I can't do my horse's girth up!

[alcraw]

It's driving me mad, and I have a permanent ache in my right arm from pulling as hard as I can!

My problem is twofold:

1. Horse in question is a very round cob whose saddle slips around her very easily.
2. Horse in question blows out as much as she possibly can, and is very determined.

I know that, in order to just get on, the girth needs to be up 3 holes on each side (at least - it usually still slips and I end up jiggling around to try and even things out ). Once onboard, we can go up to 4 holes, but she blows out sooooo much before I get on that I really struggle to get the girth tight enough in the first place.

I was looking at elastic girths - not sure if these would make things easier or worse. Or if anyone has any tips to make her deflate they would be much appreciated!

 

[Kellys Heroes]

I was told to put my knee just behind the girth and gently apply pressure - appreciate this might not work on all ponies but used to on my first p/l!!

 

[Pheme]

Sometimes feeding them a little treat while girthing up can stop them from blowing out, they don't seem to be able to chew and hold their breath, IME, though your mare sounds determined enough to prove me wrong!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

well buy a longer girth or put on a diet! i always put my girth on one hole and one, then tighten as necessary! eqwually on both sides, you could buy a nice leather girth with elastic on one side and tighten as appropriate! equally. if she blows out put saddle on first then bridle, re tighten, get your hat etc etc tighten again then get on and go! check girth after mounting tighten as necessary. really not a problem

 

[Louby]

In the past I have attached a stirup leather to one of the girth straps, a bit like an extension and then girthed that up. The longer strap allows you to pull up the girth eaisier. Then once thats done up you do the proper girth strap to the girth, undo the extension strap and its then easier to do once one is already fastenned.
Easy to do but hard to explain

 

[Izzwizz]

My gelding does this. He has a leather girth with elastic at one end. I do it up on 1 hole at a time at each side and he is getting better with it and not blowing out so much. Another thing you could try is to buy one of the Aerborn Humane girths. It fastens with a kind of pulley action and I think from memory, is for horses that blow out. They are about £15-£20 and may be more comfortable for your horse.

 

[Cedars]

LOLL! No advice, but when ofcourseyoucan posted, it said

"I can't do my horse's girth up!" "ofcourseyoucan"

LOL.

Have you tried those elasticated girth things, from aerborn, that is like a pulley system?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Try a 'humane' girth. The buckles are attached to each other but can be done up independently, so you can do one buckle at each side, then as he relaxes you can do the other one. Sorry that is a hopeless explanation but they do work!

 

[martlin]

I third the Humane girth - ever so easy.
Problem with a longer girth would be that when they eventually give in, there aren't enough holes to tighten the girth sufficiently.

 

[alcraw]

Thank you, will definitely look into the humane girth. I already put saddle on first, and tighten up gradually, but just getting the first hole in is a challenge! Tried a longer girth once and ended up hanging off the side as soon as I tried to mount!!

 

[katherine1975]

I have a very round cob who puffs up when I do the girth up, do not buy one with elastic on one side as it can make the saddle slip to one side. I have a wintec chafeless elastic girth that is just long enough to do up on one hole each side when puffed up, then can do it up slowly.
Had problems with saddle slipping to one side, had saddler out and she siad it was because I was using a girth with elastic on one side only. Since using the wintec girth have had no problems with saddle slipping.

 

[honetpot]

Quick cheap solution. Get a piece of baler twine and put it thru the last hole of the girth strap so it is double and then put it thru the girth buckle and pull, guiding the girth strap thru. Usuallly you can get it on to the last hole and from there do the whole lot up

 

[fitzaud2]

Try to get it as tight as you can, use a mounting block to get up so the saddle doesn't slip, and once on board, the extra weight will hopefully get you another hole or two. Although, my ex's dad, who has years of experience, always says that most people tighten too much, and that he has seen horses ribs been broken for too tight a girth out hunting. I now tighten my girth to two fingers and when i get up, maybe 1 more hole, but i'm afraid to tighten it too much. Once the saddle isn't slipping, you are ok

 

[Cinnamontoast]

God, mine's the same, the monkey! I can do one hole either side, then do bridle, then go back, do one hole etc. There's no point in getting a bigger girth as that would be way too long-he'll eventually go to at least 3 and 3 if not more, so a longer girth would just slip round.