Girthing - correct me if I am wrong.

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Benjamin

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I have seen a few pics this week of horses wearing elastic ended girths, but the elastic on the near side.
I was under the impression that you have to adjust this type girth using the non elasticated end.
Maybe I am just getting old, and people are girthing from both sides now
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Sorry, pointless observational post
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I haven't been lucky enough to be pony club/RC trained, so there's plenty of things I probably dont' do "by the book", among many is leading- I lead from whichever side takes my fancy/is on the driest ground etc!- and girthing- I start off on the loosest hole each side and go up a notch at alternate sides until it's the correct tightness.

So doing my girth up this way, does it matter which side the elasticated end is at? (I only have one girth like this, the others are either elasticated at both ends or non-elasticated). I tighten them all the same way, one hole at a time, alternate sides.

I am a lefty, so it comes naturally for me to do things the "wrong" side or be a bit ambidextrous!
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I was told by a physio to only ever use one sided elasticated girths on the near side.

But know when you have porky beasts its not always possible
 
girths with elastic on one end are the work of the devil.
we spend all our time trying to get ourselves and our horses as even and straight as possible, but will have something so essential which can tighten and loosen on one side only!
a very very respected saddle-fitter told me that a LOT of horses, particularly showjumpers, will veer to one side in midair over a jump because the elastic side gives as the horse's shoulders come up (raise your hands up and feel what it does to your chest to get the idea) and this makes the saddle jack-knife on the horse's spine, which the horse then tries to move away from.
elastic in the middle (ideal imho) or on both ends, or not at all.
 
Ditto Kerilli. As a saddler/fitter I always tell my customers elastic at both ends, in the middle or not at all. We spend a lot of time getting things straight and symetrical which can be difficult enough without a one sided girth pulling a saddle off centre!
 
yes.. elastic on one end is the work of the devill.. not good at all..

Ted has one with no elastic which i use the most.. or one with elastic at either end.. which i use when hes having a 'fat' day which is very rarly lol
 
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Wow, what an interesting post, I have to say it’s something I have never thought of but will now!

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same here, i hadn't thought about it until i was told, and had an "oh, god, yes, of course!" moment.
i've had lots of those around horses over the years...!
 
I girth up two holes at a time on either side, taking it in turns until it is on the right hole both sides.
My (very good) saddler told me to do this, she said not only is is better for the horse and more accurate girthing, but means your girth leathers last longer and don't weaken on one side.
 
Offside if I'm using one which is rarely these days. Old yard had loads of them though & we always did it on the offside as clients would tend to only do their girths up on the near side.
 
Maybe that could be one of the reasons pony is stiffer on the right rein? Hmmm....would that make sense? (I also have elasticated on near side). Oops. Could be that she is also just a wonky donkey.
 
i hate elasticated girths and find it impossible to mount with one too.....

however i always try to tighten my girth evenly on both sides and then always adjust offside when on...i was schooled into this way of thinking!!!
 
I always have and will girth(elastic both ends),lead, tack up, mount and dismount from both sides equally....I like my horses to be 'go anywhere, do anything' types and I dislike rigid routines, some of which have their roots in the battlefield...how else could you make sure your sword was on your left side so you could pull it out and use it with your right hand?That's why tradition dictates mount and dismount from the left! Not exactly relevant to horsemanship today..

We make horses more 'one sided' by only mounting/dismounting/leading etc from the left.One of my horses was 12 when he came to me,when lunging,leading and jumping he always hung to the left side.He doesn't now, he is a much straighter horse!
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I always use a girth with elastic at both ends and have no problems getting on from either side. However I do use a mounting block as don't think my weight hanging off one side will do much good either!!

The reason for the elasticated girths is for jumping, I want the horse to pick up its shoulders and use itself, so don't see how a non-elasticated girth helps, whereas the give from an elasticated one should help them move.
 
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