With so many girth options out there, why did you pick yours?
What made you decide to use a sheepskin, anatomical girth? What signs did your horse show that made you think of trying different girths? How did you know your horse “likes” your current girth?
My horse had an injury behind his elbow, so I knew I wanted to protect that area, sheepskin girths allowed his saddle to slide around as he is built quite round, so that left an anatomic girth. He has no preference it seems for leather or not, so I bought the sythetic Jeffries anatomic girth because the buckles are in a v attachment that allows the girth to be on different holes in front and back, which for a round horse is helpful…
My horse’s girth groove is forward which caused the saddle and girth to slide forward. The Fairfax anatomical prevents the saddle from sliding. My horse is much happier with this girth and his custom saddle.
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I have a Total Saddle Fit girth, on my saddle fitter’s recommendation. My horse has a somewhat large shoulder and forward girth groove.
I have a Prestige anatomic girth and use a Total Saddle Fit sheepskin cover on it during the winter.
I started with straight girths (fleece and leather), and then a Thinline shaped girth, and tried three different brands of anatomic girths (CWD, County, Prestige). I always had a slightly creeping saddle when it was placed appropriately behind the shoulder. The Prestige did the best of the anatomic girths to keep the saddle back.
My saddles, both dressage and jump, tended to creep forward and ended up on maresy’s neck if she bucked. I went to an anatomical girth which has fixed that. I went with the Greenhawk house brands on their 40 % off sales, and those have functioned fine. They are leather which I prefer to neoprene, just because plastic seems so sticky and sweaty.
When I used a straight girth, I had a fuzzy and then a sheepskin girth cover. I found one wide enough to fit the anatomical girth, but that put too much fuzz behind maresy’s elbow and she just refused to walk away from the mounting block until I took it off.
Actually I am now seriously considering getting a mohair girth made for the dressage saddle. I think it will be less sweaty for trail riding. I would get it made in a shaped fashion, thicker under the sternum to function like an anatomical girth.
Broadly built 13hh pony. Forward Girth groove. Needs at least a 24".
Tried a couple of straight girths…nylon and leather and saddle went forward. Used a 24" TSF for a few months and it was ‘OK’. Did the job of keeping saddle in place but there was ‘something’ I didn’t really like about. I then did quite a lot of research and ended up with a 26" NunnFiner Bella Donna. This is a very ‘large’ girth…very shaped and also lots of padding. When I first saw it I really thought it was going to be too BIG for him… After all, he is only 13hh. However the little guy LOVES it. I am able to keep it fairly loose and he also loves that.
I use the Ovation Air Form girth. After 20+ years of riding, I want economy and easy care. These anti-microbial synthetic girths wipe off with a sponge, are about $35 and last at least 6-8 years with daily riding and hold up well. They have elastic on both ends, stainless steel buckles, look nice and don’t cause rubs. What’s not to like??
Scribbler, where can you get said girth? My teacher would be so happy if I got one (or two) - maybe my horses, too!
My horse has a very forward girth groove and hates anything near his scapula, so regardless of the saddle I tried, I was adjusting my saddle back at least once every ride. I used to use the Nunn Finer Piaffe - which I really like, but was not anchoring the back sufficiently. Switched to the TSF girth and horse has been happy since - I don’t even have the girth very tight and the saddle never comes forward anymore.
Not who you asked, but I have gotten mine here: http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Stillwater_Mohair_Contour_Dressage_Girth_1_Buckles/descpage-SWCMCDG.html
Warmblood mare with big honking shoulders needs a point billet paired with an anatomical girth.
Appendix mare with more reasonable shoulders wears a shaped Passier girth that I had tried on the WB and realized it didn’t work. It happens to work really nicely on the appendix though, with a point billet saddle. It is nice and wide at the middle to distribute pressure, and keeps the saddle stable. On her jumping saddle I use an anatomical girth to compensate for not having point billets. Without it, I think the jumping saddle would get pulled up onto her shoulder.
Schleese 5" Softy girth.
My Arab mare is prone to light galling as well as the girth moving forward; previously I tried everything, and was most successful with a mohair string girth. But this is the most amazingly lovely girth I’ve used - cushioned, soft leather, and the best quality I’ve seen. Anatomic enough to keep it in place without rubbing between her legs. Love it!
Mine too has a forward girth groove, well sprung ribs, and hysterics about the saddle sliding forward. The Total Saddle Fit girth worked best of all the girths I tried. He was still a bit grumpy about the girthing process, and I couldn’t tighten the girth properly so when I heard about the TSF StretchTec I ordered one by the end of the same day. My horse is far, far less grumpy about the girthing process - most days I just get an ear flick. He is not less sensitive as I still get faces when I groom the area.
My other horse is pretty tolerant. The one time I knew he was having issues with a girth was because it was leaving sore spots on his sides. That was the Winter neoprene stretch. The lump of material where the centre elastic attached to the nylon straps for the buckles dug in. He has a TSF for his jumping saddle and a TSF StretchTec for his dressage.
How did you determine your horse has a forward girth groove?
I’m wondering if my horse has a forward girth groove. When I am looking at his from the side, there is a “flat spot” kind-of behind the below/area that is flatter than the rest of his body. Is that a forward girth groove? I think I’ve had problems with the billets not being perpendicular to the ground and being pulled forward when tacking up but never really paid attention. I’ll have to further examine it tonight.
I’ve attached a photo I took several months ago. It kind of crops his barrel at the bottom but you can see where there is flat spot on towards the right of the photo. There is where my girth typically ends up. He is a pretty narrow horse for being so tall. [ATTACH=JSON]{“alt”:“Click image for larger version Name: IMG_0374.JPG Views: 1 Size: 14.7 KB ID: 9907226”,“data-align”:“none”,“data-attachmentid”:“9907226”,“data-size”:“custom”,“height”:“366”,“width”:“487”}[/ATTACH]
It’s really more about the spring of the ribs.
Basically if your horse bucks and the saddle ends up on his neck, or goes up over his withers when you canter, or the girth isn’t hanging straight when you dismount, you have a problem.
If the saddle has been checked and fits fine and an anatomical girth fixes the problem you can say he has a forward girth groove.
If the saddle stays where you want it you don’t have a problem 
There’s a thread on horse care now called itchy under the girth that ended up being about sourcing mohair English girths!
Mohair girths I have used and liked;
http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Stillwater_Mohair_Contour_Dressage_Girth_1_Buckles/descpage-SWCMCDG.html
I have a anitomical/shaped neopreane girth.
I bought it because they are easy to clean and don’t give my two rubs. I selected the shaped aspect because my equine touch practioner recomended it for my mare who got quite tight with a regular straight girth.
