Girths.. recommendations!

Hormonal Filly

Hormonal Filly

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As above!

Currently use a Bucas girth with elastic on both ends. It is over 5 years old now, it’s starting to crack and it’s time for a new one. Its for general all round use.

I’m looking at the Prolite and Professional choice girths (second hand ones) for a cobby chap, he isn’t sensitive. Don’t want to spend hundreds on a girth but these days you can get as new second hand ones for half the price.
 
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Having used both I would tend towards the pro choice, certainly for jumping saddles and everyday dressage use.

The pro lite is a bit smarter as a dressage competition girth.
 
I have a prof choice girth and am delighted with it - it doesn't rub, washes well, wasn't terribly expensive (maybe £70?)
My horse is a funny sensitive sort of chap and we previously had issues with saddle slipping and this one seems to be quite grippy too.
 
I have also used both and thought they were both good.
For me, as a short girth the prolite has the edge as the horse can't feel the buckles through the better padding, the shape also works well for us.
 
I have a professional choice V tech for sale 46 inches black, used no more than 4 times. I also have a 28 inch dressage one for sale. My boy loved them, so much better than my wintec/ thorowgood, they didnt budge. I then got a wool girth and he was a tiny bit happier with that so i am now a fluff convert.

Message me if you might be interested :)
 
I heard recently that elasticated girths are no longer recommended, even ones which are elasticated at both ends. I was told that "things have moved on".
Is this the case?
By the way I have a professional choice girth and I really like it. I have been advised that my pony needs a shaped girth though so I am on the look out but now not so sure I know what I should be looking for.
 
Tarragon said:
I heard recently that elasticated girths are no longer recommended, even ones which are elasticated at both ends. I was told that "things have moved on".
Is this the case?
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Yep, I have been told recently by 2 saddlers that elastic ends are no longer recommended, as it is too easy to over-tighten them and cause a pinch. The prolite I have has no elastic, and seems pretty comfy.
 
I have also been advised not use elastic on my girth, so of i went and dutifully purchase a non elasticated Thorowgood girth for my girl, and now im not able to secure my saddle properly, as she needs it in between the two holes, so now I am unsure what girth to use, so watching this thread with interest.
 
Joyous70 said:
I have also been advised not use elastic on my girth, so of i went and dutifully purchase a non elasticated Thorowgood girth for my girl, and now im not able to secure my saddle properly, as she needs it in between the two holes, so now I am unsure what girth to use, so watching this thread with interest.
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Punch some holes? That's what I do.
 
I don't use elastic girths on one of mine there not that easy to get hold of though especially leather ones, I don't like girths with elastic one end that much either.
 
Tarragon said:
I heard recently that elasticated girths are no longer recommended, even ones which are elasticated at both ends. I was told that "things have moved on".
Is this the case?
By the way I have a professional choice girth and I really like it. I have been advised that my pony needs a shaped girth though so I am on the look out but now not so sure I know what I should be looking for.
Click to expand...

Depends on your horse I think, we couldn't ever get on with any non-elastic options we had but he is a bit of a funny shape (hence not getting on with the prolite) I make sure I have elastic both sides and don't overtighten though.
The cheapest shaped option is the harry dabbs waffle though there are lots of leather options (mine also hates leather so :p)
 
Horsekaren said:
I have a professional choice V tech for sale 46 inches black, used no more than 4 times. I also have a 28 inch dressage one for sale. My boy loved them, so much better than my wintec/ thorowgood, they didnt budge. I then got a wool girth and he was a tiny bit happier with that so i am now a fluff convert.

Message me if you might be interested :)
Click to expand...


Yes please! I'll pm you :D
 
Tarragon said:
I heard recently that elasticated girths are no longer recommended, even ones which are elasticated at both ends. I was told that "things have moved on".
Is this the case?
By the way I have a professional choice girth and I really like it. I have been advised that my pony needs a shaped girth though so I am on the look out but now not so sure I know what I should be looking for.
Click to expand...

Interesting.. I was speaking to my saddler a few months back. Hes a master saddler, makes his own saddles, travels the world and has been around long enough to know pretty much everything, ha.

He hates all these thick expensive fancy pads, or 'sheepskin' pads saddlers make customers buy when really a saddle should fit without any pads.. but he said girths with elastic one side are awful and what he sees most of. He can't stand them. Girths with elastic both sides he doesn't mind, baring in mind he always offers me a gorgeous handmade full leather padded girth but I have always had a elastic girth and am not keen on the thought of leather - will it not rub?
I make sure I never over tighten it and can't help but think surely some give is more comfortable than non? None of mine have ever been sore or had a issue with the girth area. Interesting though, always gone straight for full elastic.
 
ester said:
See even with your broken ponies that's something to be thankful for :D, we seemed to have ended up with two tricky ones in that respect!
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Lol! I suppose so! Regarding the broken ponies, My gelding who had the PSD op, his infected leg has healed so nicely the vet said yesterday hes now allowed out for 2 hours a day in a small paddock - made my week!
 
Aimeetess said:
Interesting.. I was speaking to my saddler a few months back. Hes a master saddler, makes his own saddles, travels the world and has been around long enough to know pretty much everything, ha.

He hates all these thick expensive fancy pads, or 'sheepskin' pads saddlers make customers buy when really a saddle should fit without any pads.. but he said girths with elastic one side are awful and what he sees most of. He can't stand them. Girths with elastic both sides he doesn't mind, baring in mind he always offers me a gorgeous handmade full leather padded girth but I have always had a elastic girth and am not keen on the thought of leather - will it not rub?
I make sure I never over tighten it and can't help but think surely some give is more comfortable than non? None of mine have ever been sore or had a issue with the girth area. Interesting though, always gone straight for full elastic.
Click to expand...
No leather girths do not rub. I only use leather girths, will not touch anything else
 
FTB said:
As ive said before, i use a keifer Ultrasoft girth on my cold backed, sensitive mare and its fantastic. She really likes it
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ooh I might try one of these, currently use pro choice which I love but its now a few years old and she has lost 50 kilos in weight since I bought it (she was very overweight when I bought her) , saddler has just recommended wintec due to elasticated middle rather than ends, but I don't like the look of them. The pro choice is nice and kind to her and grippy - she used to be very round and saddle slippage was a problem but she has a nice shape now - thought I might just replace with shorter pro choice, but the Ultrasoft looks very nice. My mare is prone to ulcers and has just been diagnosed with some arthritic changes in her spine so she might like this one.
 
I am down the budget end and have been riding in a HY humane girth which came with my loan horse. I love it, horse doesn't seem to have a negative opinion about it and it means I can do up the girth by one hole on one strap if needed with the load still evenly spread. I get that if the strap goes I am scuppered so I check it very regularly.
 
Thanks all!

A lovely member on here has a Professional Choice for sale in the exact colour and size I was after, so fingers crossed i'll be buying that one. :)
 
I really like Stubben Trevira and they were my go to for years. I ended up buying a Fairfax and I noticed a difference in stride length/range of movement with it. My mum's ex-racer has the Prolite version of the Fairfax girth and he seems happy with it.

Bridleway do a budget version of the Pro-Choice multigirth (interchangeable "sheepskin" or neoprene) and I've found it to be a good option.

Leather girths will rub, like all girths, if they aren't kept clean. I've been disgusted by the girths I've seen some people use on horses and the filthy condition that they are in; it's just asking for galls and sores.

The "new" thinking is that it's easy to overtighten girths that are elasticated on both sides. Modern girths tend to have the elastic in the middle to resolve that issue but still have "give" for the horse. One sided elastic girths have always been a bad idea and no idea how they came to fruition or became so popular. The workaround is to change the elastic side after every ride.
 
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