Long girth straps

[No_Angel]

Mom wants a new saddle We were looking at the Flexion SBS on ebay but it went over her price range so now we are looking at the freeform.
The problem is the long girth straps, my mom has trouble mounting and has a bit of a back problem so bending down in quite hard for her. The beauty of the flexion is that we could have put extra holes in the girth straps so she could use a long girth on it, but with the freeform thats not possible. With the Trekker she does the girth up before she gets on and doesn't adjust it. I would rather she do it up when shes onboard.
How does everyone else manage?

[MelanieD]

Someone on the EE forum recently was considering putting extra holes in an SBS saddle and using a long girth. I can't find the thread now but reply was that it's a bad idea as extra bulk under the leg and buckles could damage the flaps as the saddle isn't designed to be used with a long girth. I lean forward or persuade someone else to do my girth with my SBS, but mostly I just don't bother doing it up again after getting on but I've always been very naughty about not doing my girth up properly. Getting a dressage girth of the longest length you can get away with so it's in the top holes would make things a little bit easier.

[No_Angel]

Thanks :)
Ive read that thread.

Im not sure that it would cause too much bulk, as my Ansur saddle has short girth straps and thats fine. It may cause more damage to the flaps as I think the flaps are softer on the SBS than the Ansur.

[Bebe]

The girth billets on the Freeform are quite low, probably lower than the top hole on the SBS billets if memory serves me correctly. There's no way you could use a longer girth on a Freeform either, the buckles would have to sit on top of the saddle itself, directly under the riders leg.

I personally don't find adjusting my girth to be a problem but I'm quite bendy. Other people I know with treeless saddles who find it difficult to do up the girth once mounted usually just shout for someone who's around at the time to come and tighten it up before they leave the yard. It's not a perfect arrangement but it works.

[No_Angel]

Thanks Bebe, they look quite low on the freeform website.

The only problem with getting somebody else to do the girth up is that we aren't on a yard and I normally get on first. Plus when we go out I have to get a leg up as my girl is soo excited.

Do you think the freeform needs to be tightened up when on?

And does anyone know if the supreme saddle (the one before the SBS) has long girth straps?

[No_Angel]

bump :D

[Bay Mare]

I may be wrong ... I may have dreamt it but I'm sure that the long girth straps are also something to do with stability of the treeless saddle. Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about can clarify :)

Oh, and as far as I'm aware the Supreme has long girth straps too and it isn't made any more so you would have to find a second hand one.

[Showjumper]

Hehe I was going to say the same thing as Bay Mare. The girth straps on my Fitform have been cut short and they definitely affect the stability of the saddle. I'd rather have full length dressage billets on it :)