Elastic vs non elastic girth?

alainax

alainax

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I need some help :o Sorry if this has been done a million times before but I dont know what to do.

I got a lovely saddle fitted for my new boy a few weeks ago, the saddler was amazing and she stressed that I must not get an elesticated girth as they cause all sorts of troubles - particularly those with elastic just one side.

So off I toddles to buy (with great difficulty in finding) a non-elasticated girth.

Trouble is, I just cant get it tight enough! A good few times now ive been caught out with it being tight when tacked up, tighten again when mounted, but then slack after a few mins warm up. I never remeber having this issue with my elesticated ones.

Also poor big fluffy is starting to pull faces at me when I tighten it, as I literally need to put my full strength into pushing it up, and even then its never tight enough!

I dont know if im just being silly, and it will just take some getting used to again, but he just doesnt seem comfy in it.

ugh....

I might email the saddler and see if there is somthing else she can recommend.

What do you think? are there any real great non-elasticated girths ( GP saddle)

Edit - its a HY HY comfort cushion girth i have just now which says -
"Shaped for comfort and encourages airflow to allow the girth to breath without chafing or rubbing. Strong, with stainless steel buckles."

But im not convinced...
 
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FfionWinnie said:
I'd always expect to tighten it after a bit of riding, elastic or not. Elastic are easier to over tighten.
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Yes that's what she had said, and that the one sided ones can cause a saddle to pull to one side.

I could just be I'll need to get used to it, maybe he's a puffer in disguise :p

I was just a bit shocked by how much it was loose.
 
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alainax said:
Yes that's what she had said, and that the one sided ones can cause a saddle to pull to one side.

I could just be I'll need to get used to it, maybe he's a puffer in disguise :p
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All of mine are puffers and I also think you lose the ability to do up girths if you've been out of horses for a while because I find it a real struggle!

If your saddle is brand new it could be the girth straps stretching a bit too. Mine is new and it's a pig to get the girth on at all (combined with her blowing out grr!) then I check the girth once mounted and there is daylight . :o

Any pics of you on him now you have your saddle?
 
FfionWinnie said:
All of mine are puffers and I also think you lose the ability to do up girths if you've been out of horses for a while because I find it a real struggle!

If your saddle is brand new it could be the girth straps stretching a bit too. Mine is new and it's a pig to get the girth on at all (combined with her blowing out grr!) then I check the girth once mounted and there is daylight . :o

Any pics of you on him now you have your saddle?
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Lol yes that could be right, I broke my wrist about 8 weeks ago so it's not real strong either, could be me just not being so good at it :p

Ah I never thought about the new saddle... It is at that kinda squeaky stage :p possibly a combination of a few things then :)

Haven't gotten any pics of me on him yet, but my mum is coming to meet him soon and im sure she will take pics :rolleyes: they're are very few pics of me in jodhpurs I allow online :p
 
My horse started pulling faces at me doing the girth after a short spell at a riding school where they just hoicked the girth as tight as it would go and the poor little chap was just responding to that.
I now have a routine of saddle on, girth up only *just* snug, no winching it tight.
Check fit both sides and no pinching, do up another hole. (or two depending on how much he breathes out!)
Bridle on, then check girth again, another hole or two.
Walk to mounting block, girth up another hole.
Mount, check again, another hole.
After 2 mins, check again and another hole!
And this is a 14.2hh..... imagine how 'puffer fish' he can make himself - but the face pulling has stopped and everyone is happy.
 
alainax said:
Lol yes that could be right, I broke my wrist about 8 weeks ago so it's not real strong either, could be me just not being so good at it :p

Ah I never thought about the new saddle... It is at that kinda squeaky stage :p possibly a combination of a few things then :)

Haven't gotten any pics of me on him yet, but my mum is coming to meet him soon and im sure she will take pics :rolleyes: they're are very few pics of me in jodhpurs I allow online :p
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Yes mine too is squeaking like mad!

Look forward to the pics. I haven't got anyone to take pics of me either (other than my 3yr old daughter lol) and it's really frustrating. Every pic I have of me on her is crap!
 
alainax said:
I just a bit shocked by how much it was loose.
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"It iz not Ze girth that keeps ze saddle on ze horse it is ze Rider!!"
But i personally would always prefer a non elasticated as elasticated (especially fully elasticated ones) are VERY easy to over tighten causing a myriad of problems

...... Just hop on bare back, you soon wont need a girth ;)
 
I have the same problem I find non elasticated very hard to do up at all and it is visibly loose when I've been on for a minute! I broke my arm so even harder, and I think it is especially difficult on tall horses as ones muscles are not used to pushing up like that if you are weak and unfit like me haha. I am quite conscious of over girthing but still prefer elastic both sides as then it is just EASY to do it up! I think elastic both sides on a horse with withers is fine personally as the saddle does not really need to rely on the girth, but when you come to the more round types I find that goes out the window, and I have relented in ordering a non elastic girth with my new saddle for the haffy on saddlers say so, ill blame him if its flapping around when I can't do it up with my weak little arm!
 
Take your girth to a saddler and ask him to replace one of the leather buckle straps with an elastic one each side. That way the girth is easier to do up but your can't over tighten and it does't pull to one side.
 
I always use elastic both sides, usually a professional choice girth

The horses muscles need to move and flex, I cannot see how a solid girth helps with this, a horse cannot puff up or flex with a solid girth
 
I've just bought a wintec chaffless girth which doesn't have elastic but is supposed to stretch slightly throughout its length. Hasn't arrived yet, but I've heard they're very good. It'll get easier when your new girth straps soften up a bit too I expect, mine were a bit stiff at first, much easier a few weeks down the line though. :)
 
I have recently bought Dever girth with elastic at both ends (£29.99) and I liked it so much I got another for my other horse. I think elastic at one end should be avoided as it leads to uneveness and also the elastic has to be strong. There was a post on this fairly recently and sbloom (native pony saddle filter) explained the reasons for using elasticated girths. Try doing a search - I think it was probably only a month or so back.
 
This is odd. My saddler is very experienced and is a Master saddler and she recommends an girth with elastic on BOTH sides. Same reasons as stated previously as to why not to have elastic on one side only (pulling, stretches) and both sides means a bit of give.
 
I always use girths with elastic each end. I have always found my horses to be happier with them (face pulling)

I don't understand how they are easier to over tighten? They are easier to tighten to the max yes, but why would you do that? Itdoesn't matter what type of girth you have, you just tighten it as far as necessary, not to the max!
 
I bought 2 beautiful leather girths with elastic on both sides off sbloom. I love them * the horses no longer pull faces. I make sure I check the actual girth for tightness * not just see how much further they will pull up.
 
Persephone said:
I always use girths with elastic each end. I have always found my horses to be happier with them (face pulling)

I don't understand how they are easier to over tighten? They are easier to tighten to the max yes, but why would you do that? Itdoesn't matter what type of girth you have, you just tighten it as far as necessary, not to the max!
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Well some folk assume the girth should be as tight as it will go and elastic will go tighter than non elastic. Correctly used I don't think there is anything wrong with elastic myself.
 
I had girth troubles just over a year ago now... had a lovely leather, elasticated one side jobby... horse loved it but it pulled my saddle to one side...

swapped for an elasticated both sides jobby - aerborn atherstone... horse HATED it -pulled faces and was a real grump... it was easily overtightened too.

Then I bought the wintec elastic girth and we haven't looked back... comfortable for the horse, can't easily over tighten...easy to clean... CHEAP...

http://www.rideaway.co.uk/wintec-elastic-girth
 
FfionWinnie said:
I'd always expect to tighten it after a bit of riding, elastic or not. Elastic are easier to over tighten.
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Without rider education there is an awful lot of kit that could be misused, doesn't mean we ditch it.

Jen_Cots said:
I always use elastic both sides, usually a professional choice girth

The horses muscles need to move and flex, I cannot see how a solid girth helps with this, a horse cannot puff up or flex with a solid girth
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The ribcage needs to move.

hollybear said:
I've just bought a wintec chaffless girth which doesn't have elastic but is supposed to stretch slightly throughout its length. Hasn't arrived yet, but I've heard they're very good. It'll get easier when your new girth straps soften up a bit too I expect, mine were a bit stiff at first, much easier a few weeks down the line though. :)
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One sided elastic will keep the saddle over if it starts to move, so best avoided. The Wintec ones, those that say they stretch across their entire length, have you actually tried to stretch them? They really don't stretch, they have stitching all around them and that certainly doesn't seem to give.

Persephone said:
I always use girths with elastic each end. I have always found my horses to be happier with them (face pulling)

I don't understand how they are easier to over tighten? They are easier to tighten to the max yes, but why would you do that? Itdoesn't matter what type of girth you have, you just tighten it as far as necessary, not to the max!
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Exactly - check the actual girth tightness every time, before and after, don't just see if you can winch the girth straps up!

The issue with a fixed girth is not only that it's less kind to the horse, but when the ribcage contracts there is a moment of slack unless you have girthed to the point of asphyxiation! I see the damage from overtightened girths trying to keep saddles in place - if your saddle fits well then you can have elastic at both ends of your girth or in the centre on some models, and it will stay put. I often find when out fitting that the girth has gone slack over the first few minutes but the saddle hasn't moved at all.

The damage from overgirthing eventually becomes a deep groove from under the stirrup bars right round the belly. Not nice and not something I see when the saddle fits well and an elasticated girth is used.

Equally if your horse hates elastic at both ends then don't use it, but do look more closely at what the issue may be, it may be a saddle issue or something else. I can't see how any horse can be more comfortable in a fixed girth, but that's just me.
 
sbloom said:
The Wintec ones, those that say they stretch across their entire length, have you actually tried to stretch them? They really don't stretch, they have stitching all around them and that certainly doesn't seem to give.
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Sbloom you were absolutely right! Girth arrived and we couldn't stretch it even with me holding it and a big bloke pulling the other end!! Not happy at all, have sent it back and ordered a GFS atherstone with elastic at both ends instead. Thanks for the heads up, I didn't even bother to try it on after testing its stretch (or lack of!).
 
I am not keen on girths with elastic, even at both ends. I was thinking I might try one with elastic in the middle, on the assumption that these are les stretchy and hence less likely to overtighten. Does anyone use one of these? Which make and what do you think?
 
I have a very girth sensitive horse and I only use a leather non elastic shaped girth, its the only thing that does not rub never feels to tight or loose, and his happy to have it done up, they are only about £35 I would never use anything else now, I am not a fan of elastic girths at all.
 
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