What is your Girth?
So really now, would I ask you that question referring to your actual girth, as in perhaps your waist measurement? Of course not! I am asking what kind of girth you use on your equine friend. You have a lot of choices about the kind of girth you purchase, so let’s talk about the differences and what you should consider before deciding on the girth you need for your horse or pony. And even before I get started, let me qualify that I am about to discuss English girths (which would be called a cinch if we were talking Western) -- specifically Hunter girths and not Dressage.
The most obvious reason to use a girth in the first place is to keep the saddle on the horse and in its proper place. But really, there is so much more to think about! Comfort of the horse must be considered. While leather is customary, if your horse has sensitive skin you may want to use a fleece girth, fleece cover for a leather girth, or one of the newer products that provide removal/washable parts or special materials to lessen sweating in the girth area. What about shape? There are many shapes to know about, from straight to anatomical girths. And if your horse wears studded shoes, you probably need a stud girth to provide protection to the horse’s belly. Luckily, your trainer probably has a recommendation for you about the type of girth that will give your horse the most comfort and at the same time the best performance. Yet you still want to know the basic differences and things to consider.
But first things first – which is what size (measured in inches) you will need. And remember that, just like you, your horse’s girth size can change over time and can be a warning sign that you horse has gained or lost weight. While you can spend a lot of time and money trying different sizes of girths on your horse, you may want to start by measuring your horse for girth size with the saddle pad and saddle that you will use. Both of those ingredients make a difference, so don’t just grab any saddle pad and saddle. You want the girth to attach in the middle of the saddle billets on both sides, so use a cloth tape measure and stretch it from the middle of one billet to the middle of the other. You will need a friend to do this safely. Measuring this way will give you the size of girth you will need from buckle to buckle. And by the way, while you are measuring, please take the opportunity to carefully inspect both billets. You may have the perfect size and type of girth, but that won’t help keep you and the saddle in place if a billet breaks.
Since we are talking hunter/jumper, that does set some limits on the style of girth and yet there are still a lot of choices.
Hunter Horse Girth Types
- Synthetic girths
- Leather girths
- Anatomical girths shaped to fit your horse and help disperse pressure
- Fabric girths
- Neoprene girths
- Stud Girths / Guards (only needed if your horse wears studded shoes)
A good leather girth, and perhaps even a good leather anatomical girth if it is what your horse needs, should be a part of your collection of tack. After that requirement, you may well want a synthetic, fabric, or neoprene girth as well. Our experienced staff can help guide your choices, and you should definitely ask your trainer for their girth preferences for your horse. Beyond that, here are a few possibilities for what we’ll call everyday or schooling girths.
The Ovation® Dry-Tex® Equalizer Girth is fleece lined for comfort and features Dry-Tex technology to wick moisture. It is a straight girth.
Need more contour for your horse’s comfort? The Toklat Passport fleece lined fabric girth is a good, low cost option for sensitive horses and works well for showing or schooling.
The EquiFit ESSENTIAL® Schooling Girth with SmartFabric is perfect for everyday use and is machine washable. With a removable liner, it uses moisture wicking fabric woven with antibacterial silver to help guard against microbial growth. The liner is bonded to a neoprene-free, open-cell foam to ensure a comfortable fit. If you prefer a SheepsWool liner which naturally promotes breathability, that type of liner is an option. It is hypoallergenic and naturally water and odor resistant.
These are just the girths that we stock and recommend, but we can special order almost any girth you may want or need.
And finally, did you think we were talking one saddle, one horse, one girth? Our store manager, exaggerating just a bit (I hope), said she has about 50 girths for her one saddle and one horse. While that many girths is not needed or recommended, more than one girth is almost essential. After all, you will need to wash or clean your girth frequently so at least a spare is recommended. And in hot weather the need for more than two is a probability, especially if you plan to ride daily. Another reason to have more than one girth is that you may want a schooling girth for every day use, and a good leather girth for those important shows.
With that, we wish you happy girth hunting! Let us know if we can help.