A girth rant!

[Nova2000]

@lorilu

Me too!! I finally found a Tapestry girth out of Canada. Not really anatomic but almost entirely made of elastic (three layers, top two crossed. Image is hard to see). really stretchy.
I covered the buckle ends with merino wool covers. They already have thick leather behind the buckle.

@lorilu I would love to see a pic of how you have sheepskin behind the buckles! I love my tapestry girth!

[J-Lu]

I have used Wintec girths before with great success. Unfortunately, neither of the ones I have (different sizes) stopped the movement of the saddle onto his shoulders like the Fairfax does. I wish. I wiiiiish!!!

[Red_Barn]

I’m a huge mohair fan, and I don’t use anything else on my high-withered TB. He absolutely loves it.

On my round n’ witherless QH, though, mohair girths are a saddle-slipping nightmare. They’re cheap enough to try for the hell of it, OP, but if your horse is round, I wouldn’t expect miracles.

[phantomhorse]

@eightpondfarm

I wish some of those lovely mohair ones came in english.

We have a couple nice english ones from Montana Cincha that we got from Distance Depot (link here).

[lorilu]

I bought these, then cut slits in the top of them for the billets to go through from back (fleece) to front side.The velcro on the bottom fits well on the Tapestry girth and holds the fleece on even when I remove the girth. I’ll get a pic tomorrow. https://jmsproductsusa-com.3dcartstores.com/One-Pair-Merino-Sheepskin-Cinch-Ring-Buckle-or-Billet-Pads-Comfort-for-Horse-Girths_p_73.html

[Shagyas_Rock]

I use a Wintec anatomical girth that my sensitive mare seems happy with - I think it might be padded with gel - not sure - but that might be why it offers more even pressure. She likes it and it’s not that expensive.

[fanfayre]

Could you post a picture of any of the girths done up with her saddle?

I know you said saddle fitters say they fit well, but (just like some saddles needing to be wider/narrower than ‘fitted’ by the horse’s preference) maybe she would prefer a longer girth. A lot of people actually use too short a girth with their saddle and end up pinching the horse behind the elbow, as the girth should almost do up at the bottom of the saddle flap, with very little girth strap showing.

My mare got SO much better about girthing (and went better under saddle too) once I bought a (correctly sized) Tapestry from Linda, and since she’s your friend, maybe she’d lend you some of different sizes to try…

[lorilu]

Here are two photos of the merino buckle protectors on the Tapestry girth. It tightens up higher than in these pics…

[kookicat]

I recently bought one of these pads https://thesaddlepadcompany.com/product/classicdressage/ and while they’re not cheap, my saddle doesn’t move, even on a very broad pony that I’m schooling at the moment.

[Red_Barn]

That looks very nice, Kookicat.

The Ogilvy baby also uses the “velvet” lining to prevent slip. I love that stuff. This one is slim enough to use with a half-pad if you want, or it can be used alone perfectly well. (And yeah, 45 bucks for a baby pad sounds like sheer madness, but this thing really is irreplaceable. Tough as nails, too.)

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ogilvy-baby-pad-11703?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=NB_Shopping_TES&utm_campaign=21703&&utm_source=cpc&utm_medium=msn&msclkid=dacf5affc5cf1f5972653a6c2b8435ef&gclid=dacf5affc5cf1f5972653a6c2b8435ef&gclsrc=3p.ds

[J-Lu]

To prevent my saddle from slipping forward, I use a Nunn Finer neoprene pad between the pad and the saddle.

Nunn Finer No Slip Pad | Nunn Finer

I recently got another and it is thicker than the first one. It costs $29 but you can get similar looking no-slip pads for half the price.

I actually lay it in the opposite direction, so the ventilation holes are parallel to the horse’s spine. In this direction, the front lays right in front of the saddle. I then cut the back end to match the contour of my dressage saddle. I give a generous contour so I can lift the saddle pad into the gullet of my saddle. Also, laying it this way, it fits really close to the length of my saddle so there’s no “edge” under the saddle. You really don’t notice it when looking at the horse and rider. Not as nice as Kookicat’s pad but it’s a cheap approach to try!

[kookicat]

They’re gorgeous pads and I’d like a jumping one but they’re very expensive! The saddle is held nicely in place though. I was worried it might make the horse’s back sore (had that with a different non slip pad) but it doesn’t pull the hair or anything.

[Hayburner]

My mare is also wide and with a forward girth groove.

I use a full Thinline pad and the Lettia Click girth. It has elastic on both ends and is gel filled and slightly shaped in the center.

Possibly the girth’s you are trying are too wide and stiff for her. I tried a Thinline girth and it was definitely too wide on my mare.

I got the Lettia at Smartpak, at least you can return it if your horse doesn’t like it.

[demidq]

Thanks all- I am using a thinline pad, and the Letitia Click is in my collection of unsuccessful girths!

[beowulf]

Thanks for the link, I’m coming back with an update. I bought that and gave it a try.

I’m not returning it, but it’s not in my “I love this girth” pile. I had to sew on billet keepers since it came without any - my other (long) rope girth came with billet keepers. I’m going to try putting sheepskin discs that Lorilu linked and see how that works.