Doing Up Girth

[Lucy J]

My youngster has been coming on quite well with lunging and ridden work, however she is very difficult when getting her girth done up. She's never liked it but now trots round the stable while I try and keep up with her, one hand on girth and I always get squished against the wall. I always do the girth up one hole at a time, she just doesn't like it at all, its not just naughtiness....how can I overcome this - its not like you can ride with a girthless saddle!!!

[Tina J]

You could try her with a girth with elasticated inserts. Thoroughgood and Jeffries both do them. Just make sure that it has roller buckles so that you can do it up smoothly. Perhaps once she realises that the girth has a little "give" in it, she will accept it more easily. It will take perseverance though, as she has now obviously got it into her head that she doesn't like the girth being done up!

You will also have to be firm with her as well. Teach her to stand on command and insist that she does. Once you know that you have a nice easy girth for her though, you can be insistant with a clear concience. Good luck.

[Cathy Reynolds]

We got a towelling sleeve for our girth which helped. Do you have a surcingle or training roller or something similar you could try instead of the saddle to see if it's actually the girth or having something tied down over the back - just a thought.

[Dizzy]

You could try using a lead rope around her tummy when she's in her stable. Horses relate tack with work, and if she's found her work abit stressful she's probably getting tense and anxious.

I'd give her a canch of hay, groom her and make fuss of her, wait until she's nice and relaxed, then slip a rope around her tummy, thread the rope through the clip and gently increase the pressure. Don't do it too tight as the rope will put too much pressure on her back, just a little at a time, releasing immediately if she gets tense. I find this great for youngsters as the pressure can be dropped instantly, where as if you fix a buckle you have to follow them round to undo it. If she begins to circle, release the pressure and be firm about standing still, then praise.

I was using an aerborn humane girth, before I switched to a western saddle, (I hope you know the girth I mean as my powers of description are hopeless) the buckles are on a separate strap to the actual girth, they run through a ring and give and take as the horse moves but keep the saddle in place. I don't if this girth will help, but it may be worth a try.

Good luck

Lesley

[ros]

You might find it's not actually the girth your filly is objecting to, but the saddle. Take a good look at it yourself, and have it checked very carefully for fit. Is it wide enough? Are the panels springy and smooth, or rock hard and lumpy? Is it twisted in any way?

Merlin's old saddle was a nightmare, but the only objection he ever made to wearing it was when I was putting it on; he'd move away when I went into his box with it, and he got nippy when I was doing up the girth. He never did anything naughty once I was on top (except that looking back on it he didn't move as freely as he should) because he was too much of a gentleman. I took the hint and bought a new and much better one and the shenanigans stopped immediately.

[Piaffe]

I would also make sure she is tied up outside. It can be very dangerous to tack up a horse loose in the stable!

She may feel better being outside, perhaps with a haynet to distract her while you do up the girth - don't forget to do it up by degrees - i.e. buckle up to the first hole, leave her for a bit and then the next hole etc.

[Lucy J]

Yes, I' know the humane girth, I've been meaning to try that, thanks for the reminder! I may try the rope idea too. I have a sneaking suspicion it may be the saddle as she is changing shape, unfortunately my funds are a bit low and I can't afford to rush out and by one, but hopefully next month I can look at that!

If I try and tie her up she objects even more (I've had problems with tying her up.) If she decides she doesn't want to oblige she just snaps the baling twine, so its not good trying that outside!
I'll try the new girth then as soon as I can afford, the saddle and fingers crossed that will help.

THanks.

[Ozzie_Yarrah]

i did this with my five year old who had the same problem try when doing up the girth every time she moves stop and walk her around in circles about 3 tight small circles and then stop wait have another go at doing up the girth if she moves again do it again in circles i know it might sound boring but it works stop wait do it up again if she moves do it again and again and so on until she stands still when you do the girth up. Also check her back it might be out and need to be cracked by a ciropractor run your fingers in a V shape down her spine and if she looks at you with her ears back or if she shows any uncomfort then her back is probably sore if she qivers same thing . bye

well I hope It helped


JOSH:D :rolleyes::D

[Shiny McShine]

You may also find with horses that are accepting the girth being done are impatient to have it done up and the slower you go, ie. one hole at a time can be come frustrating for a young horse. You should definitely investigate the saddle etc. but when horses get to a certain level of acceptance in their training then excess fiddling can get tedious for them.

Imagine if you were buying new shoes and the assistant spent an hour lacing up your shoes so as not to pinch your feet. You would start to get a bit impatient and may decide to just leave the store.

This is something to consider with horses, is my horse at a stage where we can just get in and get things done.

[Lucy J]

That's interesting, it never crossed my mind I was being 'too careful' but I see what you mean. Thanks. I will try the circle 3 times thing as well - I'll let you know!!!

[ros]

Shiny - I know what you mean - my old horse would shove his nose out and grab the bit between his teeth when I was bridling him, as if to say "come on, get on with it!" but I'm not sure that girthing up quickly is in the same category. I would certainly never tighten the girth straight away on any horse - I do it up loosely, then I check a few things, go round the other side and do it up another hole or so, and I don't tighten it again until we're out of our box and have walked out to the gate. Then I stretch front legs out both sides, get on, and do it up to riding tightness once I'm up.

I think what you're talking about is perhaps more to do with the way one does things - if we fiddle about in an annoying way then it probably does irritate some horses. There's a difference between getting on and doing something confidently and without fiddling, and doing the same thing roughly and too fast; similarly you can do it carefully and gently without being annoying.

What makes me suspicious in the case in point is a) that the horse is a youngster and b) there are a lot more problem saddles than problem horses. For the most part horses don't object to the things we do to them (bless them) unless they've got good reason, so I'd always look to the tack as the prime suspect.

[Shiny McShine]

I do agree completely, definitely check everything is in order first, it's only common sense in any situation. Agreement also on the tightening point, I simply suggest doing up the girth more as you would an older, more trained horse, which does not suggest doing it up roughly. That makes no sense and will obviously cause more problems. Horses don't need any more force than is neccessary, nor do they need us fiddling around with them more than is neccessary.

Admittedly it can take a fair bit of confidence with a youngster to work confidently around them. You just have to try and realise when to move on with the horse's education.

[ros]

No - I didn't for one minute think that's what you meant. And yes, I think you can definitely be too "careful" around a young horse, which simply serves to make it think something scary might be about to happen! If you just act kind of matter of fact about everything it creates a much better atmosphere, doesn't it.

[Lucy J]

Well, I invested in an aerborne elasticated end girth and a girth sleeve as well as a 'matter of fact' attitude! By the time she started fidgeting the girth was already done! I think she felt a bit silly!!! Thanks for all the help!