Girth suggestions for extreme girthiness

Wagtail

Wagtail

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Further to my thread here: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=613149

I have decided that I can learn to live with this horse, but need to make him as comfortable as possible. At the moment he has a leather 'humane' girth, that nine times out of ten he is fine with. I have learned that the pain must come from a small pressure point somewhere on the lower part of his girth groove. I think he has nerve damage at a guess. Nothing shows up as sore or sensitive when examined by vets and chiro.

So I have been recommended the Fairfax performance girth but it is ££££ :eek: Now that I could deal with, but not if it doesn't work or even makes him worse. I have tried sheep skin lined girths, short girths, long girths, and a girth where the elastic is in the centre. He was worse with all of those than he is with his plain leather humane one. But I have not tried the shaped girths. Anyone else with a very girthy horse that has had success with the fairfax or any other girth?
 
I use a leather shaped girth with no elastic on one that can be girthy, he was so bad he was scoped but was clear, it is a Passier, many physios do not like the humane girths as they can cause pressure points, I know one that went to a large yard and told them to burn the lot due to the damage they were doing.
 
i now have mine in professional choice girths and love them. seem very soft and cushioned, no more girthiness when doing them up. I've just had to buy one 3 sizes smaller as horse has fittened up, but am so delighted with it well worth the money
 
Mine had 10 impinging processes - had the interspinous ligament operation- have other stuff behind going on but her girthing is way better since changing to the fairfax girth. I used to use a sheepskin tried a cair one - but fairfax is shaped so much better for her. I tried a friends first before I bought one.
 
Now my only trouble is finding a short stud girth he will accept. I didn't think about this when I got a Monoflap- long stud girth was easy!
 
Sare said:
Mine is absolutely brilliant in the tekna ergonomic one- and it's bargainous!! http://www.equestrianclearance.com/westgate_efi/tekna_ergonomic_girth/index.html?clearance=1
Click to expand...

That IS a bargain, seriously tempted, I paid more than that for a Wintec elasticated. My chap is really good at blowing himself out - I struggle to get 2 holes up both sides when I am about to get on him, but the time I have ridden him for 5 minutes I can get it to 3, even 4 holes up both sides. Any ideas on how to break this habit - I could do with a shoter girth for him but wouldn't be able to get it on the first holes without a struggle to begin with?
 
Thanks so much for all your suggestions. As it is such a bargain, I have ordered the Tekna one, but will look up the professional choice one and investigate further into the Fairfax one. That free trial is very tempting. As I say, I don't mind spending the money if it works. It is just such a lot to spend if he is just the same.

Very interesting about the humane girths too. I have heard that more and more, so will definitely ditch that one!
 
That one looks very interesting Hippona, will be keen to hear your feedback.

Problem I have is that my horse is in a 56" girth (he is very very deep rather than fat) and that one comes in a 54" but am worndering if it will be ok as his girth goes up to 3 one side and 4 the other at the moment?

Sorry Wagtail didn't mean to jump on your thread but am very interested.
 
I have just bought a Fairfax girth , my horse is a big TB with a big hind leg action ATM his saddle is on a point strap at the front which is not ideal .
In the Fairfax girth the saddle feels super stable it was not moving around before but there's a definite different feel to it with the Fairfax girth the horse I think feels very free and loose I am looking forward to the trainer coming to see if she can see the difference .
The saddler to coming next week so we can attach tempory girth straps to see how the saddle sits girthed to the webbing straps to see if we can ditch the point strap.
I do think it's worth getting a Fairfax on trial .
The only girth I have had to stop using on a horse is a so called humane one the ones where the straps pass through on metal fitting so the buckles are on a sort of running loop , IME they sit unevenly and many horses dont like them.
 
These may both be very silly options but if you know its one small area where there is nerve issue would it be possible to modify a girth (with the assitance of a good leathersmith/seamstress) so that it doesnt go over this area and thus apply pressure to it.
alternatively if super soft / shaped / elasticated girths haven't worked what about a very wide girth to spread the pressure over a larger surface and reduce it slightly, nto sure how well this works on girth area but the principles of spreading the pressure over a greater surface work for many other things. I know my western girth is incredibly wide and my lad much prefers that to his standard sheepsking narrower one its also shaped and soft.
 
[/I]
Wagtail said:
Thanks. How do you find it? Is your horse better in it?
Click to expand...

Liane said:
That one looks very interesting Hippona, will be keen to hear your feedback.

Problem I have is that my horse is in a 56" girth (he is very very deep rather than fat) and that one comes in a 54" but am worndering if it will be ok as his girth goes up to 3 one side and 4 the other at the moment?

Sorry Wagtail didn't mean to jump on your thread but am very interested.
Click to expand...

I bought it for 2 reasons....he's an arab, so he has a forward girth groove and saddles tend to end up on his neck, which this really helped with.

Also- he does tend to girthiness especially in winter - probably a comination of cold and less forage - and I found this helped with that also....possibly the shape and the elastic inserts, but I also use a sheepskin cover on it as well, just to cover all possibilities:D

Liane....its very stretchy, a 54 would probably be OK....
 
Hippona said:
[/I]



I bought it for 2 reasons....he's an arab, so he has a forward girth groove and saddles tend to end up on his neck, which this really helped with.

Also- he does tend to girthiness especially in winter - probably a comination of cold and less forage - and I found this helped with that also....possibly the shape and the elastic inserts, but I also use a sheepskin cover on it as well, just to cover all possibilities:D

Liane....its very stretchy, a 54 would probably be OK....
Click to expand...
Hippona, I use this girth on my arab mare for the same reasons. Where did you manage to get a curved sheepskin cover from?
 
Have you tried the cheap cottage craft one, my horse prefers this to most girths, also like the proffeddional choice and stubben girths
 
Le Tixerant is the only one that my friesian likes, she expressed her dislike by trying to maim your toes with her dinner plate hooves so it was quite noticeable when she was happy!
 
pickwickayr said:
i now have mine in professional choice girths and love them. seem very soft and cushioned, no more girthiness when doing them up. I've just had to buy one 3 sizes smaller as horse has fittened up, but am so delighted with it well worth the money
Click to expand...

The same. My fussy horse has stopped putting his ears back when I tack him up
 
Goldenstar said:
I have just bought a Fairfax girth , my horse is a big TB with a big hind leg action ATM his saddle is on a point strap at the front which is not ideal .
In the Fairfax girth the saddle feels super stable it was not moving around before but there's a definite different feel to it with the Fairfax girth the horse I think feels very free and loose I am looking forward to the trainer coming to see if she can see the difference .
The saddler to coming next week so we can attach tempory girth straps to see how the saddle sits girthed to the webbing straps to see if we can ditch the point strap.
I do think it's worth getting a Fairfax on trial .
The only girth I have had to stop using on a horse is a so called humane one the ones where the straps pass through on metal fitting so the buckles are on a sort of running loop , IME they sit unevenly and many horses dont like them.
Click to expand...

I think I may end up splashing out on a Fairfax. Will give the Teckna one a chance first though. Interesting what you say about the humane girth. This is the one he has. Though he has freaked out with a different girth too, and with the lunge roller.

Hawks27 said:
These may both be very silly options but if you know its one small area where there is nerve issue would it be possible to modify a girth (with the assitance of a good leathersmith/seamstress) so that it doesnt go over this area and thus apply pressure to it.
alternatively if super soft / shaped / elasticated girths haven't worked what about a very wide girth to spread the pressure over a larger surface and reduce it slightly, nto sure how well this works on girth area but the principles of spreading the pressure over a greater surface work for many other things. I know my western girth is incredibly wide and my lad much prefers that to his standard sheepsking narrower one its also shaped and soft.
Click to expand...

I am guessing really. I have a gut feeling it is a nerve somewhere around the right hand side descending pectoral. Could be wrong though.

Hippona said:
[/I]



I bought it for 2 reasons....he's an arab, so he has a forward girth groove and saddles tend to end up on his neck, which this really helped with.

Also- he does tend to girthiness especially in winter - probably a comination of cold and less forage - and I found this helped with that also....possibly the shape and the elastic inserts, but I also use a sheepskin cover on it as well, just to cover all possibilities:D

Liane....its very stretchy, a 54 would probably be OK....
Click to expand...

The elastic inserts look very inovative. definitely one to have a look at. Though with my boy, the saddle tends to slip bac rather than forwards.
 
Smurphy said:
Have you tried the cheap cottage craft one, my horse prefers this to most girths, also like the proffeddional choice and stubben girths
Click to expand...

No I haven't tried them. Would be worried about using one without elastic, though I guess his humane girth does not have it either.

TigerTail said:
Le Tixerant is the only one that my friesian likes, she expressed her dislike by trying to maim your toes with her dinner plate hooves so it was quite noticeable when she was happy!
Click to expand...

another for me to have a look at. Thank you.
 
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