Center Fire Rigging vs Western to English Girth Converter

[chebeau]

Center Fire Rigging vs Western to English Girth Converter

Center Fire Option
http://horsesdacor.com/biothanecenterfirebilletstraps.aspx

Girth Converter
https://www.saddleuptack.com/xcart/product.php?productid=291

Which do you prefer? Why?

I am enjoying my new Abetta endurance. From what I read on Coth, I learned how to change the western fenders to english leathers. Other than being rough on my hands and a few colorful words, it was not too hard.

Now I am considering changing the rigging on I can use the nice mohair girth my horse seems to go better in. *It is a dressage girth. Or I need to get a new western mohair girth…

Thanks and happy riding,
Jessie and the Stinky Pony aka Bosco

[Trakehner]

One problem with this sort of girth adapter…you don’t get any benefit of the bucking strap (back girth). The back girth will tend to keep the saddle from slipping forward, it also allows the front girth from the need to be tightened so much.

If you are only using a single girth on your western saddle, I’d feel fine using either one of them, the Center Fire option looks like it’d be less bulky under your leg.

[chicamux]

I have converted both of my endurance saddles to this:
http://www.american-flex.com/girths.htm scroll to the very bottom of the page to see the western to english convertors. They are excellent quality leather, equivalent of the billets you will find on good dressage saddles and they lie very flat under your leg. I use them with this girth:
http://www.windswepthorse.com/servlet/the-88/Dressage-Equalizer-Humane-Comfort/Detail

Super design for a short girth, very confortable for the horse.

HOWEVER, a centerfire rigging will keep the back of a saddle from “wagging” and rubbing the loins of your horse while trotting down the trail. Some horses don’t have the movement or shape that will cause their saddle to wag. The Horses Dacor biothane billets that you are looking at are WIDE and will only work on mohair girths that have the wider buckles, basicly the Montana Cinchas brand that Horses Dacor sells. Personally, I tried those girths but I just don’t care for the extra care that mohair girths need. I find the waffled PVC girths work really well for my horses, wether english girths or westen cinches. But if you need to stablize the back of your saddle and WANT to use the Montana Cinches then those biothane straps would work for you.

Bonnie

[chebeau]

Ooh, I like those. Will strongly consider them. Thanks and happy riding!

[sign_of_Grace]

Chicamux, I got the same converter (I think from your suggestion on a prior post somewhere) and it works perfect with the Abetta!

[ponygrl25]

I have the Cashel converters and I do actually like them a lot. At least I like the idea… The leather isn’t very heavy and started showing wear after less than 10 fairly short trail rides. Plus, they were really too short for my taste. I took them to my saddle repair guy and he made me a new set that are heavier and a couple of inches longer. I have plans for making my own center fire set up for my new endurance saddle. Couldn’t be too hard, one hopes;)

[TheOtherHorse]

I like the idea of center fire rigging, of course depending on your horse’s conformation. If your current girth has standard width buckles and not the 1.5" wide buckles, I found this site that says their billets will work with normal girths:
http://www.actionridertack.com/p-903-taylored-tack-center-fire-billet-straps-set-of-4.aspx

[chicamux]

I have to say that I really don’t like biothane strapping in general for billet straps, stirrup leathers, etc. Beta biothane slides thru buckles better than the glossy “regular” biothane. I do use a lot of biothane but the rounded edges and flexibility oiled leather is much easier to deal with. I’ve also noticed that biothane seems to get stiffer with age, not softer.

Bonnie