No Girth ?????

[Painting Horses]

I was riding a jumping course that me and my friend just made out of wood and she asked me what i thought about jumping with no Girth?? I said she's nuts! :eek: :eek: but she said that her trainer was going to work with her on that? how the heck can u do that? is that even safe? or am i being a baby? :rolleyes:

[can't_decide]

jeez, doesn't sound safe to me, i wouldn't want to be risking my saddle on it besides anything else . . . surely a better way to do it - i assume it's supposd to test security and balance of position? - would be to use a saddlecloth or similar? :eek:

[WelshJumper]

OK! No not safe!
Or did she meen jumping bareback?

[Painting Horses]

I didn't think it was safe? could it maybe have something to do with better grip? i've hurd of jumping with no iorns and no saddle and even leting go over a jump etc. but nothing like this :|. :eek: :eek:

[jUmPingIsLifE]

i have done it before. at a walk and sitting trot only and if the saddle even started to slip i was to practice an emergancy dismount. we had to get on without a girth too. we were all given safe mounts which were ponies though we all got on ok and i didn't have to do an emergancy dismount, another girl in my group had to bail a number of times though as she couldn't stay centerd and her saddle kept slipping

[Pink's lady]

I'd NEVER jump without a girth. If the saddle was to move position whilst jumping, it's going to dig into the horses back and REALLY hurt :( The girth is there to hold the saddle in the right place under extreme conditions (a well fitted saddle should stay where it is in most conditions though, i.e walk, trot canter, but will slide about when jumping).

I happily jump bare-back though - it teach's more than jumping without a girth would.

[Just.Jump]

It's a true test of balance, no worse than going bareback, which is perfectly safe as well. If your not a balanced rider yet, doing bareback/girthless work will fix you pretty quick. I've heard of people doing hunt and jump courses like this, it's fine unless your a complete sack of potatos in the balance department. :cool:

[diva]

we used to do jumps like this :)

[Funky MeerKAT]

Surely the saddle would just slip backwards?

[Merlinz gal]

thats just suicidal :eek: no way would i do this its not fair on the horse at all

[Drummers mum]

Surely the saddle would just slip backwards
yeah, and when you land you would slide off over your horses head! lol!

I agree, sounds dangerous to me. Could be fine if everything is going well, but what if he stumbles on landing or spooks, with all the balance in the world, your weight will still be thrown off centre and you could fall off!

[*Rachel_George*]

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Ive jumped George bareback before but not big because you slip back. I would have to say wouldnt it be more dangerous with no girth then bareback as if you slip off youve got saddle flying with you :confused:
Couldnt be good for your saddle if you slipped off...I cant actually see the point apart from getting better balance but its not like your going to be using your stirups. I think I have a death with sometimes spesh galloping George in a headcoller and leadrope bareback but with saddly no girth thats just weird

xxxxx

[colouredcrazy]

I wouldn't want to risk my saddle doing anything as stupid as that! I ride bareback and jump, I'll jump without stirrups, reins, eyes (and occasionally the horse :rolleyes: !)...! But without a girth! Thats just thick.

Ellie

[Pink's lady]

Surely the saddle would just slip backwards

yeah, and when you land you would slide off over your horses head! lol!

Yep, most probably, but falling off's you're own stupid fault for not having a girth ;)

My major consern in how sore it's gonna be for the horse as the solid tree rams in to their shoulder blades are it slides forward and the points dig into their withers as it slids back. It's won't matter HOW balanced a rider you are, the saddle is still going to slid due to the horses movement, not yours.

I really don't see how jumping without a girth can teach you any better balance than jumping with no saddle at all. And bareback would be comfier for the horse.

[*Rachel_George*]

And bareback would be comfier for the horse.

Agree :D George loved it, rekon he new as he use to catleap :rolleyes:

My major consern in how sore it's gonna be for the horse as the solid tree rams in to their shoulder blades are it slides forward and the points dig into their withers as it slids back

Ouch :eek: :eek: :eek:

xxxxx

[Just.Jump]

All of this should be insentive for the rider to really really be balanced and proper. If you can perfect balance, you should be able to use stirrups with no girth, because your weight should be even on both sides. I've jumped bareback and I don't recall being slipped anywhere- I used to slip more when stopping bareback. I'm not sure as to how they use stirrups without a girth, butif you can jump bareback and still rise, I'd just use the same method when in a saddle. I ride with my legs when trotting, not the stirrups. I imagine it can be done in a saddle.

If you son't slide around bareback, I can't see why you would in a saddle, and unless your throwing your weight all over the place, the saddle shouldn't raise up off of the horses back to do the proposed slamming on the shoulders.

But I much prefer bareback, so there it is :rolleyes:

[Painting Horses]

I've hurd my trainer only speak of it once and i didn't know what to think :| i jump bear back and gallop etc. bear back but i've never done it with no girth?? I wouldn't want to risk my saddle it cost alot fo money and i already had one horse roll with it (long story). :rolleyes:

[flintyboy]

to be honest i wouldn't be too worried bout falling off! More worried about my saddle falling off or gettin damaged!! I love my saddle!!

[RiderGirl]

Um, maybe some instructors recommend it but that sounds really dangerous and not too smart!

[Bay Mare]

All of this should be insentive for the rider to really really be balanced and proper. If you can perfect balance, you should be able to use stirrups with no girth, because your weight should be even on both sides.

I can't see why you would in a saddle, and unless your throwing your weight all over the place, the saddle shouldn't raise up off of the horses back to do the proposed slamming on the shoulders.

If you could stay dead still while jumping then this would be true, the fact is that you have to move your weight while jumping so the saddle would *have* to move as you adjusted your position.

You can do flat work without a girth (if you're balanced) but there's no way that you could jump safely. Even if you had the best balance in the world there will inevitably be a shift in balance at some point because none of us are as perfect as we'd like to think :rolleyes:

[eventerbabe]

When i was learning, many moons ago, we were made to do flatwork lessons minus girth and stirrups but never jumping. i think thats just a little too dangerous.

[Harleyhorse]

I would not do it! I mean maybe if I had an older saddle that I did care about but, like others said, why risk you saddle? I know I would, as my saddle cost me over $2,550.00 And I don't want it to get hurt!
HH

[ExtendedTrot]

This sounds dangerous, but also reasonable in a strange way. I think that it should only be done if your saddle is fitted correctly, that way it shouldn't move around as much or hit your horses body in the wrong way. Personally I don't think that I would do it, sounds too risky for horse and rider...and saddle (thought I should throw that in...seems like everyone else is worried about their tack too :rolleyes: )

[Cheeky]

Wow!! cool!!

My last instructor I had said "You know your a balanced rider the day you can mount without a girth" <-- that includes mounting blocks/helpers!! and it can be done! I havent tried, but I cant wait to :)

Yah, I think its alright in the sense that the jumps arent huge. A lot of people pull their legs backwards over the hugererererer jumps and in turn the saddle would go bye-byes :P Over small ones - hell ya! And over trot poles, what balnce :)

Good luck to her :)

[Rosieee]

Just Jump just wondering, if you rise with your legs in trot not your stirrups then surely you are gripping with your knees/legs to rise instead of rising from the hips and keeping weight in lower leg and so the STIRRUPS? I too think this is stupidly dangerous and imagine breaking a saddle, very costly to both saddle owners pocket and potentially the horse that must be ridden in saddle with broken tree etc afterwards. If i was her i would tell instructor where to go!