Girths that don’t rub?

[khalswitz]

Hey all.

I’ve been having issues with Mary’s girth and would love suggestions.

Last summer, I found my smart leather girth kept leaving big rubs on her, so swapped to my cheap rubbish waffle stud girth and they disappeared. All was good. But that girth was 2-4 inches longer, and when she lost weight it was way too long.

I swapped back to the leather one with a sheepskin cover, and we’ve lasted most of the winter ok - small, long horizontal rubs behind the elbow but in front of the girth.

Yesterday, I pulled off her girth to an actual bleeding girth gall for the first time. So sheepskin isn’t cutting it. Any suggestions for a non-rubbing girth? Could a waffle girth work, as that seemed to work last year? Or is anatomical the way to go?

 

[sbloom]

I would try and work out if it's forward to back pressure/wrinkling, or a lack of space between elbow and ribcage. If the latter then it is often partly postural, with the ribcage slightly dropped between the shoulders so some postural groundwork will help, and my best recommendation would be a Stubben cord girth - soft and low profile. As long as there's space for its 5" or width to sit flat.

There's also a chance that the saddle fit, which can be "off" at this time of year after a long winter with resultant condition and/or muscle loss, and that it's the saddle fit that needs correcting (often with flocking or shims at the front, sometimes just a thicker pad...if indeed it's that the saddle is low in front).

 

[ihatework]

Is the saddle fitting/moving too much? Full on galling rather than light rub I find is often correlated to that.

Girth wise I pretty much default to pro choice ventech for most horses. Super girths.

For problematic horses that rub loads then a string girth is supposedly a good option, but I’ve never needed to.

 

[maya2008]

Does one girth have elastic and the other not?

My first port of call would be saddle fit, presuming both horse and sheepskin cover were squeaky clean before use.

 

[Beausmate]

My horse gets rubs behind one elbow. It's not the girth itself that is rubbing, it's the wrinkles in her skin. I've found the string girth is working so far, but they get sweaty and take ages to dry when washed! Saddle fitter says it's likely to be the way she moves that is causing the rubbing.

I have also found that sheepskin, Prolite and shaped girths made very little difference. It didn't happen when she was still very fit from the racing yard.

 

[Meredith]

My horse gets rubs behind one elbow. It's not the girth itself that is rubbing, it's the wrinkles in her skin. I've found the string girth is working so far, but they get sweaty and take ages to dry when washed! Saddle fitter says it's likely to be the way she moves that is causing the rubbing.

I have also found that sheepskin, Prolite and shaped girths made very little difference. It didn't happen when she was still very fit from the racing yard.

Put a Stubben cord girth in a wash-bag and wash at 30 degrees in machine with other things to stop the noise, spin at 1400. They come out almost dry. They do go tight and short eventually but I've had some of mine ages.

 

[Landcruiser]

I've never known a Professional Choice girth rub.

 

[cauda equina]

I like neoprene girths
Horse does get quite sweaty underneath but has never had a rub

 

[little_critter]

Hey all.

I’ve been having issues with Mary’s girth and would love suggestions.

Last summer, I found my smart leather girth kept leaving big rubs on her, so swapped to my cheap rubbish waffle stud girth and they disappeared. All was good. But that girth was 2-4 inches longer, and when she lost weight it was way too long.

I swapped back to the leather one with a sheepskin cover, and we’ve lasted most of the winter ok - small, long horizontal rubs behind the elbow but in front of the girth.

Yesterday, I pulled off her girth to an actual bleeding girth gall for the first time. So sheepskin isn’t cutting it. Any suggestions for a non-rubbing girth? Could a waffle girth work, as that seemed to work last year? Or is anatomical the way to go?

Can you not just buy a shorter version of the waffle girth that worked?
Especially if it’s cheap, you don’t have much to loose.

 

[neddy man]

Put a Stubben cord girth in a wash-bag and wash at 30 degrees in machine with other things to stop the noise, spin at 1400. They come out almost dry. They do go tight and short eventually but I've had some of mine ages.

Love my Stubben cord girth , about 3 yr old I wash it in the sink wring it by hand. Before I wash it I lay it on the hedge and put 2 markers for its length, after washing I stretch it to the markers and leave it to dry, still the same length after umpteen washes.

 

[KikiDee]

Stubben string girth was a game changer for me, I’ve never looked back!

 

[KikiDee]

Love my Stubben cord girth , about 3 yr old I wash it in the sink wring it by hand. Before I wash it I lay it on the hedge and put 2 markers for its length, after washing I stretch it to the markers and leave it to dry, still the same length after umpteen washes.

I wash by hand too. Chuck it in the sink with some warm water and detergent, leave to soak for 10 mins then rinse off. I hang on top of a towel on a radiator in winter or outside in summer and it dries quick enough.

I don’t find I have to wash it that often tbh as it wicks sweat away so well, just when it starts to feel a bit stiff and not as lovely and soft as usual. But I love them so much I have collected a few now so just swap out when they need washing

 

[rextherobber]

Another vote for Stubben cord girth, I've had some of mine for 15 years, just chuck them in the machine in winter, in summer I wash them by hand at the yard and hang them over a fence and they're dry by morning. Not had any issues with shrinkage.

 

[teddy_numerodos]

Another vote for Professional's Choice VenTech. I have used a Stübben string girth on the same sensitive horse, and that worked well, too. However, do be mindful when getting on with a string girth as they slacken a fair bit as soon as there's any weight in the saddle.

 

[khalswitz]

I would try and work out if it's forward to back pressure/wrinkling, or a lack of space between elbow and ribcage. If the latter then it is often partly postural, with the ribcage slightly dropped between the shoulders so some postural groundwork will help, and my best recommendation would be a Stubben cord girth - soft and low profile. As long as there's space for its 5" or width to sit flat.

There's also a chance that the saddle fit, which can be "off" at this time of year after a long winter with resultant condition and/or muscle loss, and that it's the saddle fit that needs correcting (often with flocking or shims at the front, sometimes just a thicker pad...if indeed it's that the saddle is low in front).

Ok this is super interesting and hugely helpful. She’s definitely lost a bit of muscle behind the wither over the winter and I’ve been trying to get the saddler rout since January - I tried myself with a narrower gullet which she made clear was not the answer, and have a polite wither pad in just now but after a ride I still feel it’s slightly down in front. Whilst waiting for the saddler to get back to me I was going to try a more padded saddle cloth and see.

She has plenty room for the girth but very wrinkly elbows - the rubs are in sort of straight lines in the folds of her skin behind the elbows, actually in front of the girth, except for Friday’s gall.

Is the saddle fitting/moving too much? Full on galling rather than light rub I find is often correlated to that.

Girth wise I pretty much default to pro choice ventech for most horses. Super girths.

For problematic horses that rub loads then a string girth is supposedly a good option, but I’ve never needed to.

As above I wonder if that’s it.

Interestingly, I have a short ventech I used on her old saddle, and the neoprene was not good - it caused a lot of rubbing and hair loss. I swapped to a cheap waffle girth but again most of the issues went away when the saddle was changed…

Does one girth have elastic and the other not?

My first port of call would be saddle fit, presuming both horse and sheepskin cover were squeaky clean before use.

Both are elasticated on both sides.

Horse would not have been squeaky clean, she lives out 24/7 - but she had been thoroughly groomed around her girth area so it would only have been stains.

My horse gets rubs behind one elbow. It's not the girth itself that is rubbing, it's the wrinkles in her skin. I've found the string girth is working so far, but they get sweaty and take ages to dry when washed! Saddle fitter says it's likely to be the way she moves that is causing the rubbing.

I have also found that sheepskin, Prolite and shaped girths made very little difference. It didn't happen when she was still very fit from the racing yard.

Yeah hers are rubs along the lines of the wrinkles! The sheepskin not helping with that leather girth makes me wonder if it’s something similar. She’s also shedding and bit thin skinned - she’s got rubs from my legs that have come up this week but she’s full on shedding so wonder if that isn’t helping.

I've never known a Professional Choice girth rub.

Mine did in fact on her old saddle!

I like neoprene girths
Horse does get quite sweaty underneath but has never had a rub

Edit: realised I didn’t actually write my reply to this - my Ventech girth has neoprene on and didn’t work well for her. I think she sweated more and as it’s grippy it rubbed.

Can you not just buy a shorter version of the waffle girth that worked?
Especially if it’s cheap, you don’t have much to loose.

I have ordered an alternative waffle girth - mine is so old I can’t find the brand anymore so it’s not quite the same. Was worth trying as you say! Just wondered if anatomical girths or string girths etc worked wonders for folk and if I was missing a trick.

 

[sbloom]

Neoprene really is contraindicated for a horse's skin as it's not breathable and holds heat. I never argue that point when a horse is happy in something like a Ventech but they'd never be my recommendation.

 

[Follysmum]

Professional choice are great. Have ridden 50 miles plus and never had a rub .

 

[khalswitz]

Possibly interesting note - used her thicker pad today, which meant I could get away with using the long waffle girth (just). It’s not anatomical but is a stud girth, and it actually sits further back - the girth gall is further forward than that girth sits so not touched at all when using that girth.

So maybe a combination of saddle fit and the cut of the girth. Will try again with getting a saddle fitter out! Meantime, we can get away with that girth.

Edit: Her rubs, for those who are interested! They look grotty because I had antibacterial gel on. Near side is the gall. You see what I mean about them being far forward.