There is a thread from 2016 and I was wondering … any updates? How does the elastic hold up? I currently use a Fairfax shaped girth and while it helps the saddle fit correctly, it does not have ANY elastic - and Bravo is getting more and more grouchy when I girth up. (Saddle fitter says it fits well… etc etc… he is also ticklish when groomed behind his elbow).
I bought a second one for my other horse!
I guess I’ve had my original one for almost a year and a half. I have ridden through mud, wet sand, very hot days, and cold days. The elastic is still just the same as the day it arrived. I got the neoprene liner for that first girth and it is showing some minor wear in that the pattern has worn off in places (behind the elbows where there is lots of movement) but it is still sound and cushioning. The rest of the girth cleans up like new.
My horse is still happy with it, and is still much less concerned about the girthing process than he was with the original TSF (which was in turn much less than with a regular straight girth).
I really did buy another girth for my older horse. I got him the leather liner with a spare neoprene in case he liked it better. He is quite happy with the leather, which has a nice, squishy sternum cushion. When TSF comes out with long StretchTecs I will probably replace his long TSF original as well.
thanks!!
Love mine. My gelding is very comfortable in it and it is very easy care
They work very well on the two old schoolmaster geldings I work with… and one of them was notoriously girthy before he switched to the Stretch Tec…
So which liner do you like best? How do they stand up to wear?
My younger horse has the neoprene liner because I need all the non slip help I can get to keep his saddle back off his shoulders. I actually like it better than the leather as it is more flexible than the leather and has a tighter connection to the Velcro inside the outer layer. The leather doesn’t mould round the shape of the elastic ends as well. It’s an aesthetic preference.
My older horse has the leather liner. The elastic inserts in the liner seem too long, but they don’t make wrinkles when the girth is on my horse. The centre cushion is nice and squishy - something that might make girthy horses happier though the neoprene is a good, thick, giving layer.
I mentioned above that the neoprene is showing some minor wear behind the elbows. Specifically the pattern wearing off. I haven’t had the leather liner long enough to speak to wear.
I recently bought a used one from a friend (she needed one size down) and really like it. Fits both of my horses well, cleans up easy, and goes well with both my dressage and jump saddles. Mine has the leather liner.
Add me to the club- I have 3 now! I did have the original at first and I really didn’t like the uneven pressure distribution, and the gaping that could happen on some. These seem much more horse friendly- my 3 approve!
I have both the leather and the neoprene, and I’ve also used the sheepskin covers too. I tend to prefer the neoprene for the same reasons stated above.
Timely thread as I have been considering getting one for my draft. He isn’t girthy and doesn’t show any issues at all, moves forward just fine, has a great work ethic, and there are no issues with saddle slippage. I keep his girth on the looser side and use a cheapo curved gel dressage girth with him and sometimes a Professionals Choice neoprene girth, both with elastic. I’m always interested in seeing if something can improve our riding though and have been interested in the Stretch Tec girth. Do you think it’s worth it to try it out, or not really since he goes fine as is? I only know one person with a TSF girth and it’s WAY too small for the big guy, so unfortunately I can’t try it out. He needs a 34. Thoughts?
