What buckle hole does your girth fasten on?

[MissJessica]

Random question. Yes.

My girth has always been a little too long - 42 inches. To secure I've always had to really lift my leg & fasten 5th/6th (final) buckle hole on girth straps of my saddle. So I've finally purchased a new one.

I measured my old one, and measured my horse. Opted for 40" however the new girth that has arrived measures 40" from end to end whereas I've always been taught to measure a girth excluding the metal buckles which is how I measured mine. Including them it works measure 45" this new girth is 40" buckle to buckle.

I am going to try it on later however what leather girth strap buckle hole do we all go up to normally in our saddles?

I personally have always been 3/4 when warmed up and ready for work, hence why I bought a new one.

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[milliepops]

I've always measured girths from end to end including the buckles so not sure why you have been taught otherwise.

I would aim for about the 3rd hole on short girth straps, so it's easy to get the girth on to start with and not too difficult to tighten when mounted.

I only use short girths now on monoflap saddles and they are long enough to almost reach the saddle flaps, that means we are near the top of the straps.

 

[scats]

I'm having a girthing nightmare. Horse has a 52" girth, always fitted perfectly. Purchased a Prestige saddle in October and girth straps must be higher as I can't get the bleeding thing even anywhere near fastening.

Bought a 54" girth to eliminate the problem. Still a bit of a struggle to get it on initially, then once it's on and I get on board and horse moves, it's too big and ends up at top both sides and still loose.

So I bought a girth extender to use with the 52", solves the initial girthing up problem but then have the same issue as the 54" once I'm on board.

Spoke to Prestige to see if they had anything they could recommend but they weren't particularly helpful.

My mare's goes to hole 4 on one side and 3 on other. If I have it 3 on both sides it's a bit too loose, but 4 on both sides, too tight for my liking.

 

[MissJessica]

Yes, who knows why I'd got this in my head?

I've had my current girth four years & it's bang on 42" and stamped 42" without the buckles included. So maybe measured this & assumed from there?

Thankfully it's not a problem to return it if it's too short but I'll give it a go to try before I return.

 

[MissJessica]

Bless you.

The mind boggles doesn't it!?
Things like this SHOULD BE SIMPLE, haha!
Sent to test us

 

[Kezzabell2]

I'm not sure if I was ever taught to measure a girth but if I was going to, I would have included the buckles! My girth is 50 inches and does up on 3 and 3, although i have to put it on 1 and 1 to start with, then work it up

 

[sasquatch]

I was always told your girth should be on roughly the same hole on each side.

My jumping saddle I need a smaller girth for it, as it's nearly on the top hole at both sides, but my next size down girth only goes onto the 2nd/3rd hole at one side and is on the 1st/2nd at the other so I really need a new girth.

My GP is on the 5th/6th on one side and 5th/6th/7th on the other. I prefer to have it on the 5th/6th on both sides, but my girth straps have lots of holes on them.

I usually have to start with 1 and 1 on both sides, or 1 and 2 because he breathes out so much though! I always have to check the girth several times and it'll often still go up once I'm on him, he's such a cheeky mucker!

 

[Annagain]

I'm having a girthing nightmare. Horse has a 52" girth, always fitted perfectly. Purchased a Prestige saddle in October and girth straps must be higher as I can't get the bleeding thing even anywhere near fastening.

Bought a 54" girth to eliminate the problem. Still a bit of a struggle to get it on initially, then once it's on and I get on board and horse moves, it's too big and ends up at top both sides and still loose.

So I bought a girth extender to use with the 52", solves the initial girthing up problem but then have the same issue as the 54" once I'm on board.

Spoke to Prestige to see if they had anything they could recommend but they weren't particularly helpful.

My mare's goes to hole 4 on one side and 3 on other. If I have it 3 on both sides it's a bit too loose, but 4 on both sides, too tight for my liking.

A friend had a similar problem - she got a saddler to put longer girth straps on.

 

[Kezzabell2]

My GP is on the 5th/6th on one side and 5th/6th/7th on the other. I prefer to have it on the 5th/6th on both sides, but my girth straps have lots of holes on them.

Oh I would hate that! if mine is any higher than 3 and 3 then I can feel it against my legs!

 

[atropa]

Older mare usually on 4 or 5 each side, starting on 3 or 4, depends on how fat she is and how much padding on the saddle/girth. Younger mare is now only just about reaching 3 on one side and 2 on the other, and starting at 1 - even that is a massive squeeze - due to addition of a girth cover and lambskin half pad to her tack. Reminds me, I need to swap their girths around..

 

[sasquatch]

Oh I would hate that! if mine is any higher than 3 and 3 then I can feel it against my legs!

I can't feel it at all so it doesn't bother me! But then both my saddles have girth buckle protectors on each side and the straps for the girth are really long so they aren't actually up that high. The bottom strap/hole is probably only just over where the girth holder thing on my numnah is.

 

[catkin]

I thought that the optimum girth size was when it buckles on or near the widest part of the horse's barrel, for both long girths and short girths - ie up near the flaps for short girths.
It is likely to be different for each type of saddle so the sizing is a bit trial and error on each horse.