Ideal Girth Buckling Placement

[hollywd]

This may seem like a silly question, but I just got a new saddle (AP English) and fittings (yay) and want to make sure everything is just right.

On the equipment I was borrowing, I was using a 48" girth and it was buckling at the 2nd hole from the top. To me this seemed big, with not much leeway in case my horse lost weight.

So I got a 46" girth (wintec chafeless) for my new saddle (wintec 2000). I figured this would bump it down a hole or two so it was buckling more in the middle of the billets.

Well, either the 48 was stretched, or these girths run small - because the 46" buckles on the 3rd hole from the bottom. Is this too close to the bottom, or should it be ok?

Thanks!

[galadriel]

The way girths are measured isn't consistent from manufacturer to manufacturer. I suspect that if you measure them, buckle to buckle, it will tell you which one is closer to the length it claims to be.

To me, as long as you're comfortably on the billet (not pulling tight to reach it, not a little loose because there are no more holes) then it's fine however it's positioned. I'd prefer to be closer to the 3rd hole from the bottom than almost all the way to the top, but I think that may just be a personal preference.

[kedwards]

You must have a lot of holes on your billets! On my jumping saddle, I don't think there could be more than a couple of holes between 2 from the top and 3 from the bottom :D

To me, third hole from the bottom sounds great! Assuming that the holes are about an inch apart, you could still fasten it adequately even if your horse gained a few inches of girth.

[kayjayhorses]

3rd hole sounds ok to me, but just bear in mind if your horses is likely to put on weight now we're coming into Spring/Summer grass the girth may not reach so nicely.

[hollywd]

Yep, there are a lot of holes.. and they are about an inch apart.

And after a couple days of riding the billets have stretched some - now I'm up to the 4th hole on at least one side, which makes me feel better.

Thanks for the advice - I'm new at all this, and sometimes you can't find information on this really simple, stupid stuff (and my instructor was away for the past few days).

[jUmPingIsLifE]

i had the same problem!

tahoe had a 50" girth- well that was on the very Top hole and he lost a lil weight (he had been to fat anyway haha) so i went and bought a 48" haha i couldn't even make it go on the FIRST holes! of cource that is very extrem and i would guess tha the girth was in the wrong spot, it was with the 48's and it didn't have a number ON it so who knows! it doesn't matter though because i got a new saddle with longer billets and the 48 fits

[entreat]

Third hole sounds good.
I took my old girth to the store with me, so I wouldn't mess it up!