How important is the right sort of girth?

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pipper

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Was having this conversation this morning with a friend - I think it is a very important thing when choosing a girth to get the right one, that it can improve your horses way of going. But friend doesn't agree and thinks just a plain cotton girth is good enough for most horses.
What are your thoughts and which girth do you think is the best one to use?
 
I think girths are v important. My last horse was v particular about girths. Saddle fitter told me to use wintec or thorowgood synthetic ones, with elastic at either end or both but not just one. I only use these type with new horse and he's fine with them.
I find leather girths can be hard when new and need a lot of looking after. Hate any sort of cotton or string girth, they chafe and look uncomfy. I really like padded synthetic ones. Dont like the wintec cair ones, too hard and bulky. Their mid range ones are best imho.
 
Extremely I think any tack is. My opinion is if your going to expect the horse to carry you, you should make sure he is comfortable as he can be (within your means). Especially girths as they can rub.

I have just ordered a Fairfax girth. I had one on trial last week and although I didn't feel much difference when schooling when we cooled down on a loose rein my horse was def swinging through from behind more so although I didn't feel a huge difference he must be more comfortable in it.
 
Massively important! My horse had lots of tension in his girth area and all round his chest and up into his neck, so I splashed out on a Fairfax dressage girth at Christmas and he is a happy boy now! Saving up for a GP Fairfax girth as they are FAB!
 
My horse is very sensitive to different girths and makes his feelings known in no uncertain terms!
Oddly, he hates those lovely soft sheepskin girth sleeves and prefers a leather atherstone, elasicated at both ends. He hates anything too wide that comes too close to his armpit and objects strongly to girths which don't have enough stretch.
So yes, I think the right girth is very important.
 
How do you find the right girth? After my horse's unexpected and rather violent reaction to being girthed last night I am wondering if this is indeed the reason behind some of his recent behaviour?
 
It gives me some hope reading the above posts and hearing that it can lead to an unplanned dismount that maybe something as simple as a change of girth is the answer!
 
I would never have thought it made much difference with my old horse, who didn't really care what saddle, bridle or girth he was in (assuming they fitted). Having got a more sensitive horse, apparently it does. I have tried 4 dressage girths from a plain non-elasticted Wintec (not terrible but he reacted to being girthed) to a soft but straight leather one (from Robinsons I think, which he also reacted to) to a Harry Dabbs shaped and elasticated leather (worst of all, terribly hard) to an elasticated non-shaped padded wintec, which he seems to prefer and goes well in.

I don't think there is a scientific answer - it was trial and error. The one I have ended up with certainly isn't the one I expected to work.

I do have a lot of surplus girths hanging around now. Is there enough call for a Girth Bank like the Bit Bank?
 
ladyt25 said:
How do you find the right girth? After my horse's unexpected and rather violent reaction to being girthed last night I am wondering if this is indeed the reason behind some of his recent behaviour?
Click to expand...

Good question - how DO you find the right girth???
My BF always wonders why I am so skint and overdrawn! I try to explain the need for things for the horses, his answer is always:
They all have a stable, food, new shoes regually, a saddle, bridle, rugs - why do you constantly feel the need to change them for different saddles, bridles, bits, girths, rugs ect ect ect.....??????
He needs to read this for his answer........!!!!
 
I had a wintec elastic inside one that I found a pain as it would stretch a bit every few minutes and I had to do it up repeatedly when I first tacked up and then after I got on. I got an ordinary cotton one as a temporary measure while she is a bit slimmer and it doesn't require this faffing but also my horse seems a lot less bothered even if I do it up marginally too tight before I get on. She also often fidgeted and walked backwards when I adjusted it on board and now she doesn't do that as much. I don't really know why she would prefer it but perhaps it is something to do with beig narrower but still having some give. I was going to get a leather one but they were all so hard and looked too narrow (i figured larger surface area is better but maybe I am wrong!).

I would quite like to invest in a curved leather one.
 
ladyt25 said:
How do you find the right girth? After my horse's unexpected and rather violent reaction to being girthed last night I am wondering if this is indeed the reason behind some of his recent behaviour?
Click to expand...

Trial and error I'm afraid, and an ebay account! unless you have lots of friends who can lend you different types?
 
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