Girth recommendations

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springer1021

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Can anyone recommend a good girth?

I use aerborn humane girths at the moment but I've never really liked them incase I accidently let go of one of the straps whilst doing it up when I'm on. One of my girls is very sharp so there is a real possibility this could happen :eek:.

I've got a Wintec saddle and the holes are uneven on the straps, so the only girhs I can think of are the humane or a elastic ended one.

What would be ideal would be a humane girth with a safety strap that goes onto the middle girth strap.

Anyone ideas which girth would do the job :)
 
My saddler told me that girths that are elasticated at one end give uneven pressure on the saddle, so he recommended the Wintec Elastic girth which is elasticated in the middle.

If the holes on your girth straps are uneven, could you not have the straps replaced? It's not an expensive job and leather straps are much more supple than man-made ones!
 
I also use the Wintec girths for the same reason.

I tell all my clients that I will not teach with the humane girths. They are very dangerous. I know a child at a PC event who was cantering XC when one of her girth straps on the saddle broke. Because of the design of the girth, it was instantly completely loose, child ended up underneath said pony who stood on her leg a shattered it!!!

If she had had a normal girth that would not have happened.
 
The only girths I recommend and sell are good old fashioned Atherstones - you can find similar ones. Avoid ones with a narrow central band as they have less grip and dig in more - the central band should be nearly the width of the girth and shoud be shaped like the girth. Then strong (STRONG!) elastic on both ends and roller buckles. I fit very tricky rol poly wide horses as a speciality and, as long as the saddle is the right shape and fit, the girths work a treat and really help fitting the awkward boogers.

I never recommend non-elasticated girths, I find that once the saddle is a good close fit they don't work half as well and obviously aren't as kind to the horse. If you think about it the ribcage must contract if it expands, and when it contracts a non-elasticated girth will give a moment of slack, and unless you girth the bejeesus out of it (not good for the horse, I see the damage often!) then the saddle is more likely to move, same or perhaps worse with one sided elastic.

The Wintec girths I have seen are not elasticated through the length - they are stitched all the way round and if you try pulling the ends it is very hard to get them to give. I think I saw one that was elasticated at the ends?
 
I was thinking about an one with elastic at both ends.

It's been on mind for a while about the Aerborn one and if either a girth strap or one of the straps on the girth snapped it would be a nasty accident :mad:

I'll have a look at the Wintec and the Atherstone, I don't mind paying more if it's a good girth :)
 
he recommended the Wintec Elastic girth which is elasticated in the middle.
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sbloom said:
The only girths I recommend and sell are good old fashioned Atherstones - you can find similar ones. Avoid ones with a narrow central band as they have less grip and dig in more - the central band should be nearly the width of the girth and shoud be shaped like the girth. Then strong (STRONG!) elastic on both ends and roller buckles. I fit very tricky rol poly wide horses as a speciality and, as long as the saddle is the right shape and fit, the girths work a treat and really help fitting the awkward boogers.

I never recommend non-elasticated girths, I find that once the saddle is a good close fit they don't work half as well and obviously aren't as kind to the horse. If you think about it the ribcage must contract if it expands, and when it contracts a non-elasticated girth will give a moment of slack, and unless you girth the bejeesus out of it (not good for the horse, I see the damage often!) then the saddle is more likely to move, same or perhaps worse with one sided elastic.

The Wintec girths I have seen are not elasticated through the length - they are stitched all the way round and if you try pulling the ends it is very hard to get them to give. I think I saw one that was elasticated at the ends?
Click to expand...

Wintec girths are elasticated in the centre so you can't see it and it is then even throughout and doesn't give uneven pressure like the ones that are elasticated on the ends (personally don't like ones that are elasticated both ends as so many people overtighten them!). They never have a piece of elastic on one end.

http://www.wintec.net.au/products/mounts/elasticGirth.html

They are great for barrel shaped horses where the saddle is a nightmare to keep in place.
 
galaxy said:
Wintec girths are elasticated in the centre so you can't see it and it is then even throughout and doesn't give uneven pressure like the ones that are elasticated on the ends (personally don't like ones that are elasticated both ends as so many people overtighten them!). They never have a piece of elastic on one end.

http://www.wintec.net.au/products/mounts/elasticGirth.html

They are great for barrel shaped horses where the saddle is a nightmare to keep in place.
Click to expand...

So are the wintec ones okay if the holes on the girth straps are uneven?
 
I use a Wintec one on my coblet and a posh Kieffer neoprene padded one on the big chap. Both are very lovely and comfy for the horse. Both grip without pinching and have a little give (EVEN) but not too much.
 
Miss L Toe said:
Some of the ones elastic at both ends have very weak elastic and I would not use them, the one I have is/was expensive, and has stiff elastic on one side.
Click to expand...

Agreed - most synthetic double elastic ended girths have cheap elastic that is much too stretchy and either gives too much, or bottoms out and has no give left.

galaxy said:
Wintec girths are elasticated in the centre so you can't see it and it is then even throughout and doesn't give uneven pressure like the ones that are elasticated on the ends (personally don't like ones that are elasticated both ends as so many people overtighten them!).

They are great for barrel shaped horses where the saddle is a nightmare to keep in place.
Click to expand...

I fit mainly barrel shaped horses - I fit saddles to be stable and not need overgirthing, and I train people not to overgirth. Very strong elastic also discourages it.

The Wintec girth is stitched and bound all the way around and I have yet to see an explanation of hoe that can allow the inside of the girth to stretch. Centre elastic girths (I have a ReactorPanel one for my dressage saddle) are awesome but generally only made by the pricier companies and are beyond most people's budgets. I got mine secondhand :cool:
 
mine is a bit of a nightmare girth wise as he is very prone to rubs with/without a sleeve due to having a forwards girth groove (previous attempts included wintec, leather atherstone, ergonomic (made him bleed), normal cotton!)

I really rate the aerborn waffle girths (as mentioned above they do do a GP) which have elastic at either end, I have just replaced mine after about 4 years as the plastic had cracked a little behind the elbows and I didn't want to risk any rubs ;)
 
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