Girth for LJ Bareback Saddle

[linda]

Wouldn't you know it? I don't have a girth the right size for my new saddle. As in, one doesn't reach billet to billet and the other one, at the tightest holes, hangs off the horse.

Since I am going to have to buy one, does anyone have suggestions of what they found to work best?
Linda

[Laura]

I had the same problem! My dressage saddle girth was too short, and the regular english saddle ones were too long! I went and got the shortest english saddle girth I could find -- I think it was a 42." It works, barely -- up to the second hole on both sides of the billets -- if either of the horses loses any weight, or if it loosens up once I'm on for awhile, it won't fit either.

Maybe an answer would be the longest dressage girth you can find and then a girth extender or something (?)

[Chrisnstar]

On zab and Szyb, I use a 30" dressage girth. On Star and Ali I need about a 34 or 36. You can find the long dressage girths for warmblood horses. Look on Ebay.

chris

[linda]

Okay--but what type of girth seems to be working best? Professional Choice--neoprene, fleece, cotton...... Are you finding you need the extra grab of the neoprene to keep things from sliding when you mount?

I will be looking for a 40 inch girth. My 32 is too short. It was a 36 that I gave away.....that just may have worked.
Linda

[Marci]

Well to try it find an inexpensive one. My very favorite girths are the string girths, mohair is the best. It grips and lets air in so they don't overheat. I now wish I had made the treeless I have now to work with the one girth I have that is mohair. Oh well I did say it was time to start working on a new saddle didn't I? LOL Might take a year. LOL

[Mary Ann]

I really like using the Wintec synthetic dressage one with it. I bought it to use on the pony's teeny little leadline saddle for the boys. I got the longest or next to the longest one they have, and had also requested that Littlejoe use extra long billets on my saddle.

The reason I chose this one is because the buckles have a cushion underneath. On a close contact or AP saddle, the buckles will be up enough to protect the horse with the flaps of the saddle closest to the horse. On the Littlejoe saddle there are no flaps; so this girth would keep any jabs away, and keep hair from being caught in the buckles. It also provides a little pocket for the ends of the billets to go so they stay out of the way of your leg. The buckles have rollers, which you may find easier to adjust from the ground and when you're on top (yes, we English people adjust the girth while we're on the horse) and also from on the ground. It has a waffle sort of pattern of holes, so it doesn't get all sweaty and slimy, and it's black, so it matches my Littlejoe saddle and pad very nicely! Looks spiffy on a bay, and I hope to use it one day on McEachan.

What color of saddle and pad did you get? If you ride bareback a lot, you're going to LOVE the Littlejoe saddle!

Oh, and I forgot to add: Forrest normally takes a 48" girth with his close contact saddle and goes up about three holes on each side, and with the Littlejoe the dressage girth is (I believe) a 34". Longer billets. For shorter billets you will need a longer girth; for a horse with less heartgirth than Forrest's you'll need smaller.

If you think it'll help you, I can measure Forrest around the girth area and you can measure your horse; maybe it'll help you decide.

[noblesseoblige]

I really like using the Wintec synthetic dressage one with it.

you have one too? I had no idea! How often do you use it? Do you use it on trail? Do you ride every horse in it??
Do you like it? I mean, really, really like it???

I have Professional Choice girths in 28 to 32 one should fit.

[LJ at work]

My personal favorite is the Wintec neoprene girth with the elastic in the middle and the elbow cutouts. They are really comfortable for both my guys. Of course they're both relatively small horses, so I use a size 26 or 28 (I forget which right now).

Linda, I'm sorry you have to get a new girth. I hope you can find one cheaply from a friend or used, maybe online. I didn't mean for that to happen.

MaryAnn's extra long billets did work well for her, so maybe I should suggest for anyone who buys a saddle--if you have a big-type horse, ask for the longer billets. I don't mind making them, and they might save you some added expense.

--LJ

[Mary Ann]

Quote:I really like using the Wintec synthetic dressage one with it.



you have one too? I had no idea! How often do you use it? Do you use it on trail? Do you ride every horse in it??
Do you like it? I mean, really, really like it???

Maybe I should be more clear.

I have two wintec saddles, both APs. I loff them for trail and riding when there's a possibility of rain or drizzle. I don't have to worry about scratching or water. I like the adjustable gullets, although that's no guarantee of fit. But when I kill them I'll let them go. No biggie; they're not expensive saddles. I don't think I'd show in one, though.

I also have two Bates saddles, a close contact (the Caprilli) and a dressage saddle (the Isabel Werth). These are leather. They also have the CAIR panels as well as the adjustable gullets.

I also have that teeny Wintec leadline saddle.

I bought the first Wintec dressage girth for the little leadline saddle. It was so cute! And I got the second one when I bought the Bates Isabel Werth. I paid full price for the saddle (ouch) and they threw in all the fittings and a full package of gullets for free.

Both my girths, the leadline saddle and one of the APs are black. So is the dresage saddle.

I'd be chicken to ride very rigorously on trail in my new dressage saddle. Not because anything's wrong with the saddle or the quality, but because it was kinda spendy and I'd like to keep it nice for show. But I take my Wintecs out all the time and really like 'em. Joye says they make her butt sweaty in the summer, but all one needs then is a sheepskin saddle cover and it'd be fine.

I'd use those girths anywhere, anytime. They're great.

[Chrisnstar]

Linda, I really like the Wintec girths too, as well as the professional's choice girths. The girth I'm using on zab is a cheapie I got on ebay quite used for about $5! ($12 with shipping). It's a coated canvas type girth with elastic on both ends.

I don't mount up from the ground in my Lj or any other saddle if I can help it. the older I get, the harder it is for me, so I save me and the horse some aggravation and find a mounting rock, stump or something!

chris

[linda]

Okay, the vote seems to be in for neoprene. I too like the styles where there is padding under the buckles, and rollers on the buckles. I had my dressage pad for my Ansur made extra wide to ensure that the buckles, even though they have padding underneath on my PC girth, buckle on the blanket rather than on the horse. My goal is to try to do the same thing on this saddle. My mare is much more comfortable that way--she has told me so. (She has even made me stash a saddle along the trail and ride home bareback--fussy, fussy girl.)

I have already measured from billet to billet on my horse, with the LJ saddle on her. My Paso Fino mare is much deeper through the heart girth than the horses that many of you ride. My PC 32 inch, on the last billet hole on the off side, did not reach even the start of the billets on the near side--the padding almost did, but the buckle missed it by several inches.

The bummer is that my favorite local tack shop--only 85 miles away--probably won't have that 40 inch length and I will have to order from State Line. You did tell me what I needed to know though--go with one of the neoprene girths. I do like the elbow cutouts--especially since this will primarily be a saddle to ride with a wooly horse.

Thanks for your help.
Linda

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