Short string girths

LadyGascoyne

LadyGascoyne

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Mim has always struggled with saddle fit since she's the shape of a small pumpkin on four toothpicks, and her girth groove is basically under her nose.

Her dressage saddle fits the best that we've ever managed for her - the critical thing being it doesn't move or ride up her her withers, and I can be sure that no one will be tempted to over tighten it. She's in a sheepskin girth because she prefers softer girths but her forward girth grove does mean that the bulkier the girth, the less space she has around her elbow. She doesn't like the ergonomic design where the girth comes further forward towards the front legs, and she chafes with neoprene because she just gets so sweaty. The sheepskin does well with sweat.

Someone suggested a string girth which makes sense to me because she's a real pony shape and they worked brilliantly our round ponies when we were children.

Does anyone have one? Any recommendations? Any observations?


Photo of girth / elbow space so you can see how close everything is.


IMG_0816.jpeg
 
I have a long one that works well for both barrel Connemara and Arty on her gp saddle. Arty has a forward groove and is quite fussy about the feel of girths (itches her sides a lot after taking it off if she doesn't like it), and also really doesn't like the shaped girths or leather really. I use sheepskin normally on her but switch to the string girth for summer/faster work because it does do a really excellent job of avoiding any sweat/heat/pressure points.
 
Not a dressage one, but I just got a long string girth for a short round compact pony, working well so far. Another benefit is it is easy to use on 1st and last girth straps and girth still stays flat
 
Years ago when I was on ponies I seem to remember that someone put a fold into a string girth and stitched two of the rows that held the string were put close together and stitched then the loose strings were sewn down.
 
I also own a pumpkin with a girth groove under her nose. We did try a string girth but it bunched into her armpits. She's in a narrow gauge sternum plate for a WOW h-girth now but I can't see them on their website any longer. Its worked really well because there isn't much space between her front legs (looking left to right) as well as not much space between her armpit and her belly so most girths rode forward or rubbed.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
Mim has always struggled with saddle fit since she's the shape of a small pumpkin on four toothpicks, and her girth groove is basically under her nose.

Her dressage saddle fits the best that we've ever managed for her - the critical thing being it doesn't move or ride up her her withers, and I can be sure that no one will be tempted to over tighten it. She's in a sheepskin girth because she prefers softer girths but her forward girth grove does mean that the bulkier the girth, the less space she has around her elbow. She doesn't like the ergonomic design where the girth comes further forward towards the front legs, and she chafes with neoprene because she just gets so sweaty. The sheepskin does well with sweat.

Someone suggested a string girth which makes sense to me because she's a real pony shape and they worked brilliantly our round ponies when we were children.

Does anyone have one? Any recommendations? Any observations?


Photo of girth / elbow space so you can see how close everything is.


View attachment 160286
Click to expand...
What a pretty pony!
Our all have massive heartroom (easily spread two hands between their forelegs), but never got on with ergonomic girths either.
I prefer old style Albion short girths; c.5” wide, padded, soft, bag hide leather, bit of elastic;
and used a 34” one for a narrow but fat little pony doing lots of PC and fun rides - great.
Stubben string girths are v good, have used on a ladies’ saddle (plus loop for the balance strap) but they are wide.
I believe there is another company makes almost identical string girths to Stubben, a lot cheaper - try google?
Or ask the saddler to make up exactly what you want?
 
I use a diamond shaped mohair girth on my endurance horses, lovely and soft, never a rub but I dread to think how much they cost to import now!
 
Stubben, Kieffer, and Montana Cincha both offer short cord girths with buckle protection - I suspect other places do too but those are the most popular. I have recently gotten (for free!) a mohair string girth and I am in love - it's so much softer and has a lot more give than the nylon ones that I was using before. I think the nylon ones have become more popular (as much as string girths are popular at all these days, which is very little) as they don't stretch, but personally I think that some give is good!

I prefer cord girths because neoprene is SO sweaty, and if it "holds the saddle in place", then surely it's also pulling at skin or hair? Leather so often has pressure points/doesn't conform to their body, especially with so many shapes these days (and is sweaty), and the fleece ones are, as you said, bulky and sweaty. Whereas the cord ones conform and don't gap, have pretty even pressure, and breathe nicely. And don't pinch if you stretch their legs when you put it on. I'm sure at some point I'll find a horse where I want a different girth, but it's become my go-to.

Personally, having now used all three, I'd rank them mohair > cotton > nylon. I think Kieffer is the only cotton one still available, if memory serves? I did a deep dive looking for somewhere to buy them last year, and that's what I seem to recall. They're almost impossible to find in Canada, except for the Stubben - came to the conclusion that for a long cord girth, my cheapest option would be importing from the UK! It's a little bit less dire for short girths, as cord/mohair are still relatively popular for Western and endurance, and both seem to sometimes use "English buckles".
 
Kramer also sell a short cord girth, which I got recently. Girth is about £18 I think and a bought foam buckle pads to go with it. They do have a minimum order value to dleiver now. Its not as lovely as my Stubben ones, but they are the longer ones and sadly too long for my mono flap saddle. This one was good value though to see if the girth type works?
 
I use a Stubben cord girth for usual riding for F who is a Connie type with a forward groove. For fun rides or where I'm not sure how steep the going will be I use a velcro neoprene Dever or Professional's Choice one. F seems to prefer the Stubben but needs must.
Here is a link to a cheaper version

www.justhorseriders.co.uk

HKM Girth Standard

- machine washable at 30 degrees - 100% polypropylene - roller buckles
www.justhorseriders.co.uk www.justhorseriders.co.uk
 
gsequestrian.co.uk

Shires ARMA Braided Girth

Useful for horses sensitive around the tummy, the ARMA braided girth is made from hard wearing synthetic woven cord arranged with a wide weight bearing area. The 14 cords are braided into segments which equally allow air flow directly to the tummy to promote dryness whilst keeping the girth tidy...
gsequestrian.co.uk gsequestrian.co.uk
 
I was looking at these recently and saw on the Kramer website it says to order a size smaller than usual - can anyone tell me whether that’s the case for all string girths or just the Kramer ones?
 
Suncat said:
Kramer also sell a short cord girth, which I got recently. Girth is about £18 I think and a bought foam buckle pads to go with it. They do have a minimum order value to dleiver now. Its not as lovely as my Stubben ones, but they are the longer ones and sadly too long for my mono flap saddle. This one was good value though to see if the girth type works?
Click to expand...
I've got a Kramer one on my native. I wanted natural fibres for breathability and stretch. A lot of the more expensive string girths are nylon, I'm sure it's not a big deal. It's soft and sits nicely.
 
Barlow said:
I was looking at these recently and saw on the Kramer website it says to order a size smaller than usual - can anyone tell me whether that’s the case for all string girths or just the Kramer ones?
Click to expand...
I think it's because it's cotton not nylon so it's stretches. I haven't found it that bad though.
 
Cloball said:
I think it's because it's cotton not nylon so it's stretches. I haven't found it that bad though.
Click to expand...
I can't say that I've noticed it has stretched, but I followed the ordering advice size-wise. But I don't use it 'short' if that makes sense (ie not sizing to buckle it at the end of the girth straps, but aiming for half way up?), so I had the flexibilty.
 
I had a lovely karakul wool girth for my horse when I was riding in South Africa. I remember it came from Namibia. It was super, I wonder if they are still available.
 
Dust Bunny said:
I had a lovely karakul wool girth for my horse when I was riding in South Africa. I remember it came from Namibia. It was super, I wonder if they are still available.
Click to expand...

I could ask my mother-in-law. She has horses in SA and she's the sort of person who would love to go on a South African girth mission for my British ponies.
 
Dust Bunny said:
I had a lovely karakul wool girth for my horse when I was riding in South Africa. I remember it came from Namibia. It was super, I wonder if they are still available.
Click to expand...

Wish I'd known that a month or so ago. I was in Namibia and had a couple days of being very bored in Windhoek. Could have gone looking for a tack shop. My brother lives there. Maybe I'll send him on a mission.

This thread reminds me that Fin need a new girth because he has a new saddle, and the one he's got is a wee bit long for it. I really like string girths. Hermosa has the Stubben one, and it's been the only girth she's ever liked. Fin isn't as fussy, but if he's getting a new one anyway, I might as well be nice.
 
I saw a western style string girth that was lovely, diamond shaped like the one above. But it only had the one ring attachment.
 
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