Can someone please tell me about humane girths?

[raggydoll]

What is different about them? Why would you use one?

Would be any help at all in helping my saddle not slip forward onto the shoulder along side the use of a anti slip pad while i start saving for a curved girth?

Thanks :)

[ponylover88]

As far as im aware, the only difference between a humane girth, and a normal girth is the buckles. i personally dont like them and prefer string girths. i use a thorowgood one on mine. its shaped around the elbow area, and is only £20! :D

humane
http://www.franceskellybridles.co.uk/Images/Details/girths5.jpg
String
http://www.nexternal.com/slypner/images/TOK53-218.jpg
Thorowgood
http://www.statelinetack.com/media/slt/images/products/detail/standard/April_05/4155_469f5.jpg

[KarinUS]

I wasn't sure what a humane girth was so thanks for posting the pics. I figured it would be the same as an anatomical girth (http://www.countysaddlery.com/html/accessories/accessories.html), which it is apparently not. I could have told you lots of good things about our anatomical girth though... :D Sorry!

[Sarah-B]

When Kay Humphries came I got my humane girth out and she said that she would never use one and considers them lethal.

She said that if you are doing the girth up when mounted and your horse spooks you could let go of the girth strap which would mean due to the "pulley" system the girth would automatically loosen and the saddle would slip right round :eek:

[LMS]

SarahB: how awful! I'd never heard of the Humane girth before. Hmmm. What's your experience with it?
KarinUS: I've seen the type of girth that you've mentioned but don't know much about them. Do you think that type would be something for raggydoll to look into?

[KarinUS]

I love my anatomical girth. It's perfect for Dj because girths always fit him a bit infront and so on some saddle normal girths would pull the saddle onto the withers. The anatomical doesn't do it and it's nice and comfy. Perhaps it might work for Raggydoll.

[Pink's lady]

Don't like them either - far far to easy to over tighten, and they're usually narrow material, creating high pressure.

The anatomical girth Karin's posted are lovely, but not really what you're needing for Bimble. This (http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/girths.html)is the one you want - and they're not THAT expensive (unlike some for £100 :eek: )

http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Curvedgirth_s.jpg

[joshes mum]

I use one never had any probs my saddler reccomended it to me and josh doesnt seem to mind it.:)

[Katharine]

When Kay Humphries came I got my humane girth out and she said that she would never use one and considers them lethal.

She said that if you are doing the girth up when mounted and your horse spooks you could let go of the girth strap which would mean due to the "pulley" system the girth would automatically loosen and the saddle would slip right round :eek:

That happened to me once - very scary! :eek: It could also be a problem if one girth strap snaps! The girth suddenly becomes very loose! I don't really understand why they are so popular. The other girths posted look much better. I definitely wouldn't waste my pennies on one! :D

[colettybetty]

I never had any problems with mine, got one because my mare hated her girth being done up, so it was the gentlest way , used to put it on loose and gradually do the holes up one at a time while I was getting ready to ride, also used to de-sensatize her by rubbing her belly first (pampered babe:D )

[ponylover88]

I never had any problems with mine, got one because my mare hated her girth being done up, so it was the gentlest way , used to put it on loose and gradually do the holes up one at a time while I was getting ready to ride, also used to de-sensatize her by rubbing her belly first (pampered babe:D )
that can be done with my thorowgood girth, and thats not a humane!

[atillathefun]

I have used one a lot it seems to suit the shape of my horse better. I have never had a problem with them. My sisters saddle has the holes in the girth straps slightly out of line so its great for her as it evens that up. :)

[SO1]

I thought about getting a humane girth consulted with instructor who advised me against it as it is easy to do them up too tight. He recommended those shaped sort in leather price around £65 - too expensive for me so got the plastic circa £20 TG version and it seems to be great. It has elastic bits so it is a bit stretchy at the top, I presume these give a bit if she breathes out and constrict a bit when she breathes in. :)

[Casey76]

I have the TG girth. IMHO it's very good, as it has elastic at *both* ends, so you don't end up with uneven pressure at the saddle.

The elastic also has quite a bit of 'give' in it, so unless you were to *really* overtighten it it's quite easy to slip your and under the girth and twiddle it around.

[fiesty_filly]

What about the 'humane girths' make them humane? I have never even heard of them.

[tasha]

Both mine have humane girths and seem to prefer them. As someone has already said, they even out uneven holes in girth straps which is a big plus, and the tightness of the girth can be increased much more gradually than normal girths, which is good for Tali as she doesnt like her girth done up quickly. I use a dressage one on Kally's SBS and a normal one on Tal's treed GP.

If your horse spooks as you are doing up the girth you could end up falling off anyway - especially if you have a dressage saddle/long girth straps. If you are that worried then have the girth tightened by an unmounted helper, or do it up before you get on.

Yeah it is easier to overtighten them, but if you are aware of this then you can be careful about it.

I personally dont like string girths - they can pinch and the knotted bits look like they could give pressure points.

[elise]

We use the humane girths occassionally on our therapeutic horses. Since these horses are usually quite a bit older, more out of shape, donated horses, they tend to have varying shapes and sizes. I find that if I do up a regular girth and you end up with something like the one billet tight and the other one too loose, and if you do up the loose one and now the first one is too loose, and so on ... the humane girth helps solve this issue.

[raggydoll]

thanks pinks lady, thats the only one ive found so far and although its not £100 its a bit more than my purse would like to part with if at all possible so if anyonew knows of a cheaper one then please let me know! If not ill have to give up eating for a week to make sure Bim has everything she needs :p !!!

[Pink's lady]

Who needs to eat anyways?

it's be a worth while investment - they last for literally years and years. If their saddles are anything to go by, it'll be lovely.

[raggydoll]

you should be on commision pinks lady ;) I'll budget into next months spending then!

[DITZ]

wont make any difference to a saddle slipping. I personally like them but in your case it wont solve your problem so save your money and buy a non slip pad. You can get decent cheaper 2nd hand ones on ebay.

[raggydoll]

DITZ i read back and found some of your previous posts about the barnsby grip pad so was on the lookout when someone pointed this one out to me,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7215231503&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

So was thinking about getting that if i can and the girth combined. Why do you think it wont help, from what others have said i thought it stopped the saddle being pulled forward due to her forward girth groove. Thought id try the pad on its own first anyway before spending that sort of money.

[Pink's lady]

DIZT, they really do help with forward girth grooved horses - mostly fat little natives ;). it don't help with sideways slipping, but they do reduce the forward pull, which is Bimble's main problem. And non-slip pad won't help by itself whiclst the girth is still pulling the saddle forward. Together there should be no problem.

[No_Angel]

ive got a dressage human girth, only one i could find short enough.
im not a real fan of it, its really odd to do up and too easy to get it too tight.
i was going to get one of those shaped girths, but sold the saddle and used another on her and im buying a new saddle that can be used in her aswell.

[chickflick1066]

String
http://www.nexternal.com/slypner/images/TOK53-218.jpg
I once saw a lady with the most GORGEOUS and comfy looking posh brand named stringed girth on her wee section A, I love them!

I'm a bit clueless - I didn't know the difference between the girths. I have a thorowgood and a wintec both are lush!

[teapot]

the humane girths such as the one in that first photo are awful. Wouldn't touch with a barge pole unless I had too (ie:when I working in a RS) String girths can pinch quite badly too

The best ones that I have used and have been recommend by various people including a saddler is this one here:

http://www.equestrianclearance.com/perl2/v2.cgi?page=/templates/details.html&productid=8765 plus the other wintec ones

Either that or a good quality leather balding girth

[Pink's lady]

I really liked the wintec girth until I did a bit of unvestigating with it. Turns out inside side there's only a strip of narrow webbing. The edges are just the soft neoprene bit, which takes up no pressure. Which means that all the pressure is compressed into a narrow area. The non-shaped one are fine (have a wide strap of webbing) but the shaped one (that go narrowed at the elbow) is only as wide as the narrowest bit all the way along. Not even 2inchs wide. :(

You'll find that almost all saddlers will recommend string girths as they have the best pressure distribution. I they pinch (i.e on thin skinned animal) you should put a thin strip of gamgee underneath it, or a simple girth sleeve.