girth straps.

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Dteccytiv

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Ifyour saddle has 3 girth straps, which ones do you put your girth on. I use the 1st and 3rd, thats what i was taught, but my saddler told me i should use 2nd and 3rd. What are your opinions.
 
I think it's probably best to see which feels most comfortable for you and for the horse - the saddle will ride differently depending on which straps you use.
Incidently I always used 1st & 3rd too but now I sometimes play about a bit depending on how it feels (but my saddle also has a point strap)!
 
you can use 1st and 3rd or 1st and 2nd depending on how the saddle sits on your horse. On no account use 2nd and 3rd - these are attached to the same piece of webbing and if the webbing breaks, you lose your girth!!
 
Camilla4, thats what i was always told, hence 1st and 3rd. Hopefully i won't be having saddler out again, so he won't be able to tell me off and i will stick to what i've always done.
 
it depends both on what sits best with the fit on your horse and the webbing the girth straps are attached to, camilla is right traditionally the first strap is usually on a seperate web and the second and third on the same web but some saddles are the opposite and some have a seperate web for each strap so then if it fits best like that the second and third strap would be ok.
 
I was taught 1st and 3rd. so use 1st and 3rd
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The 1st strap is on it's own piece of webbing, 2nd and 3rd on a piece together. I think the saddler was cocerned because on the 1st strap the piece of webbing doesn't go all the way over the tree, like the other one. Thus making it not as strong.
 
Your saddle will also have a point strap - it's fine to use that instead of the traditional 1st strap as long as it's comfy for your horse. I was using my point strap but it ended up pulling the front of the tree into his muscle & making him uncomfy so now I use the 2nd & 4th usually!
 
It depends on how you need to balance your saddle these days. First and third are usually used to keep the saddle from slipping forward, Second and Third if the saddle fits correct.

In the good old days you used first and third so when thrid snapped you moved onto second which was attached to the same webbing as third
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ETA my Free'n'easy saddle only has 2 straps as the panels adjust to fit any horse correctly
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sounds like there have been a few changes in recent years. Shall I start a "It wasn't like that in my day" clique?!!

PrincessSparkle - are all saddles made with that configuration these days?
 
NaughtyNutmegAngel be wary of using the point strap, my saddle (reputable make) is at the saddlers ATM, the points of tree have cracked due to me using the point straps, which were nailed throught the points!!
 
Princesspark1e, i've just had my saddle widened because it was slipping to the side and occasionally back, so that might be a reason for him telling me to use 2nd and 3rd because it may alter how the saddle fits, using 1st and 3rd. (if this makes any sense).
 
Crickey! Luckily I'm not using point straps any more - I used them originally but once the stuffing at the front settled it was actually pulling the points of the tree into my lads shoulder & making it v uncomfy, not to mention tipping me forwards horrendously! So we had it checked, reflocked & now we don't use the point straps anymore!
 
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sounds like there have been a few changes in recent years. Shall I start a "It wasn't like that in my day" clique?!!

PrincessSparkle - are all saddles made with that configuration these days?

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They are all made different, native pony saddle will all have points (front straps that attach directly to the point of the tree) as they often have problems keeping the saddle back due to the lack of shoulders.

Dressage saddles only have two straps as a general rule but you can get them with 3 the third being super long and not attaching to the girth but to the other half, they are often an extension of the saddle flap.

I don't think the 2 strap is common as it gives less options for fitting in traditional saddles and if one breaks you're a tad snookers. As I said mine only has two straps as it's full length (to take a dressage girth) and the saddle panels are separate from the saddle so the panels fit the horse and the saddle fit's your seat
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