Girths rubbing - Help - sorry got long

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miller

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Need some help finding a dressage girth that doesn't rub (Chestnut Mare post reminded me!) OH's mare is very thin skinned - she wears a dressage saddle/girth but the girth is rubbing where the fleshy muscle part above her elbow meets her body.

The girth she's wearing a really soft leather shaped dressage girth. Bought a Mattes wool girth sleeve on sunday - rode her last night and rubbed again, itseems worse when she sweats and it's almost like a pinch mark between the fleshy bit of skin above her elbow and her side

Her girth groove is quite far forward so girth sits forward naturally or if you put it on further back, her mares belly pushes it forwards - any ideas?

She has got a deep belly - not overweight but she's been out of work for a long time and being reschooled so her tummy muscles aren't particularly strong at the moment.

Have tried a Cottage craft thinner dressage girth and it just folded over in the middle and she hated it, have tried a wider webbing comfort zone girth - same result as cottage craft.

Going to try a Kieffer neoprene one next but can't see it'll be any different to having the wool pad.

The shaped parts of her current girth are in the right place.

Any ideas? Obviously she won't be worked until the sore parts have healed . Anything we can put on her skin to 'toughen it up' she is very fine haired and does rub easily - obviously the sweating doesn't help
 
I also have a thin skinned skewbald who is allegic to his own sweat!

I use a wintec rubber girth with a synthetic sleeve (not a real sheepskin one as that seems to set off the sweat/rub allergy) and wash it regularly in Fairy powder - the most gentle of the non-bios and the only one that doesn't start him rubbing/sores appearing.

I also pull his legs forward every time when tack up - no idea if this helps or not - personally I think that the Fairy does the job.... He used to get odd sores on his back beneath the saddle - the saddler was completely flummoxed but again, Fairy and wash nummnahs v regularly....

I also find Witch hazel is v good for clearing up sores/rain scald etc etc and doesn't seem to set off any nasty reactions either.

Good luck,

Catherine
 
Brilliant - thanks for that - going to try Kieffer Neoprene girth tonight as a mate finds those good on her skewbald - will then try Wintec and Stubben string ones.

Aloe gel seems to dry it up very quickly but as soon as she's ridden and sweats up again (frequently as she isn't extremely fit yet) the rubs are back
 
Provided there are no open sores, rubbing surgical spirit into the skin will help to tough it up. Obviously do a little to start in an area that will not stop you riding if it reacts.

This worked years ago on a TB mare I had who prior to me getting her had a very bad saddle area due to a poor fitting saddle - not that I am saying this is the reason in your case.

I did have a sheepskin cover which worked wonderfully on one of my TBs, but my WB hated it so much that she actually nipped me when doing up the girth which was totally out of character. I twigged what she was saying, removed it and she never did it again.
 
Had this problem last year and opted for the Stubben string girth after got fed up with washing sheepskin girth sleeve! The stubben girths are fantastic and would highly recommend - not sure if they come in a dressage version though?
 
I had the same problem and bought the WOW zig zag girth. Very expensive but does work. A bit of an expensive experiment though!! Unless you could borrow one to try first!
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Try a stubben string girth or look for an anatomical shaped girth (sometimes known as banana girths) for horses with a forward girth groove. Shop around though.. some (particulary the ones on ebay) are a tad pricey! I have to use one on my mare... Sensitive little miss!
 
My boy used to really struggle and even got girth galls. Since using a wintec elastic girth (just the normal one not the shaped one) he has had no problems at all.

Sqip
 
Thanks everyone so much for your replies - will check out the string girthto see if they do dressage.

Surgical spirit started last night (rub has dried over!)

Got a kieffer neoprene ont to try first (as mate swears by it on her sensitive coloured), then a wintec one next.

The leather girth does have sort of 'square' corners on the ends which could be the problem, it is a Treadstone one, mine is more 'semi circled' at the end and I don't have a problem (can't use this on her to try though as she takes a 4" longer girth (even though she's slightly smaller than mine!
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How often should we put the surgical spirit one?
 
Stubben String girths are wonderful. I use one on my 2 - one being a thin skinned sensitive TB (who has also had the odd rub in the past from leather girths) and the other being a sweaty Welsh! The girths are nice and wide so surface area is bigger. They are also very soft material and horses sweat least under them. My horses love it.
 
I ride in a treeless saddle which uses a dressage girth. My mare has the same problem. I ordered the girth with the saddle rode in it once and it gave her girth galls i was devestated (thought i was such a bad mother).
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She has whorls on her girth area and is very fleshy in that area. I have found that the wintec girth is good. There are two sorts you want the one that is smooth and not with piping around the edge. Really easy to care for too. Just rinse it in diluted Hibiscrub after a ride and leave to dry. Good luck.
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Thnaks everyone for your help - we've sussed it - Kieffer neoprene girth has not rubbed at all even when she's sweated.

Thanks so much for your advice
 
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