Had a saddle slip - any good no elastic acted girths

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Cuddly Connemara

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Unfortunately when I was mounting my already nervous , young horse - the saddle slipped and he bolted , of course I was on the floor in seconds. I understand this wasn't his fault and it probably hurt him. It looks as if the elastic snapped in the girth!
Could anyone recommend a non-elasticated girth other than aerborn and cottage craft.
Thanks 😆
 
I would strongly suggest you work on the mounting block issue until he is happy with it.

My Welsh D was terrible to mount after a number of bad experiences prior to me buying her. It took many sessions of standing at it and doing nothing other than insisting she stood still, building up to leaning over her and then eventually getting on, standing still and getting off again. It was worth it and these days she stands like a rock to mount whatever is going on around her.

By avoiding the mounting block you've already had a serious incident, now you may have a horse that is scared of mounting and of the saddle slipping as well.
 
FfionWinnie said:
I would strongly suggest you work on the mounting block issue until he is happy with it.

My Welsh D was terrible to mount after a number of bad experiences prior to me buying her. It took many sessions of standing at it and doing nothing other than insisting she stood still, building up to leaning over her and then eventually getting on, standing still and getting off again. It was worth it and these days she stands like a rock to mount whatever is going on around her.

By avoiding the mounting block you've already had a serious incident, now you may have a horse that is scared of mounting and of the saddle slipping as well.
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This. My mare downright refused to stand at the mounting block and it took time but she now stands on her own at the mounting block and waits until I fuss around getting sorted and refuses to move until she gets a treat.
 
I bought a shires girth ( although I think it has very tough elasticated ends?). It is a non slip girth so you don't have to do the girth up so tight. It gas a removable neoprene bit on it. It's good for thin skinned horses and the more round natives!
 
FfionWinnie said:
I would strongly suggest you work on the mounting block issue until he is happy with it.

My Welsh D was terrible to mount after a number of bad experiences prior to me buying her. It took many sessions of standing at it and doing nothing other than insisting she stood still, building up to leaning over her and then eventually getting on, standing still and getting off again. It was worth it and these days she stands like a rock to mount whatever is going on around her.

By avoiding the mounting block you've already had a serious incident, now you may have a horse that is scared of mounting and of the saddle slipping as well.
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Me and my riding instructor have worked on his mounting for 2 years - I have only managed to mount him from a block twice and he has immediately bolted or thrown me off. It's not that I am too impatient to work on this , he is genuinely petrified and that makes him extremely dangerous to do this with. Believe me, when I have said I have tried everything :(
 
How many times have you come off him now?

I'd be getting him used to the mounting block, as posted by others, even if it takes months before you're back in the saddle. Make presenting the mounting block, and leaning over, as boring and routine as possible.

Having the saddle slip was unfortunately the last thing that you needed to happen (as I'm sure you're all too well aware).

Sometimes, it's not possible to get their confidence back after poor previous experiences.
 
Ugghhh.... got one of those at the moment.... feel your pain. This one is fine to mount but there is absolutely no effort put in to training manners or if the pony is terrified. They are not easy to re-train when they have been hoolied around from such a young age :(
 
But you aren't trying to mount him from the block until it is totally concrete in his mind that it is safe! You need to work on it every day for half an hour probably.

Mounting him twice and getting thrown off is just cementing his fear.

When I got my mare she came straight out a dealers yard where she had been treated appallingly and if I mounted her anywhere she would try to stand straight up. I did not mount her until she was safe to do so. Took me 3 weeks work before I just got on and off, along with lots of appropriate ground work training to get in her head how she must behave. Ultimately she is a much happier and calm horse for those lessons.
 
FfionWinnie said:
But you aren't trying to mount him from the block until it is totally concrete in his mind that it is safe! You need to work on it every day for half an hour probably.

Mounting him twice and getting thrown off is just cementing his fear.

When I got my mare she came straight out a dealers yard where she had been treated appallingly and if I mounted her anywhere she would try to stand straight up. I did not mount her until she was safe to do so. Took me 3 weeks work before I just got on and off, along with lots of appropriate ground work training to get in her head how she must behave. Ultimately she is a much happier and calm horse for those lessons.
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He has no issue with the mounting block when I am not stood on it . It only becomes an issue whe a literally put my foot in the stirrup and try to mount him off it! I have been trying to desensitise him to this gently for 2 years - it's not as easy or simple as it sounds to fix with this particular horse!
 
Cuddly Connemara said:
Me and my riding instructor have worked on his mounting for 2 years - I have only managed to mount him from a block twice and he has immediately bolted or thrown me off. It's not that I am too impatient to work on this , he is genuinely petrified and that makes him extremely dangerous to do this with. Believe me, when I have said I have tried everything :(
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My young cob had a bad fright being mounted, took off bucking, jabbed himself in the mouth, resulting in him refusing to stand in any form to be mounted, to be fair, he already had trust issues, trembling when he saw his tack coming at his viewing, we took him back to basics, used two people, one at his head with treats, stand alongside the mounting block, he got a treat, wraggle his saddle while giving him a treat, put rider up and treat, it took approx two months, but if he knew treats were there, he would stand happily, knowing he would get one, he progressed to waiting for his treat till his rider was aboard and sorted, treat given then asked to walk on, he is now down to two treats, one setting off and one on his return, I don't treat normally as all mine are bf, but this has worked for him, it was just a case of getting him happy with one thing, then moving to the next step, as with everything, it's patience and repetition
 
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flirtygerty said:
My young cob had a bad fright being mounted, took off bucking, jabbed himself in the mouth, resulting in him refusing to stand in any form to be mounted, to be fair, he already had trust issues, trembling when he saw his tack coming at his viewing, we took him back to basics, used two people, one at his head with treats, stand alongside the mounting block, he got a treat, wraggle his saddle while giving him a treat, put rider up and treat, it took approx two months, but if he knew treats were there, he would stand happily, knowing he would get one, he progressed to waiting for his treat till his rider was aboard and sorted, treat given then asked to walk on, he is now down to two treats, one setting off and one on his return, I don't treat normally as all mine are bf, but this has worked for him
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Thank you, this is very helpful 😊
 
Is this the horse that you have posted about previously with bolting issues that only occur under saddle? If so, have you actually had his back x-rayed yet for signs of kissing spine etc?
 
Mine is a complete pig when something isnt right. He doesnt bolt as thats not him, but he wont be presented, wont stand etc. If hes pinned down to stand he starts biting and twirling about. I've just been through a really rough patch where I thought I was going mad! He wasn't happy, but he'd had all the check and there was nothing wrong. Except there was :( I knew something was wrong, and thought it was me, then ulcers, then maybe lame or SI pain etc.

Turns out the saddle really didnt fit, despite 2 different fitters fitting it! To the point where in less than 20 rides its knackered his shoulders and caused some back pain. Honestly, I used to hate it when people started saying about back/teeth/saddle checks etc, because he'd had them all and was "fine" If yours is having ridden issues as well, then do them again with different people. Worse case scenario it costs you a £100 odd quid, but it might just turn up something. If not, then I'd be wanting a vet work up. That was my next step before it came to light the saddle was crippling him!
 
TGM said:
Is this the horse that you have posted about previously with bolting issues that only occur under saddle? If so, have you actually had his back x-rayed yet for signs of kissing spine etc?
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There's nothing wrong with him - he's been out of work for a month and doesn't want to be brought back into it that is all. I appreciate everyone's advice for the mounting issue but I just wanted to know if there were any non elastic girth leather girth straps because I can't find one.
 
I had mounting issues with my new horse but nothing as bad as yours. He just wouldn't stand ( ex racer) . I too went down the treat route! I took him in the school in hand, no tack. Walked round. Stood on mounting block and leant over. Offered him a treat from the off side whilst leaning over. Immediately got off mounting block and repeated. Didn't use tack initially so that we were both relaxed. It took probably 3 or 4 sessions. He now stands like a rock waiting for his treat whilst I mount and faff. I appreciate yours is alot worse, good luck x
 
I have just got a young t.b and this is the only problem I am having with her, she is fine as you say when I'm on block but when foot is in stirrup she bolts. I am going down the real horsemanship ship route of flexing her to the side I'm mounting on. Put foot in stirrup, when she stops I have to get off and keep repeating. Press sure and Release. I'm trying it in morning will let u know how it goes.
 
Sorry I forgot to say with some people you ask a question and then they comment on everything else. I had someone in yard today telling me to change her food to chaff. She is on a diet by a nutrition. That is why I joined here hoping people wouldn't be as bad. Guess I will see only posted 2 posts so far.
 
If it's been going on for two years I really think you need the vet. One of my old horses got worse to mount. Fixed it with feeding treats. Three months later had to be PTS due to severe kissing spine...
 
Hi I got my girth from pony, cob and horse saddles Ltd. It's a leather girth and has like a stiff elastic material on each side. The saddle fitter recommended it as it helps to prevent the saddle from slipping - as the horse breaths in and out it expands and contracts evenly and is ment to be very comfortable for the horse. It cost about £75. I would also recommend the gel-eze non slip saddle pad too. I picked mine up off eBay for around £20.
 
Elastic snapping is very rare, I'd not avoid elastic because of that but I would make sure I tried to find out why it had snapped. Elastic on both sides is generally the best way to go, else a Stubben Trevira cord girth. There are loads of non-elasticated girths but I think they're not so comfy for the horse and won't solve stability issues.
 
An od fashioned balding girth is what I use for my round highland ponies never slips has no elastic and is shaped so doesnt rub. Just needs keeping clean and well conditioned so no chucking it in the washing machine
 
Sorry, OP, another diversion, but, hey!, it's a discussion forum and things move on! I've been taking notes on non-slipping girths if that helps and will be doing a search of Ebay when I've finished here.

Similar mounting problems here with a bought in 4yo Highland who has obviously had a nasty shock and came here very spooky. I was a falconer (one of the proper ones who actually caught things and never owned a Mxican parrot! :D) and desensitising is my 'thing'. We used all the techniques mentioned above with one addition. An old coat on the end of a long stick to simulate someone mounting and towering above and behind. That gets dragged all over the pony until it is thoroughly desensitised. Another thing is to carefully analyse the action that upsets it and identify the exact point at which it spooks. Offer the treat or reward at that specific point. Split second timing is probably needed. Or, as we have since discovered, perhaps a growl instead of the reward if he is misbehaving just to get the treat! (See the thread on 'Tough Love").
 
Once i was helping to train my aunty's horse she doesn't live near me, she lives in america, she had a welsh D which she had sent from the UK, she had a technique where she puts the horse in a small paddock or closed are then put the mounting block in with her and let the horse sniff it or what ever, now she is fine with the mounting block, so try that with the mounting block problem
 
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