Urgent Girth Help! (Poohsmate) or Any one who knows about girths!

Vicki100

Vicki100

Well-Known Member
Jun 12, 2009
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West Mids
Following on from my previous thread 'help my find this girth'

Poohsmate helped me find the correct girth to stop finnleys saddle sliding foward.

It came today so went up the yard to try it on...it just didnt seem right at all...the new girth was a struggle to get onto the first hole, and it didnt seem to hold the saddle back. Is this because its the wrong size?

So the dilemma is....do i send it back and get a bigger size? Or do i just get a refund and re-think my options.

Here are some pics so you get an idea about what i mean

This is my old girth and the new girth together (old girth 48" New girth 44")
They seem quite close is length so i was shocked that his new one hardly fitted
Photo1457.jpg


More to come...
 
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Here it is on, as you can see its only on the first hole which was a huge struggle!
Photo1446.jpg


And Again - Sorry its not very clear all his fluff was in the way! :p
Photo1447.jpg



As you can see his saddle is still to far foward...
Photo1449.jpg



More to come...
 
Again Could only get it to the first hole each side...
Photo1450.jpg


Took his saddle off and placed it further back this time...still looks to far foward to me though
Photo1452.jpg


Photo1453.jpg


Tried again further back - does look better but couldnt get it done up
Photo1456.jpg
 
So please help me :p

This girth business is so confusing.

Need to send it back ASAP so i can get another one sent back to me in a bigger size!
 
Can you get photos of the saddle on where it should be (further back) without girthing up? Im not sure if the shape of the saddle is causing some of the issue? The underneath looks quite curved in shaped, but he has quite a flat back, so Im not sure if perhaps the saddle will tip down at the front (so back of saddle is off his back) when it is in the right position? This could also cause it to slip forwards.

I have found the haf pad with sympanova underline to be great to stop slipping, but its meant for treeless, not sure about using it with treed?

Also with the anatomical girth, the girth should go straight, it should swing forwwards froom the line of the girth straps.

I cant properly see from the photos, but I think he is similar neck/back wise to Silver. I always tended to put her saddle too far forward. With no wither to judge it is very difficult. I find her saddles look too far back when I put them on in the correct place, but I think that is because where the withers would be on another horse, I have a hollow space!!!!!! That hollow space was unfamiliar to me, so I used to put saddle up neck to fill where the withers should be without realising what I was doing!
 
Looks like your old girth is elasticated at one end so stretched when being done up, so a non elasticated girth would need to be longer.

Did you have your saddle fitted.
 
i was trying to work that out, but decided you hadnt, i used the overlap criss cross bit to decide. It kinks back a little before kinks forward lol
 
ahha thats good least i dont look like a total idoit now.

Im sending it back and getting a 48", see if thats looks any better.

I think it looks strange cus its so small?
 
I would say your saddle doesn't fit. It's raised off his back at the back and I'd bet it tips alot of weight onto his shoulder when a rider's in it. Have you got a pic of it with a rider on?
 
Saddle was fitted literally a few months ago by our local saddler.
Finnley certainley doesnt seem to be in any discomfort with it.
Heres a pic...

DSCF1447.jpg


:)
 
Another one looks better here...its looks like its off his back in the previous photos because as i tried to get the girth onto the first holes so it did slide round into a really dodgy position ( i was rushing and in a flap hence why i didnt put it back correctly for the photo) :)...hope that makes sense?

DSC02257.jpg
 
ahahaahhaa that make me chuckle!
OH is sending it back in the post tomorrow for a size 48" that should fit the big belly :)

Might invest in a anti slip numnah aswell :)
 
Saddle looks ok now, must have been the girth.
Hope the replacement works out for you.
I had a nightmare getting a saddle for my daughters pony, so realise what a pain it can be.:)
 
To stop a saddle moving forward, use the 1st billet strap and the middle strap. I see on your photo you have the girth attached to strap 1 and 3. Also, try the saddle a little further back.
 
your saddle looks to be sat to far forward before you even get on i would say it looks a bit high at the back it doesnt lie flat you can also have a back trap fitted to stop it moveing i would try that instead of spending pounds on girths i have a very round show cob with no withers what so ever and fitting saddles to that type are like fitting a saddle to a barrel 1st off the saddle has to fit then it can be alterd if it moves such as by haveing a back stap put on you find this in a lot of horses / ponies with no withers iv never known a girth to keep your saddle in place but your girth also is to small phone who ever fitted your saddle and speak to them
 
When I had my Dales cross mare I had to get a non slip saddle pad to stop the saddle moving forward. I went throught lots and lots of saddles to find one that fitted her, and none of them would of fiitted. In the end the saddler got me one but it still slipped due to her shape (no withers and round like a barrel) but the non slip pad worked wonders.
 
I suspect a chunk of your problem is the saddle. It may fit widthways but looks the wrong shaped tree for the pony and is giving you an inadequate bearing surface. The pad reduces the gap but will not be improving the fit enough.

Native types are a nightmare to fit but look for a saddle with a broader bearing surface and a flatter tree shape.

If you look at the pic on post number 5 on the linked thread below you will see the difference in bearing surface on the saddle even with the saddlecloth. That is a 17" saddle and you can see how much is contact with the back behind my less than sylph-like backside

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184747&highlight=regionals

Even with your much daintier figure this saddle is concentrating your weight over a small area and will be encouraging the forward movement.
You don't need a dressage saddle but ordinary GPs don't tend to suit native types well. Look for a VSD saddle with short points - this will take the saddle back off the shoulders and reduce the blocking in the shoulders which will also be contributing to the slipping forward problem.
 
newrider.com
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