so embarrassed

[Tuff_up]

ok well before i sound like a complete idiot let me remind you that i am a western rider and literally tie a not in my gitrh to tighten my girth. i have ridden in english (for 2 lessons) so heres my delema I JUST BOUGHT AN ENGLISH SADDLE! well my parents looked at me funny when i did it out of the blue yesterday but i loved the color, the price was right, the brand was reputable and i got everything from the girth, irons,leathers,deeps seat equitation/multipurpose (i think)saddle, nice saddle pad, nice bridle and reins all brand new for about 418.00 canadian so thats about 180.00 in the UK.
and my question which side of the saddle does the elastic stretchey part of the girth attach too? oh and i can't wait until it comes in! it will be intresting for both my western mare and i.

[Est]

Not a silly question at all - if I bought a Western saddle after riding English all my life, I'm sure I'd have a lot of questions too!

If the girth only has elastic at one end, you would normally put this on the opposite side to the one you mount on. Apparently, this can help to avoid the saddle slipping.

If you mount from the left-hand side of the horse, as is traditional, then put the elastic end of the girth on the right-hand side of the horse. Also, tighten the girth from the mounting side (left-hand side), as it is easy to pull the girth too tight if you do it on the elastic side.

It sounds like a very nice saddle - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that it fits your horse okay, so that you can have lots of fun with it! :)

[Tuff_up]

thank you very much cause you see i thought the exact opposite put it on the side you would be mounting on and tightening on. soo what your saying is that if you mount form the left elastic goes on the right got it and thanks. oh in less than 4 days it should be in my grasp and i will take pictures.

[bexj]

You'll find it quite different to ride in than your western saddle. Will you be taking lessons with it?

[Meovcorz]

Aww. wonderful, never ridden in a an english saddle, always stock saddles. You'll have to give us piccies. :D

[Roofio]

I think if i had a western saddle i'd probably be putting it on back to front!

I ask lots of silly questions, don't worry!

[Tally.]

sounds like you got it :)
I would love to try western, it looks so relaxed and comfortable :o

[Lora]

I think if i had a western saddle i'd probably be putting it on back to front!

And I couldn't get the girth right! Cinch? LOL SEE what I mean? What's a western crop look like? :p

[Ollie Bears mum]

ok, my turn for silly question. I have always wanted to try western, I have a 17hh german warmblood, high withered and a nutcase, would I be able to get a western saddle to fit?

[IrisSilverMoon]

If you mount from the left-hand side of the horse, as is traditional, then put the elastic end of the girth on the right-hand side of the horse. Also, tighten the girth from the mounting side (left-hand side), as it is easy to pull the girth too tight if you do it on the elastic side.



I actually always put the elastic on the left side, since that's the side you mount from, that's where you make your final adjustments in girth tightness.

to avoid making it too tight you should be able to fit a hand between the girth and the horse. I've never had a saddle slippage problem and probably am not even strong enough to make the saddle too tight! if i have trouble getting it one notch tighter, usually the looser notch is the correct one.

[LMS]

IMO either side nowadays. I had that discussion with my peers a while back & I said the right side of course! I was stared at & they replied no left side!

It makes so much sense to have it on the right side of the horse because then when it's tightened, it does so evenly.
But for people that don't have enough strength in their left hand/wrist, the elastic gets put on the left side. But you need to take care not to over stretch it then if you do have it on the left.

[Kerry Claire]

I would always attach the non elastic side to the right hand side of the saddle, and then as everything is traditionally done from the left hand side of the horse that leaves the elastic side free to help you do up the girth. However I also think it's important for horses to be used to you working on either side of them so looking at it from that point of view I don't think it matters too much!

[Siogfinsceal]

I actually always put the elastic on the left side, since that's the side you mount from, that's where you make your final adjustments in girth tightness.

to avoid making it too tight you should be able to fit a hand between the girth and the horse. I've never had a saddle slippage problem and probably am not even strong enough to make the saddle too tight! if i have trouble getting it one notch tighter, usually the looser notch is the correct one.

I agree I would always but the elastic to the left

[Tatooed Lady]

ok, my turn for silly question. I have always wanted to try western, I have a 17hh german warmblood, high withered and a nutcase, would I be able to get a western saddle to fit?

Yep. Western saddles have a lot of different fits...from narrow to extra wide and all sizes in between. The withers aren't a huge deal, either, as there are so many fits...I suggest, however, that you find a local source for your saddle, to ensure a PROPER fit before committing yourself to a particular saddle. And if you're looking for a really secure seat, the roper style we've got is WONDERFUL:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e106/TatooedLady/Queen/saddle.jpg
the rear of the seat comes up higher than a 'typical' western saddle....
http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/images/basicsWesternSaddle.jpg
Sorry to hijack the thread.....:o

[Daffy Dilly]

Well given I adjust the girth from either side when I am mounted (I tend to go for whichever side has the girth attached lowest) I don't think it makes a difference. That and my girth now has elastic on both ends. :p

[Tuff_up]

Ollie Bears mum ok, my turn for silly question. I have always wanted to try western, I have a 17hh german warmblood, high withered and a nutcase, would I be able to get a western saddle to fit?

well if you are offered the opportunity to try western, try it its alot of fun. one of my friends mostly does dressage but once inawhile she enters reining classes(type of western riding) and she always does amazing and she is riding a dutch warmblood. my horse has Tb blood in her so her whithers are slightly high and i use full quarter horse bars on her and so does my RI who rides many high withered horses some are even dressage and eventing prospects that she is breaking in. you will also notice that the spooks wont feel as "scarey" because you have so much protection horn,cantle ect

My riding instructor will be giving me lessons in both english and western and i have ridden english before, long time ago though so i forgot most of the tacking up rules. But i am sure you will be seeing more of me on this forum now.

oh and a cinch is a girth just in western terms, also there is several ways to do up a western girth my favourite is the grandpa knot but you can also buckle your girth up.

the saddle will be paid off tomorrow so i will take pics then.

[Tuff_up]

bump forgot to answer half of this question

[QUOTE][Lora Quote:
Originally Posted by Roofio
I think if i had a western saddle i'd probably be putting it on back to front!

And I couldn't get the girth right! Cinch? LOL SEE what I mean? What's a western crop look like? /QUOTE]

anyways(your not going to like my answer) see on tatooed ladies saddle theres ties downs (the straps of leather hanging off the saddle) those are western riders crops or we use the ends of our reins. Mostly i only see people using the "crops" if they are barrel racers.

[Tatooed Lady]

actually...there's only one woman I've seen that uses anything other than the end of the split reins for a crop....she just buys a dressage whip or something similar. But if you have 7' long split reins and a "standard size" horse, they'll reach the butt pretty well. ;) I tend to use as little as possible on Queen....I really do NOT want to find out how tough she can be if I accidentally hurt/surprise her too much.....