My DH’s horse has some raw areas where the girth rubbed him just behind his elbow on a recent trail ride. It was a short ride (3.5 miles) and he just walked 90% of the time with short trotting spurts. The girth is a basic fleece girth (western saddle) and had just been washed. It’s very soft and seemed like it would be the least likely to cause rubs!
I was thinking maybe some powder in the area next time? or some type of lubricant like runners use to prevent chaffing?
I don’t think a powder or lube would help - too much sweat in that area.
How often is this horse ridden? Most girth rubs I have seen have happened when a horse was pulled from pasture and put to work - the skin was not used to tack and the pressure.
Beyond that I would be looking hard at the fit of the saddle and the girth - you might have too much movement going on.
And lastly, I always pick up and pull my horses front legs forward after tightening the girth to prevent pinches etc.
In the past 2.5 months that we have had him, we’ve been gradually bringing him back into work, riding twice a week on average. Before that he was a pasture puff for quite a while. Although he is being ridden lightly regularly, I usually ride him in my cc saddle, so he hasn’t been getting near as many rides in the western tack that DH uses.
I really dislike fleece cinches. I don’t like to use a cinch/girth that absorbs sweat as it keeps that salty sweat against the horse for the entire ride. Fleece is really bad this way and it is thick, usually a double layer against the horse. a thcik girth can cause the horse to get rubs if the horse has a tight to the body elbow.
Are you saying his saddle is a western type and he uses a cinch or his saddle uses an english style girth?
Anyway, you want a flat and thin girth and a material that doesn’t absorb sweat. I like the waffle weave, PVC girths and cinches… Use the ones that DO NOT have bond edges, no stitching along the edges. The western string mohair cinches dries better and is flatter than a fleece girth. You want a soft, flexible cinch. no stiff edges.
chicamuxen
My horse is prone to girth galls. If I use my Fleeceworks sheepskin girth cover his skin does well. Nothing else works for him.
Yeah - just to chime back in. My horse will have some sort of odd reaction and her hair will fall out with leather or neoprene girths.
However, I can use a fleece girth for hours, and cover many miles of hilly terrain without any issues. I had a TB prone to galls - but did much better in a fleece girth.
Mohair girths are a good option as well.
If the saddle doesn’t fit, and is shifting side to side, or creeping forward - no girth will prevent rubs - you need to stop all the motion first.
Is it a real fleece /wool or synthetic fleece? My princess mare rubs if I use a fake fleece saddle pad.
I’d look at saddle fit closely- is it possible to rig the saddle farther back(center fire)? Particullary on that short of a ride, it seems like saddle fit might be the top culprit.
Any chance the girth wasn’t rinsed enough and some detergent irritated the horses skin?
If you switch girths, I would look at the wintec waffle weave type neoprene or mohair, maybe felt.
As far as sprays/ lubricants go, I have had decent luck with showsheen sprayed in the armpits or destin rubbed over any galls/spots that tend to gall. The destin is messy, but it works well for me.
I’d also make sure to stretch the horses legs forward after you cinch him up.
I use the Fleeceworks girth cover that is real sheepskin. It comes in various sizes, and we use the largest size. I think I got it from Adams Horse Supply or maybe Equestrian Collections. I have to wash the sheepskin in the washing machine without detergent after each ride. I did try the girth sock type stretchy covers. They helped but did not completely prevent galls. My horse just has super sensitive skin.
Real wool/sheepskin will wick away & dry, synthetic will stay wet & cause issues.
Real wool felt is also a nice option.
I would try a mohair string girth (not synthetic) or real sheepskin, as suggested.
Also, take the time to tighten the girth from both sides so that it’s not all pulling up on the left. Pay attention to where the girth falls on the horse’s body and try a new spot.
The other thing to look at is that you may be overtightening it for this particular horse. If the horse is round you may not have a choice, but if he has withers you may do fine with a slightly looser girth. Tightening only after your DH is mounted may help you get it just right.
There’s not “magic” solution to this problem as it can have multiple roots.
First, a horse not in work might have to “toughen up” the skin in the girth area or suffer galls. This means the human must take steps to facilitate that process. What follows will help.
Second, always ensure that the girth area is clean and free of any debris, wrinkled skin, old hair, fly bites, etc.
Third, ensure that girth is clean and in good repair. Older, leather girths can develop minor “cracking” with age. These cracks are not real obvious but if the girth feels “rough” to human fingers lightly passing over it what does it feel like to the horse when it’s tightened up? Other materials can develop their own surface discontinuities. If the girth has problems then replace it.
Fourth, natural girth materials (mohair, leather, real fleece, etc.) work better against the horse’s hide than the synthetics IME. Synthetics often wear better and have longer life expediencies and don’t bother a lot of horses. But with some horses they are just “non-starters.” Do what’s right for the horse in front of you, not the horse in an advertisement for girths.
Fifth, ensure that the girth is place in an anatomically correct position for the saddle being used and the horse it’s being used on. Just where that might be can vary some from horse to horse and saddle to saddle. Make sure it’s right for your horse.
Sixth, after the girth is tightened ensure that there are no “skin wringles” in the girth area. I give a light “streatch” to the front legs before mounting to make sure there are not problems, here.
Seventh, make sure the girth is tightened correctly. Slipping can cause more problems than just the saddle rolling to the side the rider eating dirt.
Eighth, it’s OK to combine stuff. If a leather girth causes a gall in a horse coming back into work then use a natural fabric “girth tube” to help out the horse. Or maybe do something else. Only change one thing at a time so that you see what the effect of a change is.
I’m sure there are more things others can propose. This is just a start, not at all a finish!!! 
G.
Thanks for all the advice so far. I am always very careful to make sure the girth and his skin are clean and smooth (it’s synthetic fleece), but because its a western cinch/girth I haven’t been tightening it evenly from both sides. The rubs are on the left side only (obviously the side where I tighten up the latigo). I need to be more aware of that and of stretching his legs forward to prevent pinches. I wouldn’t mind trying the waffle-weave or flexiworks type girth, but those string girth always looked SO uncomfortable to me!
Are there any resources you can point me to regarding evaluating the fit of a western saddle? I don’t have much experience with Western saddles.
The string girths are actually renowned for being very comfortable and breathable and less likely to gall. You do want the mohair ones, not a cheap synthetic. The mohair is breathable and has a certain amount of stretch, allowing it to conform better to the shape of the horse.
