Stud girths & unshod horses?!

strides-eventing

strides-eventing

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It's been a while I didn't know the forums had changed and I totally got lost trying to post this thread :P

Can I ask if there is anyone here that uses stud girths for unshod horses or those not using studs?!

I have a normal girth and stud girth for my jumping saddle but only ever use the stud girth when I'm actually using studs, plus my horse is shod.

I recently saw someone with an UNSHOD horse jumping with a stud girth and I really didn't get the point?!

Maybe I could understand if the horse was shod and/or particularly close infront over a fence and maybe likely to bruise itself but the horse is unshod and was not tight infront over a fence at all!

Does anybody else use a stud girth with an unshod horse and if so why?? Whats the point in using a stud girth then?! I thought it was called a STUD girth because we use it when using STUDS?!

I'm not being rude but I was just so confused why it was being used when it doesn't seem needed....
 
I allways use a stud girth with mine, but they are shod. Mostly because I want them to be carefull so would go against what were trying to achieve if they did clout themselves when they tried to be careful, and because I only really have stud girths and don't think they cause any harm.
 
My mare is super careful and bareboot so I would consider using a stud girth on her.
Currently were not really jumping so I don't see the point.
 
Yep I do on my gelding. It's a nice girth that fits him well, gives greater stability due to the wide contact area (yes if I had money I'd buy a fairfax or something, but I don't!) and he seems to have more confidence XC with it. On photos he is not always tucked up in front but the stud girth itself always has a new bash or scratch after a round so he is thunking into it. He jumps bigger and better off a gallop stride with it on and is more careful without it. That's good enough for me!

(and have another unshod pony who does tuck up in front but stud girth doesn't make a difference with him at all - he just thunks into himself and is quite happy doing that!)
 
Mine is shod but I use a stud girth when jumping (even if not using studs). The reason being to cushion the impact of the front feet hitting the chest. I previously used an ordinary girth but from looking at pro-photos of our rounds you could see how tight the horse pulled up in front (not every fence) and also regularly there were hoof prints on the girth
 
my horse is "girthy" and i thought i'd give a stud girth a try to try and disperse the pressure of the girth over a larger area to see if he would be more comfortable/less girthy
i was suprised how much he does actually hit himself, the first time i used it to jump it was very scratched and marked of his shoes
i don't use front studs but still use the stud girth whenever i'm jumping , i only jump 95cm max
 
If they bought the stud girth before they took the horse barefoot, what would the point be of spending money on a new girth?
 
cptrayes said:
If they bought the stud girth before they took the horse barefoot, what would the point be of spending money on a new girth?
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This! Before I changed saddles, I used to use a stud girth for BSJA sometimes on my horse when he was unshod. Simply because its a very nice girth and I didnt feel the need to go buy a non-stud one!
 
I use one on my young barefoot horse. He's the sort of horse that learns quickly and has a strong sense of self preservation. If he hurts himself once he doesn't do it again. I don't want him to learn not to be tidy to avoid hurting himself.

He's young, so not always the tidiest, sometimes he gets his fences wrong, but I don't want him to stop trying.

It's just a piece of equipment, like tendon boots. My horse doesn't generally, knock himself. But the boots are there just in case he does. A stud girth doesn't have a detrimental effect, regardless of whether the horse is studded or not!
 
Ok a unshod horse won't stud themselves but they could still give themselves a clout if they tuck too much. Stud girth won't do any damage.
 
GinaGeo said:
I use one on my young barefoot horse. He's the sort of horse that learns quickly and has a strong sense of self preservation. If he hurts himself once he doesn't do it again. I don't want him to learn not to be tidy to avoid hurting himself.

He's young, so not always the tidiest, sometimes he gets his fences wrong, but I don't want him to stop trying.

It's just a piece of equipment, like tendon boots. My horse doesn't generally, knock himself. But the boots are there just in case he does. A stud girth doesn't have a detrimental effect, regardless of whether the horse is studded or not!
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This
 
strides-eventing said:
I recently saw someone with an UNSHOD horse jumping with a stud girth and I really didn't get the point?!


I'm not being rude but I was just so confused why it was being used when it doesn't seem needed....
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Maybe it was the only girth they had that fitted the horse? Why spend money another girth if you don't need to?

Maybe it was the girth on that saddle and they never bother changed it to a normal one. Perhaps they use that saddle on other horses with studs.... variety of reasons really. If you want to know their reason ask them.

However, I can't see any issue wearing a stud girth with an unshod horse.
 
I wouldn't leave the ground without one to be truthful.

As above, shod or unshod, why would I risk punishing my showjumping horse for being careful? He snaps up, it hurt, they don't rush to keep snapping up....

Plus the bashing my stud girths take!! Covered in gashes. And actually, I only have a couple of long girths that aren't stud girths- I either have stud girths or dressage ones in the main.
 
Interesting thread, makes me wonder if I should use a stud girth on my un-shod mare. Those of you who have said that you would use one on an un-shod horse, do you think the height of the jumps plays a part or would you always use one regardless of height?
 
Was it definitely a stud girth. My instructor asked me why I had one on my mare but its not, its a shaped event girth with bits to attach the martingale etc. I needed it for my monoflap saddle. Even if it was a stud girth maybe they only have one in that length or something.
 
Interesting points people!

I honestly never even thought of getting a stud girth until my horse was actually using studs - I didn't see the point in what I thought as unneccessary equipment. But I see your points in if you want to use them for unshod horses that may give themselves a clout - fair enough.

As for people thinking that a stud girth will help cushioning on landing I don't believe this will help as the stud girth covers the posterior pectorals (which draw the foreleg backwards and forms the leg-rib "sling") and it is the anterior pectorals that draws the foreleg forwards and cushions the front leg from the impact on landing.

Good points though
 
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