 2 holes up either side and felt fine, measured her one at home, and its 36 inch....

phoned tack shop and said would a refund/exchange be at all possible? and she said if my mare is in a 36 inch girth and a sec c, she'd be worried, my mare is not over weight or at all underweight, she has bags of energy, and sparkly eyes and coat and mane etc, would you be concerned at all??????
 
No, but it may be a good idea to get a weight tape, as while they are very innaccurate they do give you a good idea of what the individual horses weight is doing. (hope that makes sense). We try and remember to do ours fairly regularly as it helps us to keep and eye on any weight gain or loss. It sounds as if the people you were talking to have animals that are a bit porky to me :D
 
I didnt think i should be, but she started saying oh i'd be worried if any of mine there that tiny, specially for a breed, has she been ill? do you feed enough? etc....like it was a crime not to have a huge girth.....
 
She doesnt seem to have lost weight lately, if anything maybe gained a little, everyone comments on what a lovely looking mare etc, and how good conditioned she is, but this lady made me feel like it was really weird she didnt have a much bigger girth, her 36, when on, goes up 3 holes either side
 
No, my 13.1h is in a 38" girth.

Don't forget it also depends on your saddle, the girth straps and any numnahs you do or don't use.
 
Please stop worrying :) So many people have fat horses that they have lost sight of what a healthy horse looks like! Can you see her ribs? Can you feel her ribs without poking too hard? Are her ribs so well covered that she may in fact be a jelly :p The middle option is the most desirable imo :)
 
you cannot see ribs, if she walks away or towards you she doesnt have a belly poking out at sides, but if you rub down her side, you'd have to push down firmly to start to feel ribs :-)

i know im prob just worrying n being silly (its been a god awful week) and this womans and other shopper's tone and attitude made me think am i missing something, even though i know im probably not!
 
From what you say she is fine, obviously we'd need (like very much!!!!) to see her!!!!!

But I don't think you need to worry, there's always someone who thinks they know better, and remember, they haven't seen her either!!!!!!
 
no all horses are different shapes and most of the size guides are all wrong! if you look at a rug size guide for a 14.2 it says a 5'6 should fit my pony is 14.2 and is 6'0-6'3 !
 
How rude of the shop to comment without seeing your horse.
No don't worry, you know your horse better than anyone. Horses come is different shapes and sizes and i understand that the shop may have been using an average but that doesn't make your horse the wrong size.
Did you get a refund from the shop or are they disputing it?
 
she said i'd used it (al be it 5 mins) so wouldnt refund, so i told her i'd no longer buy my rugs or feed from her and would travel the extra 10 mins down the road to another store x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top