Monoflap with 3 girth straps, girth with only 2 buckles. How to make this work?

[DirectorFury]

As title, really!
My spoilt princess of a pony has a new jump saddle as her old one no longer fits. The issue is that the new saddle is a monoflap with 3 long girth straps, but her short girth only has 2 buckles (Stubben Equisoft).

The saddler suggested threading the spare girth strap through the same girth keeper as one of the other straps which is working but is really hard work and takes a couple of minutes each side. It also looks naff


I don’t really want to change her girth as she’s happy in it and I’m really poor after buying the saddle. My sizeable collection of short girths all only have 2 buckles so swapping for one of them probably won’t help.
I could tuck the spare strap up into the saddle flap but I think that’d cause a pressure point on the horse.

I’m hoping the genius minds of HHO will come up with a solution for me!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

You could have the unused strap removed. My Fairfax and my Amerigo came with 3 straps and I've kept all 3 straps. I have a Mattes girth and all three straps just tuck into the girth. It depends on the girth and the style of the keepers for the straps.

 

[Littlebear]

I have had a few saddles like this and take the 3rd off completely.

 

[ycbm]

I'd cut it off

 

[sbloom]

I'd remove it. I'd also say that, when you can afford it, you may want to look at getting a longer girth, that looks quite close to the elbows (sorry, unsolicited I know).

 

[DirectorFury]

Oh god I could cry when I think about taking something sharp to it to cut it off! I’ll see if the saddler can remove it.

I'd remove it. I'd also say that, when you can afford it, you may want to look at getting a longer girth, that looks quite close to the elbows (sorry, unsolicited I know).

I was waiting for someone to say that . Horse is currently a fat arse as is coming back into work (I’m prepared for the fact that this saddle probably won’t fit in 4 months when she’s slimmed down!), when she’s fit the buckles sit like this - is this ok or does she just need a completely different girth in general?

 

[sbloom]

No that looks fine, it is odd to have buckles that can press so much into their sides but plenty of horses don't mind it at all.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Almost all the saddles I've seen have three billets; I asked about this when I started riding and was told that the third is a spare so that you can attach the girth if one billet breaks.

 

[milliepops]

willing to be corrected by sbloom on this but i think the 3 billets are more about flexibility of girthing/fitting and it's the way they are sewn onto separate bits of webbing that adds the safety element in case one breaks.

Lots of monoflaps only have 2.

 

[I'm Dun]

Both mine only have 2

 

[sbloom]

Yes, monoflaps usually have only two. I fit dressage saddles even that have 4, so that you can select appropriate girthing for different issues/ribcage shapes. On short strap GP/jump with all three in the centre of the saddle yes it's just a spare.

 

[planete]

"Oh god I could cry when I think about taking something sharp to it to cut it off! I’ll see if the saddler can remove it."

Surely the straps are sewn on and the unwanted strap could be unstitched without cutting through it?

 

[Goldenstar]

Once I know how I want the horse set up I just cut the stitches on the one I don’t use and keep it in the tack room with a label on it .That way it’s easily popped back on in the future .
I used to get saddles made with three straps sometimes you need that front strap on young horses and as they strengthen through their thoracic sling and begin to lift the wither you can go to the back two .
I three saddles at the minute that have webs for three straps .

 

[ihatework]

Just have the saddler remove the third strap

 

[sbloom]

Often on monoflaps they are sandwiched between the two flap surfaces and it's more of a job to remove a pair.

 

[DirectorFury]

"Oh god I could cry when I think about taking something sharp to it to cut it off! I’ll see if the saddler can remove it."

Surely the straps are sewn on and the unwanted strap could be unstitched without cutting through it?

I can't see any webbing, the strap goes up into the flap as sbloom says. I'm guessing the flap could be opened up and it removed from the webbing that way. I've left a message for the saddler so hopefully he'll agree to do it for me .

 

[Kaylum]

Or get a 3 buckle girth.

 

[sbloom]

Or get a 3 buckle girth.

There are some out there, but not many. A quick search revealed only this one:

https://www.kieffer.net/en/accessories/saddle-girths/166-kiefferpren-3-buckle-system.html