Whats the best girth?

[ceej]

Harry hates the girth being done up. I always do it gradually and he has a thorowgood one that is elasticated at one end and cut sgaped in at at the legs (if that makes sense - if it doesnt, look at this...
www.rideaway.co.uk/index2.php3?sessionid=5df66ba16f0ebced58143b63b9bff38f&page=showprod&uact=shop&catcode1=SGI&catcode2=AIC
but mine has elastic at one end only) its meant to be really comfy but I am not so sure. No horse LOVES the girth being doen up but he really dislikes it - perhaps this is years of wearing an uncomfortable girth, and it is now association and habit? he came with a bog-standard girth and I bought him this one because of his dislike but he is no better.

I would like to try soemthing else juts to make sure it isnt because he doesnt like the one I have got...(feel free to tell me I am wasting my money being a fuss pot) but what would you lot recomment for ultra comfort. I think maybe the shaped girth is not right for Harry as the girth doesnt sit that close to his legs anyway and I wonder whether the thinner bits cause more pressure, so a straight one may be better?

What about sheepskin covers?

[Blonde Donkey]

savvy hates having her's done up, we use cottage craft ones rather than the elastic one as she got worse
also she has it done up one hole at a time and then a walk to get her used to it and she is a lot better

[FirenLady]

Fires got a wintec one with in built stretch. (No eleasticated end) It was expensive £29.99 but its great. His synthtic cottage craft made him sweat a lot this one doesn't at all. Someone also told me that it can make them unbalanced with one elastiated end? dunno if its true or not.

[FirenLady]

I have to do his up one hole at a time and walk him round then do another etc otherwise he gets jumpy.

[Maes Seren]

I have a stubben trivera girth for Gem and Eddie.
Went XC with it today, splashing in water the lot, its fab.

Basically, because of the strings, to the horse it feels loose, but to us it feels tight enough to hold the saddle in place. The individual strings have their own give in them, but the whole girth is tight.

Gem used to be girthy, hence why i got her one.

[spotti]

Mae, they're quite nice-looking girths they are...might give one a go if Faith gets all picky again about her her girth being done up (will have to wait until my back is up to riding again though!)

[Maes Seren]

I got my white one off ebay for £5 ex P&P, brand new, but usually around £20/25

[zara]

"Professional Choice" these girths are just fantastic - neoprene with elastic at both ends. V comfy for horse with no rubs etc, used one on my last arab who didn't have much room behind her elbow and was prone to rubbing. Pricey but worth every penny Z

[haffyfan]

I don't personally like elasticated girths as I think they can lead to over tightening in wrong hands and the one sided elastic must exert uneven pressure in my mind?

I use Torsion neophrene girths or Aerborn waffle ones with the straps on a roller to even out the pressure...can't remember what there called at min....humane maybe??

[brigadier]

May 23, 2008 16:48:02 GMT FirenLady said:

Fires got a wintec one with in built stretch. (No eleasticated end) It was expensive £29.99 but its great. His synthtic cottage craft made him sweat a lot this one doesn't at all. Someone also told me that it can make them unbalanced with one elastiated end? dunno if its true or not.

Hi my saddler told me this as well so I went out and bought a wintec one with elastic that runs through it, ended up making a right mess as where the elastic is joined to the straps theres a bump and it caused a pressure gall. Went back to my old one with elastic at one side with no problems. It wasnt cheap either but deffo not suitable for wimpy thoroughbreds! May suit something a bit tougher though!
brig

[racaille]

I agree Brig, I didn't like the look of that Wintec bump either. Bought a Cottage Craft neoprene girth for Racaille but it is only elasticated at one end, and the elastic is very stretchy. Annoying. Still searching for neoprene with elastic boths ends.
Have now put back Paco's old bog-standard girth (elastic one side but really tough elastic, not very stretchy) with the usual black stretchy cover. Always wash the cover at least once a week. Haven't had any problems with it.
Put Mouchette in a leather girth recently and it gave her a gall but she is an appy and very fine skinned. Not sure about leather girths here: I think it is too hot and the sweat builds up very quickly into a crust unless you clean them all the time. Easier to wash a girth sock.

[ceej]

I went out today and bought a humane one (like you were talking about Haffy - where the buckle straps are one piece and move....the rest of the girth is just normal. here is one

www.rideaway.co.uk/index2.php3?sessionid=fd6fd983c6b6713af0f9bd42bdac9270&page=showprod&uact=shop&catcode1=SGI&catcode2=HU

I also added a sheepskin (well fake) sleeve that I am going to change for a neoprane one when i can order it.

Harry was completely different in it - he MUCH preferred it and it was obvious in just one use ;D he didnt even wriggle when I did it up and the jointed buckle straps are brill

hapy now. Except that the shop only has 46" and he really needs a 44 so I will invest in another soon now I know it works it was only £14

[fimacg]

I had the humane girths on Figaro but when he needed a new saddle my saddler read me the riot act over them, said they lead to overtightening and put too much pressure on one place, can lead to instability as the joint where the straps pull through can move. He also added that most 'new' girths were c**p and the only one to use use are the old fashioned string ones.

However Fig went really happily on it, never complained about it being done up and never had any rubs or sores from them, so I took the saddlers advice with a pinch of salt and continued to ignore it.