V shaped chest = Difficult to girth

[kymw90]

Does anyone else have any problems with their horse that has a tiny chest? As in you tighten the girth and go to mount and the saddle slides, you then do it again and still the saddle slides? I use a block but on the odd occasion when you are out and about and you need to dismount then cannot find anything suitable to stand on a ground mount is the only way up.

The only way I can describe it is the horse is like a V in shape and you're either sliding off or making the horse uncomfortable because the girth is done too tight.

I've seen people yanking the girth as tight as possible but surely it can't be right to just pull as tight as you can? Is it right you should be able to put a hand flat through it? And is that hand through at the sides or at the chest?

Atm I do it up, walk her around a bit to let it all sit right and let her breath in and out then check again to do it up a bit more. I'm just worried I'm hurting her

 

[Tnavas]

HAve you tried the girths with the plastic type covering with small holes in it. I think they are known as 'Comfort' girths.

I have one for my rounder than round Clydesdale and since using it the saddle never moves.

Slipping can also happen when you have too much extra under the saddle itself.

 

[claribella]

I have a flexi-girth which is brilliant for slippage. I have a treeless saddle too and it doesnt move. It doesnt have to be done up too tight either. The only other thing is (without being patronising) have you had saddle checked for fit?

 

[sbloom]

Are you sure the saddle REALLY fits? I specialise in fitting the very wide and their saddles can be prone to rolling, but if you get the right one, even getting on from the ground should be okay in most cases. If you post photos of the saddle firmly girthed with no pad I'd happily have a look.

The only girths that I find work consistently well for almost all horses are wide padded Atherstones (wide shaped central panel, not the old fashioned ones with a thin strip) and strong elastic at both ends. A narrow girth does not give enough grip, and non-elastic allows for a moment of slack when the ribcage contracts unless you are girthing to the point of asphyxiation!

 

[kymw90]

No not patronising at all. I am a novice and am not ashamed to say it but heres the thing. I don't ride a horse, I ride a mammoth donkey. I have a treeless saddle and proper padding. Donkeys have nearly no withers and oddly shaped backs so I went treeless and it solved a lot of problems. The V shaped chest seems to be what donkeys have. I've met other mammoths and smaller and all are V shaped.

I have 2 that I ride now and both had the same problems when it came to saddling, back shape, withers not there or minimal and saddle slipping forward. That was overcome by using a crupper. The grey jenny doesn't get the side slip problem though and I use the same tack for both of them. Its just my darkbrown jenny that has this issue. I wondered if anyone could suggest a girth or advice.

I can up load some pictures too if you would like. Would be nice to have some opinions on it all. I just ask you be kind as I really am a novice