Dressage girths...

[HufflyPuffly]

So I have followed with interest the raise of the new 'super' girths, with science and technology to back them up and everyone marvelling at them. I have been considering trying one for a while but always came back to the 'if it aint broke dont fix it' and stayed with my cheapy 20 quid neoprene shires girth.

Unfortunately I have noticed she is starting to get a couple of rubs in the creases behind her elbow , it seems to be when she's gotten very hot and sweaty. So I'm wondering if now is the time to make the expensive plunge, but which to try?

I have seen lots of reviews of the fairfax, plus they have brought out the prolite version. But on seeing it in the flesh I wasn't too impressed, and for the price could get a 'copy' such as the Ideal F2 which is gorgeous quality (we have it in the long version for her event saddle).

Now there is the Stubben Equisoft, which some fairfax lovers are now moving to, so is it better/ different/ good marketing/etc? There are companies offering trials but do I go straight for the newest girth on the block or try the fairfax first, or something else?

We've never really struggled with girths as she's not that tricky to fit, and now we have a saddle that fits (touching all available wood ) we have no issues with it moving. I was tempted to go for the Fairfax as her Ideal girth seems to not cause any issues, and I think although a copy it probably won't be quite as curved/ anatomical as the true Fairfax?

Anybody want to help me decide, I can offer stolen office cake to you .

 

[Jojoeena]

Ohh ... love a bit of stolen !
I was in a similar quandary, really like the look of the stubben and the limited reviews were all good but could not quite justify the price tag .... I ended up going for the Prolite version of the Faifax. Heard quite a lot about rubs ect but it doesn't seem to do so on my boy and there is always the dead sheep option if it starts.
I think when I have the cash to really splurge and I can justify it, I will go for the stubben as the 'science' behind it makes sense to me.
So, don't want to spend the cash I'd go for Prolite, happy to splurge. .. Stubben .... do I have to make my own tea ?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Haha see I'd decided against the prolite as I didn't like it in the flesh and figured if I'm going to splurge I will do it properly .

Really I could just try adding dead sheep with my current girth, but then that seems wasteful of a shopping oppertunity to spend lots of pennies . Hmm might see if I can get a stubben on trial, I might not like it anyway!

Off to make a brew, will fill the kettle up for you .

 

[DirectorFury]

I'm dying to try the Stubben but they don't do a short stud girth . If you trial it will you do a review for us please?

Prolite Fairfax rubbed my mare badly and she's not the sensitive type, plus I didn't think it made any difference from her current FSS cheapy girth.

I'm open to suggestions of a short stud girth for a horse with a forward girth groove. I'd prefer leather and dark brown . 18 or 20".

 

[dressage_diva]

The Fairfax girth rubbed my boy badly when his coat was changing and I ended up changing him into a Wintec girth. It was very cheap and I bought it as a temporary measure with the plans of trying something else but he seems so happy in it I've stuck with it! I unfortunately know of several other people who have found the Fairfax girth to rub.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

See this is what I'm wondering about, as I don't want to change and then it still rub! Think I'm leaning towards trying the Stubben first.

 

[Farma]

I have the Albion it was about £120 but I've seen them second hand for around £60 and its never rubbed or caused any problems x

 

[Tash88]

I have the Fairfax prolite and it hasn't caused a problem with rubbing so far, but then I bought it in November and my horse hasn't been clipped this year. Will be interesting to see whether it rubs with his thinner summer coat, of course I hope it doesn't as at £89 it still wasn't cheap! I have to say that my horse is definitely more comfortable with the anatomical girth and considerably more forward thinking (I have been working on that in training but I think a few other changes have also helped) and so I think it was a good investment. However if money were no object and I were buying again I would probably go for the Stubben equi-soft.

 

[PorkChop]

I have the Stubben Equisoft girths, and I love them.

I have a stud girth and a long girth but the principle is the same with them all, they wrap around the horse, very clever

I haven't seen a Fairfax in the flesh so I don't know how comparable they are.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Interesting thank you, is the leather quality good on the equisoft? Reports weren't that great for the quality of the leather fairfax.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to try and get the stubben on trial and if she doesn't like it go with the ideal.

 

[wench]

Depending on how much you want to spend, I've never had any problems with my cheapo plastic waffle weave girths, used on several different horses.

If you want to spend more money, I have a very nice leather total saddle fit long girth, and a Paul Jones dressage girth

 

[Chocy]

If you have somewhere that hires it can u share pls. I never sure horse is overly happy with girth so would like to try the stubben. He's a nightmare as hated the fairfax which on paper should have been perfect for him!!

 

[NZJenny]

I wonder about the size of horse some of these European designed girths are designed for.

I have a 15.3 hh TB/Clydie cross, who I think is pretty normal in terms of elbow room and room for a girth for her size. Last year I purchased an EA Mattes girth for her, but it was so wide at the top, that it was annoying her big time in the area above her elbow. If she had been a bigger horse, with more space behind her elbow I think it would have been fine.

Have just been for a look at the Stubben Equisoft girths, and I think I would have the same problem. Again they seem very wide just below the buckles.

 

[silv]

I wonder about the size of horse some of these European designed girths are designed for.

I have a 15.3 hh TB/Clydie cross, who I think is pretty normal in terms of elbow room and room for a girth for her size. Last year I purchased an EA Mattes girth for her, but it was so wide at the top, that it was annoying her big time in the area above her elbow. If she had been a bigger horse, with more space behind her elbow I think it would have been fine.

Have just been for a look at the Stubben Equisoft girths, and I think I would have the same problem. Again they seem very wide just below the buckles.

Very good point, I suspect they are made with the huge continental warmbloods in mind. I was up at Horse of the Year Show and could not believe the size of many of the dressage horses.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

If you have somewhere that hires it can u share pls. I never sure horse is overly happy with girth so would like to try the stubben. He's a nightmare as hated the fairfax which on paper should have been perfect for him!!

Have a nosy online, found a couple advertising trails but I guess it will depend on stock if they or not (Forelock and load and Dressage Duluxe both are saying they will do a trial I think).

I wonder about the size of horse some of these European designed girths are designed for.

I have a 15.3 hh TB/Clydie cross, who I think is pretty normal in terms of elbow room and room for a girth for her size. Last year I purchased an EA Mattes girth for her, but it was so wide at the top, that it was annoying her big time in the area above her elbow. If she had been a bigger horse, with more space behind her elbow I think it would have been fine.

Have just been for a look at the Stubben Equisoft girths, and I think I would have the same problem. Again they seem very wide just below the buckles.

Hmm not something I had considered and a trail would be excellent if this is the case! Mind you Topaz is huge through her barrel, we joke she should have been around 16.3hh but got goven pony legs instead , so maybe it will still be suitable?
I know Diamonds in the Rough's Fig is only dinky and they love it?

Thanks everyone for your input

 

[LouisCat]

It's only a cheap one but I've used a Thorowgood girth for years on my TB who is a delicate flower and he's never had a rub from that but does from neoprene. It might be worth a go at £20 approx

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Thanks, never had an issue before with out cheapy one but figured I'd jump on the bandwagan and see what all the fuss is about with the new mega girths . It's so much money that if I'm not amazed by the trial it will be going back lol, liked my neoprene as its so easy to clean but will have a look at the Thorowgood too thanks.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

So I've ordered the stubben equisoft one on trial from Divine Equestrian (super helpful ), and it should be here hopefully on Monday so I will report back! My bank balance is crying at the thought , so it will have to have a good improvement to be worth it!

 

[Jojoeena]

Look forward to the report

 

[nikkimariet]

I've changed Fig from a Fairfax to a Stubben equi soft. He loves it, moving better than ever and no rubs.

I've heard and read some not so positives about the prolite.

 

[Booboos]

I've just bought the Stubben for Freddy who always puts his ears back and swishes his tail when girthed up no matter how gently it's done. He is less reactive with this girth and some days doesn't react at all which is great but it hasn't made a difference to his way of going.

 

[Kallibear]

I bought an Equi-soft a couple of months ago. My horse is a sensitive pansy and has always has good quality girths with a sheepskin cover, always done up slowly. However he would sometimes look at my reproachfully (he's that kind of horse) or step away from me when it came to girth time. With the equi-soft I can (and have) tacked him up loose in the field without a murmur.

I wish I'd bought one a while ago. At the weekend I managed to forget my girth and has to borrow one ( very kind lady). It was a standard style of girth, lovely soft padded shaped English leather but I felt so so guilty attaching a saddle with just a couple inches wide of girth. After an Equi-soft a 'normal' girth (ever anatomically shaped ones) seem harsh.

I've found it sits fairly far back and there its width isn't a problem. It's also well shapedand not as bulky in the flesh as it looks.

I'm now sending mine off the the saddler to have secondary straps made (and the existing short dressages ones altered) so I can swap the short straps out and make it into a long length girth for his jump saddle. It'll probably cost £70 or so, so I'll have 'two' girths for £300. It'll also hopefully make the length a bit more adjustable so it can be used on my other horses.

 

[DirectorFury]

To follow up with my stud girth grumble - they DO offer a short stud girth (many thanks to Forelock and Load who followed this is for me ). I'll be ordering one on trial in the next few weeks!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I did actually trial the Stubben Equisoft girth and bought it . Thread here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?725510-Stubben-Equisoft-Girth-Trial-Update


Glad you got sorted DirectorFury!

 

[Booboos]

The Stubben rubbed him twice now! Such bad luck, back to the Fairfax.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Oh no what a shame Booboos, we're still liking it 3 weeks in but we only had very minor rubbing with our previous girth anyway.

 

[FfionWinnie]

For the sensitive rubbed flowers have a look at professional choice Ventech neoprene girths. Even sheepskin isn't perfect for Daisy but I'm really impressed with this girth so far. Being a big cob with short legs and not much room behind the elbow I am pretty sure the Stubben and the fairfax would be a no go for her but this is relatively cheap revelation for us. They are ultra soft and supposedly prevent friction due to the grippy surface. I wasn't convinced initially but the proof of the pudding is in the fact the existing rub is disappearing while using this new girth daily (and for about 6 hours today between 2 hacks and a saddle fitting!).

 

[Kat]

For the sensitive rubbed flowers have a look at professional choice Ventech neoprene girths. Even sheepskin isn't perfect for Daisy but I'm really impressed with this girth so far. Being a big cob with short legs and not much room behind the elbow I am pretty sure the Stubben and the fairfax would be a no go for her but this is relatively cheap revelation for us. They are ultra soft and supposedly prevent friction due to the grippy surface. I wasn't convinced initially but the proof of the pudding is in the fact the existing rub is disappearing while using this new girth daily (and for about 6 hours today between 2 hacks and a saddle fitting!).

I use a professional choice ventech on my sensitive easily rubbed mare too.