No I don't jump without a stud girth. Almost identical reasons to m_m
Mine certainly is not flappy at all but sits very flush to the horse - it is a Childeric one it moulds nicely to him and as others have said has plenty of marks on it (even when jumping without studs) to convince me it is doing the job
The only stud guards I have ever had that were flappy were the ones you attached to an existing girth that I used more than 20 years ago. As another poster said I would not use an attachment on a fairfax. Has there been much evidence of horses jumping better in a fairfax? I seem to have heard more about the movement from the dressage one - heard very little about the jumping ones.
Nope, if theres studs in,theres an increased risk of injury to the horse, im about minimising risk to me and my horse, even the most clean jumper can have an off jump or if very honest a scramble over a jump si i always use one and like others its full if dents and scrapes, better that than my horse
Mine always wears one too, the dents and scratches on it are enough to tell me it would hurt if it was my horses belly that they were hitting. Also think if god forbid my horse lost her footing, went down and landed hard with her feet underneath her the damage that could be done on that area of her belly with studs in.. Just a thought
Nope wouldn't even jump without a stud girth, mines stratched to bits and that's even without having studs in. Mares very neat and quick in front.
Got a new horse, that was a bit dangly in front, instructor says his technique is improving over a fence, stud girth or my super duper riding..... Who knows....
BIG difference I would say he's just much better all round, it's like he now has the freedom to perform the movements I'm asking for. I think he must have been in quite a lot of girth discomfort before, which is rather depressing to realise given I try to do everything possible to make him comfortable but obvs a leather shaped normal girth just didn't cut it for him.
It's hard to explain how it has improved him so I'll try to give an example..
Pre-FF Girth
If I asked for a trans from canter to trot this would happen...
try to slow canter in prep for trans
resistance and tension through back
stiffening of gait
abrupt change into next pace
feeling of 'backing up'
lots of leg needed to achieve a forward 1st stride of trot
trot unbalanced and rushed for a few strides
then having to balance and slow trot again.
With FF Girth
slow canter in prep for trans
canter slows no tension just a change of pace
smooth change of foot fall into a forwards trot
trot instantly balanced and forwards
all the time round and through in the neck
Thrilled with it, can't wait to get on and school him every time now as it feels like we've had a bit of a Eureka moment!!!
Will try to get some vids of him working in it and blog about it soon too....
Hmm after today I think I'm going to have to (eventually) get the Fairfax stud guard version but continue using my Amerigo stud guard until then. Did 2 JAS classes today and his stud guard had new marks/scratches and arena surface embedded after each class - and that was without studs. Not worth the risk. 'Specially as I might have to think about getting the new Fairfax jump saddle (I'm going to be forever poor). Blast!