Reviews of Wow Free Space girth?

[Petmurf]

https://firstthought.1.ekm.shop/freespace-girth-strap-1526-p.asp

Thank you

 

[ycbm]

I've been using mine 6½ weeks now and none of the improvements have disappeared, though I am getting increasingly used to them. I think he is changing shape, there seems to be less free space at the side than there used to be. Of course I didn't take any photos to start with ?, so it's difficult to be absolutely sure, but I'm pretty certain. It would fit with what happens with ill fitting saddles where the muscles atrophy and then recover when allowed to work properly.

WOW sent me some of the girth straps covers and they have pretty much removed the lines that were being left on his sides. The neoprene martingale covers also work.

The girth still looks like new, it's not wearing at all. I've been jumping in it and he's done a couple of really sharp spooks in it and it's been rock solid.
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[ycbm]

WOW are telling me that they have at least one other horse changing shape, I suspect there are more.

It's actually a pain because it makes it far easier to get it wrongly balanced and have no gap one side at all! But it must show something seriously good is happening.
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[scats]

I opted to remove the girth sleeve because it was just slipping and ending up down near the gap that the whole girth is designed around. No word from my email to Wow, which is disappointing and I won’t be buying anything from them again out of principle.
I was a bit worried that the girth might pinch with no girth sleeves but it doesn’t seem to.
And since removing the girth sleeves, there has been a difference to Millie’s way of going- more forwards and bigger strides. She has a tendency to be stuffy for her first trot but we have had no stuffiness at all, which is pretty unheard of. Could it be a coincidence? Indeed, and I’ll have to continue with it to get a better idea, but the removal of the sleeve does seem to be having a more positive impact.

 

[soloequestrian]

I opted to remove the girth sleeve because it was just slipping and ending up down near the gap that the whole girth is designed around. No word from my email to Wow, which is disappointing and I won’t be buying anything from them again out of principle.
I was a bit worried that the girth might pinch with no girth sleeves but it doesn’t seem to.
And since removing the girth sleeves, there has been a difference to Millie’s way of going- more forwards and bigger strides. She has a tendency to be stuffy for her first trot but we have had no stuffiness at all, which is pretty unheard of. Could it be a coincidence? Indeed, and I’ll have to continue with it to get a better idea, but the removal of the sleeve does seem to be having a more positive impact.

That's interesting - I might try taking them off tomorrow. I assumed they weren't having any effect because they just slide down to the bit where the straps don't touch the horse. I had one e-mail response about two weeks ago but nothing since - also not particularly impressed with the service!

 

[Fieldlife]

That's interesting - I might try taking them off tomorrow. I assumed they weren't having any effect because they just slide down to the bit where the straps don't touch the horse. I had one e-mail response about two weeks ago but nothing since - also not particularly impressed with the service!

I think WOW take an overall summer holiday in August.

 

[ITPersonnage]

They had a week's shutdown earlier in the month but are back now. I know because my saddler stripped a bolt on the Wednesday before shutdown and I had to get it repaired but I got it back by the start of the next week thankfully, they have been back since 22nd August.

 

[Identityincrisis]

So I may have just ordered a second one ??

I understand people's frustrations and small gripes, and i hate the fact I've spent £500 for 2 girths (long and short) but I'm so happy with the overall positive effect that, despite not being flush with spare cash, i went and bought another!

 

[HashRouge]

I've been following this thread with interest! Are people finding that there is more of a difference on horses of a certain shape than on others?

 

[ycbm]

I've been following this thread with interest! Are people finding that there is more of a difference on horses of a certain shape than on others?

I've only used it on one, but having seen it in action I would expect less difference in horses which are very evenly round, where your existing girth feels exactly the same tension wherever you put your hand underneath it. If I had a horse that shape I would certainly want to try first, not just buy it.

 

[ycbm]

So I may have just ordered a second one ??

I understand people's frustrations and small gripes, and i hate the fact I've spent £500 for 2 girths (long and short) but I'm so happy with the overall positive effect that, despite not being flush with spare cash, i went and bought another!

I'd be doing the same if all my saddles didn't take the same girth. I couldn't, in all conscience, put any girth without the pressure relief space on him now I know how he reacted to this one.
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[Red-1]

I am a little conflicted still. My horse used to have all the pressure on the underside of his tummy, it still does with the Wow but with a longer padded plate.

My conflicted feeling is because it is in direct contravention to the Scharf Freedom girth that the saddler recommended. That one has a gap in the middle and two plates to distribute the pressure on the area where this one leaves a gap.

I didn't get a Scharf as it seems nonsensical to have just one strap to hold the saddle on whilst jumping. Also, the Scharf was more expensive, although the saddler was offering a free trial.

I looked at the Do-nut one (Prestige?) That one also confuses me as surely the pressure all goes on the rim, so not that distributed?

 

[scats]

I've been following this thread with interest! Are people finding that there is more of a difference on horses of a certain shape than on others?

I’ve only used it on my very deep bodied mare.
I’m not overly impressed to be honest. The gap left is so small on my mare that I’m not sure it could make that much of a difference.
I think it’s horrendously overpriced and a bit of a gimmick. I can imagine it might work better on a particular shaped horse, but I still think the placebo effect on the rider might be somewhat at play (I include myself in this!)

 

[ycbm]

I am a little conflicted still. My horse used to have all the pressure on the underside of his tummy, it still does with the Wow but with a longer padded plate.

My conflicted feeling is because it is in direct contravention to the Scharf Freedom girth that the saddler recommended. That one has a gap in the middle and two plates to distribute the pressure on the area where this one leaves a gap.

I didn't get a Scharf as it seems nonsensical to have just one strap to hold the saddle on whilst jumping. Also, the Scharf was more expensive, although the saddler was offering a free trial.

I looked at the Do-nut one (Prestige?) That one also confuses me as surely the pressure all goes on the rim, so not that distributed?

I think all those designs do the same thing to different extents, they remove the pressure from the "corner" as the girth turns from going across to going upwards. And a bit like the Reactorpanel saddle allows the shoulders to move more freely underneath it, the Scharf will do a similar things with the muscles that the WOW girth leaves completely free. And to me, that's a bit like the comparison between riding treeless and in a Reactorpanel, I'd prefer the treeless.

 

[ycbm]

. The gap left is so small on my mare that I’m not sure it could make that much of a difference.

Do you mean the length of the gap, or the depth of it? Because if you mean the depth of it, then as long as it's not touching, it's doing the job.

But if your mare hasn't changed her way of going (and I'm definitely not talking placebo here, my horse has changed shape) then she may be one that doesn't need it, there are bound to be some.
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[scats]

Do you mean the length of the gap, or the depth of it? Because if you mean the depth of it, then as long as it's not touching, it's doing the job.

But if your mare hasn't changed her way of going (and I'm definitely not talking placebo here, my horse has changed shape) then she may be one that doesn't need it, there are bound to be some.
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I suppose I think that the plate thing is still in contact, so the only bit with no contact at all is the side parts and I can’t see really how that can have such a huge difference. I understand that it bridges over the plate, but there will still be pressure on that. Maybe I’m struggling with the physics of it. Millie has felt better this last few days since I removed the sleeves (these were annoying me) but I think I’ll need to see a more long term improvement to be convinced. She’s a mare who can come out totally different day to day so I can’t take a couple of days being more open in her stride and assume it’s the girth.
I’m happy to continue with it though, and as I’ve said previously, I’m incredibly impressed at its lack of slippage. Even my pro choice ‘sticky’ girth slipped whereas this stays put.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Objective changes:
Much less girthy
5% improvement in dressage scores overnight with very different comments after a season of everyone saying the same thing.
Physio said significant improvement in the pec muscles which were no longer tight. Re the physio - Everything is slowly improving but that was the main problem area which was really not changing much till it just loosened off between the 2 visits with nothing else changing in between.
And the saddle not moving is another bonus.

 

[soloequestrian]

Grr. I rang them again yesterday to ask why I hadn't heard back about the girth sleeve idea (their idea) and the person I spoke to said they would ring me later in the day. They didn't. They seem to be closed today. That's the second time they've done this to me.
I'm wondering if the double buckle guard would work on a long girth? The girth sleeve is totally useless and my girth straps get a bit close together up near the saddle. The buckle guard looks like it might hold them in place. Reluctant to spend another £45 though especially when I feel like we are all currently acting as beta testers.....

 

[ycbm]

I'm now having to fiddle to get an equal gap each side, he has filled out a lot in the area where the gap is. If I shift the plate while I'm girthing up I just end up with the straps not central.

Now I know how it sits on him and that he's (currently) 10/10 each side, I'm seriously tempted to superglue the straps central, it will make life so much easier!

I hope at some point in the future that WOW sell a version with velcro attachments to stop the straps sliding through the loops unless you mean them to.
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[ycbm]

Objective changes:
Much less girthy
5% improvement in dressage scores overnight with very different comments after a season of everyone saying the same thing.
Physio said significant improvement in the pec muscles which were no longer tight. Re the physio - Everything is slowly improving but that was the main problem area which was really not changing much till it just loosened off between the 2 visits with nothing else changing in between.
And the saddle not moving is another bonus.

My saddles have also stopped shifting backwards.

His head carriage is so much lower that I'm finding it disconcerting to canter without having his long neck up in front of me!
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[ycbm]

I suppose I think that the plate thing is still in contact, so the only bit with no contact at all is the side parts and I can’t see really how that can have such a huge difference. I understand that it bridges over the plate, but there will still be pressure on that.

It would appear that the pressure on the underneath of the horse is not the issue with most horses. It's pressure over the area where the girth turns to go upwards, where "stuff" needs to slide backwards and forwards under the girth if the horse uses itself properly. The gaps are to stop anything impeding that movement.

I'm sure WOW must have taken biomechanics advice in the design of this girth, it would be really interesting if they published it. I must look and see if they have.

ETA Found this quite useful

https://wowsaddles.com/gillian-higgins-reviews-freespace-girth/
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[scats]

It would appear that the pressure on the underneath of the horse is not the issue with most horses. It's pressure over the area where the girth turns to go upwards, where "stuff" needs to slide backwards and forwards under the girth if the horse uses itself properly. The gaps are to stop anything impeding that movement.

I'm sure WOW must have taken biomechanics advice in the design of this girth, it would be really interesting if they published it. I must look and see if they have.

ETA Found this quite useful

https://wowsaddles.com/gillian-higgins-reviews-freespace-girth/
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That was really useful, thank you. She explained it well.

 

[Identityincrisis]

I'm now having to fiddle to get an equal gap each side, he has filled out a lot in the area where the gap is. If I shift the plate while I'm girthing up I just end up with the straps not central.
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Wow say on their website the dots don't need to be absolutely central, as long as the pad is.

"Look between the horses front legs with them standing square and check that the silver rivet in the centre of the sternum plate is central, or the sternum plate itself is central."

 

[Red-1]

I'm now having to fiddle to get an equal gap each side, he has filled out a lot in the area where the gap is. If I shift the plate while I'm girthing up I just end up with the straps not central.

Now I know how it sits on him and that he's (currently) 10/10 each side, I'm seriously tempted to superglue the straps central, it will make life so much easier!

I hope at some point in the future that WOW sell a version with velcro attachments to stop the straps sliding through the loops unless you mean them to.
.

I thought about this and mine needed to be higher on one side than the other for the correct tension. So, I had the dots half a hole to one side of central and remembered which side needed to be higher.

The straps don't seem to unilaterally move much now, while it is new. I wonder if it will get more likely to move as they get older?

 

[iknowmyvalue]

I ordered one last weekend, so eagerly awaiting its arrival! I think Pepsi is a similar shape to what AE and ycbm are describing rather than round. And he is a sensitive soul, so anything I can do to help him is worth it for me.

If it doesn’t make a difference, I’ll try and sell second hand. If it does I’ll have to bite the bullet and shell out for the long version for his jump saddle. At least I’ll have been paid again before I know if I have to order the second one or not ?

 

[ycbm]

Wow say on their website the dots don't need to be absolutely central, as long as the pad is.

"Look between the horses front legs with them standing square and check that the silver rivet in the centre of the sternum plate is central, or the sternum plate itself is central."

I'm trying to move the plate to central after it's loosely done up but it won't move along the straps. Somehow it's going off centre while I'm putting it on, with the silver dots out of line. I'm pretty sure I'm going to glue it, but first I'm going to try doing it up one strap at a time like WOW tell you to (I found it today, that's ADHD for you - if you can't make it work, then read the instructions ?).

 

[Fieldlife]

I'm trying to move the plate to central after it's loosely done up but it won't move along the straps. Somehow it's going off centre while I'm putting it on, with the silver dots out of line. I'm pretty sure I'm going to glue it, but first I'm going to try doing it up one strap at a time like WOW tell you to (I found it today, that's ADHD for you - if you can't make it work, then read the instructions ?).

I don’t see why it needs to be central relative to straps? As long as straps are right tension and pad is in middle.

 

[ycbm]

I don’t see why it needs to be central relative to straps? As long as straps are right tension and pad is in middle.

If your straps go on the same hole on your saddle each side then the plate has to be central to the straps or it won't be central on the horse unless your horse is lop sided.
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[Fieldlife]

If your straps go on the same hole on your saddle each side then the plate has to be central to the straps or it won't be central on the horse unless your horse is lop sided.
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My plate moves. It works for me to try and get the holes roughly even and to keep checking plate is central. If I fixed plate and had girth a hole tighter one side it might be lopsided. I think being able to move it, but it not slipping once girth tight a good thing.

 

[ycbm]

My plate moves. It works for me to try and get the holes roughly even and to keep checking plate is central. If I fixed plate and had girth a hole tighter one side it might be lopsided. I think being able to move it, but it not slipping once girth tight a good thing.

Good, I'm glad it works for you. I find it frustratingly fiddly because it moves but worth the effort for the effect on the horse.

Clearly, as I've already said, if your girth is done up higher on one side than the other the plate has to be central to the horse, not the straps.
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