Saddles all slip forward. Girth recommendations?

Wagtail

Wagtail

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My little mare is shaped in such a way that saddles easily slip forward on her. She has two saddles which have been checked by my saddler and which fit her well. However, in canter they slip forward and then she will buck and resist going forward. Is there anything I could do? Even her treeless saddle did this, and so does the lunge roller. I am wondering about girth options which may help. (Long girth type). Thanks
 
Sometimes doing the girth up on the first 2 straps can help with this or even speak to your saddler about a point strap being fitted if you don't already have one, you could try a limpet pad we used to use them on the flat backed barrel Arabs and they are a very useful thing with saddles that move.
 
Thanks, yes she does have a forward girth groove but the problem is worse right now as she's put on weight. I need to get on top of that. I think the grass is deceptively 'good' at the moment.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Sometimes doing the girth up on the first 2 straps can help with this or even speak to your saddler about a point strap being fitted if you don't already have one, you could try a limpet pad we used to use them on the flat backed barrel Arabs and they are a very useful thing with saddles that move.
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I may have to get a grippy pad, but she loves her le mieux half lined numnah and moves better with it.
 
Wagtail said:
I may have to get a grippy pad, but she loves her le mieux half lined numnah and moves better with it.
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she may not like the feel of the limpet they are very soft but not like a fluffy one, I have one with a forward girth groove having an anatomical girth really helps the saddle stay put I would try one some are really expensive but there are a few cheaper non leather ones about now.
 
My pony is similar to yours in that everything moves forward due to comformation/ movement.
He wears the prolite anatomical girth in both long and short. Helps the dressage saddles stablise and not slide forward, and currently has point straps on any other type of saddle in addition to the prolite.
 
Pinkvboots said:
she may not like the feel of the limpet they are very soft but not like a fluffy one, I have one with a forward girth groove having an anatomical girth really helps the saddle stay put I would try one some are really expensive but there are a few cheaper non leather ones about now.
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Diddleydoo said:
It certainly is, I'm having similar issues.

I've heard good things about these. They are available in both long and short. They are expensive though.

http://www.redpostequestrian.co.uk/144111/products/stubben-equi-soft-dressage-girth--black.aspx
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Smooshy said:
My pony is similar to yours in that everything moves forward due to comformation/ movement.
He wears the prolite anatomical girth in both long and short. Helps the dressage saddles stablise and not slide forward, and currently has point straps on any other type of saddle in addition to the prolite.
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Thank you. I think I need to think about a point strap, but in the meantime I need to decide on which girth to try.
 
I am guessing that she's had back etc checked and moves fine and it is just her conformation?
What I found with my mares saddle moving forward was that all saddlers said it fitted fine (and I even bought a new one but still the same) but she didn't go into canter smoothly. This has all stopped since she was seen by the Horseback vet and we now canter successfully without saddle moving.
 
Professionals choice Ventech neoprene girth and Stephens gel-eze sticky pad has revolutionised my life with horses who are built in such a way saddles are going to move. As she's reactive, I'd let her get used to the new feel before you rode in it.
 
have you tried a Stubben trevira string girth? Found this good for rotund natives, even sensitive welshie liked it - but of course all horses have their own ideas......
 
FfionWinnie said:
Professionals choice Ventech neoprene girth and Stephens gel-eze sticky pad has revolutionised my life with horses who are built in such a way saddles are going to move. As she's reactive, I'd let her get used to the new feel before you rode in it.
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This,

mum's mare has awful confo for saddle slip forwards, she has an idea F2 affinity girth and a sticky pad.
Frank has a really forwards girth groove gets on ok with a wavy girth but better with the prochoice, the older version often come up on ebay so I trialled one that wayfirst.

trevira bunched up behind his elbows and rubbed :(
 
For me personally I don't agree that a saddle truly fits if it runs forwards, though rarely there are conformational issues, even if temporary (especially a VERY wide overweight rear ribcage) that mean it's unavoidable. Otherwise I can't see how it can be said that that saddle fits, as the definition of fit is something that works in all paces. I don't find forward curved girths helpful, but point straps suit the way I fit (some fitters hate them and probably fit very differently to how I do) and are part of the solution, but only part, and a tiny minority of horses won't tolerate them at all even if they're doing the right job of keeping the saddle back off the shoulder.
 
sbloom said:
For me personally I don't agree that a saddle truly fits if it runs forwards, though rarely there are conformational issues, even if temporary (especially a VERY wide overweight rear ribcage) that mean it's unavoidable. Otherwise I can't see how it can be said that that saddle fits, as the definition of fit is something that works in all paces. I don't find forward curved girths helpful, but point straps suit the way I fit (some fitters hate them and probably fit very differently to how I do) and are part of the solution, but only part, and a tiny minority of horses won't tolerate them at all even if they're doing the right job of keeping the saddle back off the shoulder.
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Thank you. The only saddler I trust around here is stumped. Even the lunge roller slips up her neck when I am long reining. With a straight girth on the saddle or lunge roller one billet is always much looser than the other so she is really angled steeply into her forward girth groove. It is worse since she has put on weight.

She does have a very wide steep ribcage. She is a TB x WB and only 15hh but takes a 50 inch girth when not overweight.

ETA - She has very little shoulder definition and is like a triangle shape to the front.
 
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That's our trouble with cally she is PBA so big rib cage and still a bit down hill but essentially no shoulder. I should have said she does have a point strap as well as the girth/pad (and a M2M saddle from someone I rate- which is better than the previous M2M she had). - She's definitely much worse built than your girl hence we have to throw everything at it. Now she is just hacking we dispense with the grippy pad which was more for dirty jumping stops.

Frank's forwards groove is not a slippage issue as he has decent shoulders and confo otherwise, it is more that girths rub his elbows. I was sceptical about the pro choice for him for a long time given it's lack of shape but the grippiness seems to keep it back slightly. Conversely to your girl he actually takes a very short girth for his size because of how his girth groove is and actually for him he is worse when skinnier!
 
ester said:
That's our trouble with cally she is PBA so big rib cage and still a bit down hill but essentially no shoulder. I should have said she does have a point strap as well as the girth/pad (and a M2M saddle from someone I rate- which is better than the previous M2M she had). - She's definitely much worse built than your girl hence we have to throw everything at it. Now she is just hacking we dispense with the grippy pad which was more for dirty jumping stops.

Frank's forwards groove is not a slippage issue as he has decent shoulders and confo otherwise, it is more that girths rub his elbows. I was sceptical about the pro choice for him for a long time given it's lack of shape but the grippiness seems to keep it back slightly. Conversely to your girl he actually takes a very short girth for his size because of how his girth groove is and actually for him he is worse when skinnier!
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Thanks. It's so frustrating right now as I need to be cracking on with her but until I sort this saddle issue, I am getting nowhere. I like the look of the prolite girths because when I put the saddle on her in the correct position the girth straps lay way behind her girth groove and I feel she needs a girth that is shaped forward.
 
I had a little Welsh C that wouldn't keep a saddle in place - and by the by I would now consider it as a point of necessity when buying a horse, that it doesn't have a forward girth groove and a well shapped back/shoulder to keep it in place. It was anightmare, we tried all the sticky stuff. A point strap and using the rear straps helped a bit but the only real answer was a crupper - cute on a Shetland, silly on anything bigger.
 
Clodagh said:
I had a little Welsh C that wouldn't keep a saddle in place - and by the by I would now consider it as a point of necessity when buying a horse, that it doesn't have a forward girth groove and a well shapped back/shoulder to keep it in place. It was anightmare, we tried all the sticky stuff. A point strap and using the rear straps helped a bit but the only real answer was a crupper - cute on a Shetland, silly on anything bigger.
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Lol, I did think about a cruper but apart from looking silly, my mare would hate it. I bought her as a two year old so couldn't assess where her girth groove woulld be. But this is her as a 6 year old and you would never think there woulld be a saddle problem to look at her:

381640292df310f3d777a276f410f24334930f86f9106eea0e3e1477844ac57a4227c119.jpg


In fact looking at that picture, it doesn't even look as though a forward girth groove is the problem. Anyway, I have bought a cheaper version of the Cotswold girth (in totally the wrong colour as was the only colour reduced) as I can't justify spending too much until I know whether an anatomically shaped girth will do the job.
 
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She does have quite a short and flat back doesn't she? With not much definition to the shoulder. Whilst the girth groove is a little forward of 100% ideal it is not *that* extreme compared to some I see.

Sometimes it is worth trying a different saddle, I have come across some that look like they fit but they just aren't quite working. Some have been able to keep in place with different girthing arrangements and some by doing some adjustments to the flocking. Some have just needed changing for a saddle with a differently shaped head, tree or panel.

I would get your fitter back out to try and rectify this for you and if no good get a second opinion
 
Same with my mare, as soon as Id trot her with a saddle on on the lunge for example then the saddle would immediately start working its way forward up her neck. I had an H girth thing put on my WOW saddle which helps and I use a sticky saddlecloth and non-elastic girth. I found it much worse with an elastic girth, so mine is one of those basic Wintec ones which are sort of grippy/rubbery. Mine is rather forward at the girth (worse than yours), I did try using a forward curved girth but it ended up rubbing so back to the basic Wintec one.
 
Wheels said:
She does have quite a short and flat back doesn't she? With not much definition to the shoulder. Whilst the girth groove is a little forward of 100% ideal it is not *that* extreme compared to some I see.

Sometimes it is worth trying a different saddle, I have come across some that look like they fit but they just aren't quite working. Some have been able to keep in place with different girthing arrangements and some by doing some adjustments to the flocking. Some have just needed changing for a saddle with a differently shaped head, tree or panel.

I would get your fitter back out to try and rectify this for you and if no good get a second opinion
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Thank you. Yes she does have a short flat back and next to no shoulder definition. I have 4 saddles to try on her so will get the saddler back over to take a look.

ester said:
I can see why she might have a girth move forwards but she's definitely not very groovey compared to say

11218982_10156173208195438_548659036790150756_n.jpg
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No. He's a lovely boy though. Glad you have sorted his saddling issues.

MagicMelon said:
Same with my mare, as soon as Id trot her with a saddle on on the lunge for example then the saddle would immediately start working its way forward up her neck. I had an H girth thing put on my WOW saddle which helps and I use a sticky saddlecloth and non-elastic girth. I found it much worse with an elastic girth, so mine is one of those basic Wintec ones which are sort of grippy/rubbery. Mine is rather forward at the girth (worse than yours), I did try using a forward curved girth but it ended up rubbing so back to the basic Wintec one.
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I may have bought the wrong thing then as this girth is exactly like the cotswold wavy girth which has the cris crosss elastic inserts. Oh well it was less than £25 so I thought I'd try it before forking out almost £90 for the prolite.
 
Point straps are probably the best answer and you may only need them short term as once the horse begins to sit and work the issues subside .
Grippy pads , limpet pads are the best imo but be careful senestive horses can react badly to grippy pads proceed with caution .
Different girths Fairfax girth hold saddles still but that's a double edged sword if they go forward they tend not to back again as easily .my horse does better in the prolite synthetic Fairfax than the leather one
My new horse this issue I am having a point strap put on the dressage saddle for the time being he did like a sticky pad at all that so did not help he's carrying the jumping saddle better so I hoping not to need to have the jumping saddle adjusted to have one added as that's a bigger job ..
Have double and treble checked the saddle is sitting level when the horse is moving ?
 
To use a point strap you need a good flat tree and a near perfect parallel fit at the front, so that it can't pull the front of the saddle down. Are you challenged in terms of seat size? The larger the seat size you need in these cases the more the saddle is likely to be shoved forwards. And going to "Compact" models doesn't help in the least, certainly not the ones I've seen, as they put them on curvy trees, she's going to need a very flat tree IMO.

I really don't find that curved girths make a difference but then I routinely fit with a point strap. I went to see a customer last week who had been using the point and third straps but had been doing the girth up directly below the saddle, it is perfectly fine for the girth to angle forwards, the girth straps are to best connect the saddle with the girth, and they each must sit where they need to be. Her girth was running forwards into the girth groove, leaving the girth slack and the saddle was then moving forwards. On straight cut saddles the girth straps can even be done up over the very lower tip of the panel without an issue in the vast majority of cases.

Photos can be deceptive but she certainly doesn't have a distinct girth groove at all so from that photo I'd say she doesn't have a forward girth groove as such.
 
Goldenstar said:
Point straps are probably the best answer and you may only need them short term as once the horse begins to sit and work the issues subside .
Grippy pads , limpet pads are the best imo but be careful senestive horses can react badly to grippy pads proceed with caution .
Different girths Fairfax girth hold saddles still but that's a double edged sword if they go forward they tend not to back again as easily .my horse does better in the prolite synthetic Fairfax than the leather one
My new horse this issue I am having a point strap put on the dressage saddle for the time being he did like a sticky pad at all that so did not help he's carrying the jumping saddle better so I hoping not to need to have the jumping saddle adjusted to have one added as that's a bigger job ..
Have double and treble checked the saddle is sitting level when the horse is moving ?
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Yes, it stays really still until she canters then comes forwards. It is level and fits her well. However, I know she doesn't like it (not surprising really). It is a Pessoa close contact fitted with a le mieux half lined numnah. She's loads better with sheepskin so I don't think a sticky pad will suit her. I am going to try some other saddles tonight and get the saddler to check any that I think fit her well.
 
Wagtail said:
Yes, it stays really still until she canters then comes forwards. It is level and fits her well. However, I know she doesn't like it (not surprising really). It is a Pessoa close contact fitted with a le mieux half lined numnah. She's loads better with sheepskin so I don't think a sticky pad will suit her. I am going to try some other saddles tonight and get the saddler to check any that I think fit her well.
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As soon as she sits a bit it will get better .
I would try to develop the canter as much as you can on the lunge .
I have nursed several youngsters ( and myself ! ) through this stage she will come through but it's particularly hard when she's not been a straight forward youngster .
If you canter up a slight slope is it better ?if you are off her back does it make a difference ?
ETA in hand work to teach the horse to step slightly side way and under will help to develop the tummy muscles and thus the wither to lift .
This issue starts in abdominal muscles .
Another exercise is walking on a very small circle over two poles on at each half of the circle the raised on the inside need to keep them bending and lifting on a tight circle but it's very effective you can do it in hand or lunging .
 
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Goldenstar said:
As soon as she sits a bit it will get better .
I would try to develop the canter as much as you can on the lunge .
I have nursed several youngsters ( and myself ! ) through this stage she will come through but it's particularly hard when she's not been a straight forward youngster .
If you canter up a slight slope is it better ?
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Actually, yes. She enjoys a canter up hill in the field with no kicking out or bucking. But in the school she will sometimes kick out/buck quite violently a few strides into canter then I notice the saddle has slipped forward.
 
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