Girth recommendations

[Cavewoman14]

I am looking for a new girth to fit a GP saddle for my mare. I’ve had her for nearly a year, she’s a Spanish mare, but she can be very girthy. Pawing the ground when she is girthed up, and generally not happy. As soon as the girth is done up she’s fine, and there are no ridden problems. She has regular physio treatments, has had her saddle checked and been checked for ulcers, so I’ve tried to rule out everything. I think in the past she has been mistreated, and I think the girthyness stems from that. There are marks on her that indicate that she has definitely has badly fitting tack at some point in her life. I currently use a thorowgood girth in a sleeve but was thinking that a Prolite might be more comfortable for her. I have looked at the Stubben Equisoft ones but they are just so eye wateringly expensive! What is everyones recommendatons on the most comfortable girth I can get for her? She has a large rib cage and a deep girth groove.

 

[Wheels]

A proper sheepskin one might work better. Try mattes or christ lamfelle

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My PRE really likes his sheepskin Mattes girth. The asymmetrical one.

I always do his girth in stages: Initial loose stage, one more hole just before or directly after bridling, then once again just before mounting.

He used to really puff out but I started giving him a small treat when putting on his girth. His way to "ask" for treats is to respectfully look away. Then he munches said treat and forgets about puffing out. Or he's just more comfortable now. If I forget the treat he's still fine.

Normally I wouldn't recommend a food thing, especially with girthing as some are already nippy, but it worked for him. I think it's mostly the slower way of tightening it hole by hole though.

 

[Cavewoman14]

My PRE really likes his sheepskin Mattes girth. The asymmetrical one.

I always do his girth in stages: Initial loose stage, one more hole just before or directly after bridling, then once again just before mounting.

He used to really puff out but I started giving him a small treat when putting on his girth. His way to "ask" for treats is to respectfully look away. Then he munches said treat and forgets about puffing out. Or he's just more comfortable now. If I forget the treat he's still fine.

Normally I wouldn't recommend a food thing, especially with girthing as some are already nippy, but it worked for him. I think it's mostly the slower way of tightening it hole by hole though.

I’ve been doing that and it is working, slowly. By the time I get to the final hole she doesn’t worry at all. I’ll take a look at the Mattes girth, thank you

 

[ester]

how forwards is the groove?

 

[Cavewoman14]

how forwards is the groove?

Very forward! That’s why I use the sleeve, on my saddle fitters recommendation. Without it the girth slips to right under her elbows. My saddle fitter likened it to wearing a bra that just doesn’t fit properly If i don’t use the sleeve

 

[ester]

So we have two with forwards girth grooves (typically!)
The anglo (narrow shoulders, large barrel, forwards groove) has done well with an ideal affinity F2 albeit sometimes requiring some dead sheep at the elbows during coat change time.

The welshie (mine) who never got on with leather. Had a prolite on trial - saddler brought it out, and we did note that he had pulled it forwards a bit during the short test ride but I went ahead as he should really have been poster child for them. But on longer rides this was worst and he ended up with it gapping at the sides while remaining tight on the sternum. He did better in a harry dabbs waffle curved (with dead sheep as required) and latterly with a pro choice ventech which I had put off getting due to lack of shape and it never went through a full coat change (most prone to rubbing) while hunting/hacking long distances as he semi retired then.

This is the welshie for demonstration purposes, it actually seemed to get more pronounced the fitter/slimmer he was which is a bit backwards. Will find a photo of the other one but I don't have as many of her

 

[ester]

Oh I do have a normal v. the harry dabbs placement on him as it doesn't look like it has much of a curve but did save the baggy elbows as stayed further away
atherstone aerborn

harry dabbs

 

[ester]

definitely only have terrible photos of the blonde one, must take an actual confo shot at some point!

 

[Cavewoman14]

Ester, thank you so much. Your two are gorgeous. I think it’s time for me to do some shopping! ?

 

[GoldenWillow]

I've a cob who has a large barrel and forward girth groove and got the Ideal Affinity F2 girth that Ester mentions. I've found it works well.