Saddle fitter yesterday gave me interesting advice

[loopylou]

Sorry if you know this already, but i didn't and found it quiet interesting what the saddle fitter told me yesterday when checking our saddle.

I have a Highland so build very similar to the Dales, and he told me not to use a elasticated ended girth due to the shape of him as this will cause the saddle to move about more, and advised me to get something similar to this (Open the link, and it should be the second from the bottom of the line of girths)

www.stubbennorthamerica.com/stu0305girths.html

This is what i use to use on my old mare, a long time ago, LOL. What he was saying is that they will act as two different girths and hold the saddle in place. He is also going to put in balancing girth straps, like you get in the thorowgood cob saddles with 4 straps either side so you can can change the balance of the saddle through the year as he changes shape, but they will explain how it all works in the workshop when i take the saddle in.

Hope that all makes sense to you all and i haven't lost you as my brain is a bit watery at the moment, LOL.

[mabel]

We've used these girths for ages now for both willow and Jazz and think they're brilliant. They're really happy in them too and get much less sweaty. I've recently put Jazz in a dressage saddle and wish they did a dressage version too.

[SuzieP]

They look like the old string girths we used to use years ago. Why DID those go out of fashion?

[DalesLady]

we are using elasticated ended ones (Jeffries) and have no problems with saddles moving at all! I have heard people say not to use them though. Has anyone else had problems?

[rachelg]

wow im really interested now!!!!good old fashioned string girths eh,making a come back!!!!i think they went out of favour as everyone thought they nipped?

[hilarydawn]

I found that the thorowgood girth that was elasticated at one end slipped on my little rolypoly pony but the wintec one was fine.
The main memory I have of those string girths is trying to untangle them.

[The Moo]

I think elastic both ends is okay but elastic one end may slip on a round pony.
On the one ended ones you are supposed to put the elastic on the side you don't tighten - usually the right side - so you spread out the load, this will make a difference as to if it slips as well.

[merlinalison]

I used to have a girth with elastic both ends for Merlin and the combination of that, Flair and a round horse proved too much - I attribute 3 of the 4 falls I've had from Merlin to that (at least in part). There's not a lot you can do if you suddenly discover that you're still sitting firmly in the saddle but the saddle is 90 degrees from where it should be..... Now that I use a plain leather girth the problem hasn't recurred.

[mabel]

These girths are made of very soft round cord which is thicker the old string girths. What I like is that they move much better with the horse rather than a solid girth. Jazz was always very sensitive and not that happy in any of the other girths I used, and I tried them all from the wintec breathable to leather stubben ones and spent a fortune LOL. But she settled straight away in this one and they're definitely worth a try.

[dalesponyrider]

I think I'd like to try one but I've got a dressage saddle.

[admin]

Re Balancing straps I've been warned against them because they rock the saddle backwards. Decreasing the pressure in the pommel area, but increasing it at the back. This means the weight isn't evenly distributed along the length of the saddle.

Olivia

[greydales]

I would second what Olivia says, the same applies to a point strap. Basically the saddle tree is a banana shape (some much worse than others) and if you are pulling this down at the pommel or the cantle it puts too great a pressure in one area. If you have both point and balance straps then this acts as a fulcrum on the horse's back and is even worse IMO

I had dreadful trouble with Pip and balance straps in particular, and I had them removed from his saddle.

[bella]

We used to have an elastic girth and it always made the saddle roll. We have some jefferies synthetic type ones at the moment which seem to work very well.

[julie]

I always use them on my big cob and she is very happy, everything else slips! You can get them in dressage - just need to order them . TDS does them and will order for you

[harleydales]

I have all sorts!! A thoroughgood one that is shaped and not elastic that absorbs miosture and is lovely and comfy, an elasticated one for emergencies and several 'humane' ones with the ends that move with the horse. We like those.
Interesting info about the balance straps, Harley's saddle has 4 straps and I use the first and last, have for 3 years with no problems. I suppose as ever it depends on each horse and the saddle - mine's a wintec wide and has a fairly flat tree.