I need a genius solution to girth rubbing

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FfionWinnie

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The problem is its Titchy, who takes a ten inch girth. I have two, new one, which fits better and is a proper Shetland girth is worse than old one. I put a fleece cover on it, and I thought that was curing the problem but its not.

I lift his front legs, he has rather wrinkly armpits :o and this was happening before I clipped him, I just didn't know as he was a hairy yak.

What can I do, would a crupper stop the girth popping forwards (mini Shetland conformation, round belly wee waist). The girth is kind of trapping the wrinkly skin and making him sore.

I don't think the saddle moves at all, just the girth
 
Can you get little shettie sized shaped girths? Ones that are cut back to allow for room round the armpits?
 
Just thinking maybe a saddle could cut armholes out current girth. I think its too wide really, its not much narrower than a standard cottage craft girth and he is clearly much smaller than a standard anything.
 
It's a difficult one, are you using real dead sheep? I have had issues with frank's elbows getting rubbed in the past partly because his girth groove is so far forwards. What suits him best is an aerborn waffle shaped girth with elastic at both ends (has to be both ends!) with occasionally a nuumed girth sleeve (I might have a spare long one I could cut a bit off for you!)

fwiw he is also better clipped than not
 
ester said:
It's a difficult one, are you using real dead sheep? I have had issues with frank's elbows getting rubbed in the past partly because his girth groove is so far forwards. What suits him best is an aerborn waffle shaped girth with elastic at both ends (has to be both ends!) with occasionally a nuumed girth sleeve (I might have a spare long one I could cut a bit off for you!)

fwiw he is also better clipped than not
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No its not a real dead sheep so I could try that, thanks!
 
I've had this trouble with one of my horses, I got round it by rubbing vasaline into the wrinkles & putting it on the girth cover in it as well - no more sore armpits!
 
Gosh I seem to remember years ago you could get a 'pair' of girths. Each one had a buckle on and the were completely independant. They were very narrow and basically met underneath the horse......... Sort of like two stirrup leathers with buckles on each end. If you had two stirrup leathers joined in the middle (tiny girth sleeve?) maybe a saddler could put buckles on both ends? Musing really...........
 
I'm sure you should have a spare sheep hanging round :p.

I would try that first and look at girth modification second.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I use surgical spirit (not on open sores !) to help harden the skin and real sheepskin sleeves.
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Definitely!

Hetsmum said:
Gosh I seem to remember years ago you could get a 'pair' of girths. Each one had a buckle on and the were completely independant. They were very narrow and basically met underneath the horse......... Sort of like two stirrup leathers with buckles on each end. If you had two stirrup leathers joined in the middle (tiny girth sleeve?) maybe a saddler could put buckles on both ends? Musing really...........
Click to expand...

You could try doing that with proper webbing that they use for show girths or use a cut down Aerborn padded lunge rein; they would both be softer than what you're using now or even cut down some racing girths.
http://www.rideaway.co.uk/race-exercise-girth
 
Thanks, I have two girths already, one mini Shetland custom made 10" non slip girth and one 18" webbing dressage girth. The webbing one has scrunched together at the armpits so it isn't as bad but its too long really. Two lunge lines would be wider than the current girths.

I will try Vaseline/surgical spirits/dead sheep cover first and if they don't work will investigate getting something made the trouble is its very expensive to get things made smaller as they don't have a pattern. Griffen nuumed would charge 17 extra quid to make a sleeve which would be about 6" long and 2" wide... (that is before materials and postage!!). They said they can sell me a bit of material tho so going to measure up for that and find someone with a sewing machine!
 
honestly I am happy to chop some off and send it to you.. I don't use the uber long ones (which it is) but it was in their bargain bin (I used to drive past them daily!). - there must be 6" spare on it!

eta its 40" which is as long as Frank's whole girth! we only use the 28" ones.
 
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A shaped girth should help how about if you bought a really small shaped dressage girth, that might work and real sheepskin makes all the difference it did with my thin skinned Arab I use one of those girths for forward girth grooves for him its the only thing that wont rub but I bet they wont come up that small for a mini.
 
When we have problems with girth rubs at work, we use gamgee wrapped around the girth in the area needed, this might help! Otherwise just buy a standard Nuumed one and cut it down and have a few spares. I find they need washing every time is you have a particularly sensitive soul! I'm also a fan of surgical spirit!
 
My Mum has a ridiculously thin skinned appaloosa and the only thing that works for her is to cover a fluffy girth sleeve with another sleeve of silky/satin material (we got a real silk off cut quite cheap however it's an awful colour) so it's padded and slippery. Combined with surgical spirit, not over tightening the girth (ok with her as she has very high withers so saddle never moves anyway) and washing the girth sleeves after EVERY ride we have managed to keep her clear of them.
 
FW, I have more dead sheep than you can shake a hairy stick at. They are off the seat covers used by aircrew to protect their delicate posteriers and are really good quality and unused. They are square and measure about 45cmx45cm. Its just the skins and I have never used them. Would be more than happy to send you one and you could do a bit of tinkering with them to try and fashion something that works? You could roll it into a girth sleeve and stitch together or use stick-on velcro, which is what I used to do. I had them all for Murph as he was allergic to metal and I used to have to cover every buckle of bit of metal that came into contact with him. Now he is gone I have no use for it so delighted to pass on if you need. Let me know!
 
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