Girth straps on synthetic saddles

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titchy

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Hi,

I have a new synthetic saddle for my young pony. Saddle is fine, but I am finding the girth straps very stiff and it’s difficult to tighten the girth. Do these synthetic girth straps soften with use, or is it advisable to have these changed to leather ones?

Anyone have an older synthetic saddle with more manageable girth straps?

Thank you
 
They are better when the weather is warmer as they become softer, but still not that brill (stirrup leathers the same). I have a Thorowgood (2yrs old) and that has leather girth straps - I think the synthetic saddle manufacturers have realised the plastic ones are hopeless.
 
Cheaper synthetics tend to have polypropylene webbing (holes fray) and the newer wintecs etc have biothane which is like a pvc outer and webbing in the middle and as someone else has said earlier they split/crack across the holes and have to be replaced. I change literally dozens and dozens (can do the damn things in my sleep!)of them on site at local riding schools and livery yards, I put on leather (rawhide) instead, soons softens up with use and is so much stronger (up to 5,000lbs breaking strain per square inch)
So, I suggest you get yours changed before they start to show signs of cracking, once the outer on the biothane has gone the inner webbing is at risk of fraying.
Oz :)
 
Yep, get them changed. Costs about £40.

Depending on your saddle you might be able to use thorowgood replacement ones as they're attached with a monkey loop.
 
I have a Wintec and the straps are splitting. I have a rough bit of skin on the outside of my left hand which I have linked to these straps. We tried a Thorowgood Pony Club saddle for my daughter and I almost couldn't girth it up at all the straps were so stiff. So we didn't buy it!
 
horsemadmum1 said:
I have a Wintec and the straps are splitting. I have a rough bit of skin on the outside of my left hand which I have linked to these straps. We tried a Thorowgood Pony Club saddle for my daughter and I almost couldn't girth it up at all the straps were so stiff. So we didn't buy it!
Click to expand...

I have got the throrwgod pony club saddle, and you are right the straps are awful, and I am going to get them changed
 
i have a gfs genesis synthetic and whilst the straps were stiff for the first few weeks they are nice and supple now and no signs of splitting. Much better than any other synthetic i've ever used/seen

However i managed to to encounter one of the gfs team based in walsall (just down the road from me) and put the suggestion of leather straps on synthetic saddle to her. She was very interested and said she would bring it up at the next team meeting.
 
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