Just curious. Opinion about elastic vs no elastic girths

[equinelibrium]

@lorilu

Last year I went on a LOOONG search for the right girth. Bravo had become quite annoyed at the tightening process, and seemed sore behind his elbow. It is compounded by a very short back, well sprung ribs, and a forward girth groove…
I tried Stretch-Tec, with neoprene and fleece covers.
I tried Fairfax, both plain and covered in a sheepskin cover from LeMieux.
I tried Tapestry (Suggest you look at this one if you like elastic. It’s pretty cool. https://marystack.com/tapestry-comfort-dressage-monoflap-girth/?sku=140581-003&gclid=CjwKCAjwuYWSBhByEiwAKd_n_lHsVrW3krDs1lgtfi09S0D3JGooGnS01N5eAiDPc_R4BhC9fA74ORoCn5gQAvD_BwE )
I tried Mohair, specially made with english buckles.

I finally discovered it was not the stretch of the girth that was at issue - it was the stiffness of the ENDS where the buckles are. (Also, the length - I am using the longest I can get away with to move the buckles away from the elbow)
I tried putting little sheepskin covers over the buckle ends (hard to manage)
Now I use a FlexRider girth. Under $50. Soft all over and stretchy all over. Washable and light. https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Flex_Rider_Anatomic_Comfort_Foam_Dressage_Girth/descpage-FRCF.html

Happy dance!

Thank you for sharing! It sounds like my mare has a very similar build to your guy. She’s been very girthy lately and I’ve been wondering if the stiff ends of the Prolite girth are bugging her. I’ll have to give that FlexRider one a try. Wish they came in brown but if it works I can’t complain too much!

[blob99]

One watchout on the elastic girths–I have a horse with pretty loose skin. And any elastic girth I tried would pinch her–skin would get caught up in it even if i put it on with care smoothing out all her pug-like folds. So, if you have one with looser skin, elastic might not be the way to go!

[sophie]

Hmmm my girth’s elastics lie on the saddle pad on each side, not on the horse’s skin…

[blob99]

There are some girths like the TSF girth that has elastic in the middle of the girth–that’s what I was referring to!

[lorilu]

many dressage saddles have shorter billets. My billets are inside the monoflap and exit at the bottom of the flap - and, the saddle pad bottom edge is right there as well -

[sophie]

@blob99 and @lorilu yes, I forgot about these. I can see how it could pinch a horse, loose skin or not, actually.