The subject of proper girth placement is one that divides horse people. Those who use breast collars often argue that it prevents the girth from resting on the withers, which can cause pain and even damage to the spine over time. The supporters of breast collar advocates argue that a breast collar doesn’t rest there at all and that many horses are tougher than you think. These two sides are unable to come to a compromise and still be civil to one another. But there’s no need for such bickering! Let’s examine what science has to say on the matter.
As a horse owner, you want your horse to look his best in the show ring! One of the ways you can do this is by making sure your horse is well groomed, and one of the things that you want groomed well is his girth area. Here, we’ll cover how to make sure your girth placement is good, and how that not only looks good for the show ring, but can help prevent rubs as well!
Proper Girth Placement On A Horse
It is important to know the proper placement of the saddle girth on your horse. If it is placed too high, it can result in unnecessary pressure on the horse’s ribs and damage their internal organs. If it is placed too low, it can cause problems with the saddle sliding sideways or rubbing against the horse’s back, which can also cause damage.
When fitting a girth, make sure that you are using a correctly sized one for your horse—too big or too small will result in improper placement of this important piece of equipment.
Another thing that should be considered when fitting a saddle girth on your horse is whether or not it has any buckles or clips. These things may be used to adjust where exactly on the horse’s body that they will sit—for example, if they were placed too high up then they might actually rub against their spine instead of just below their ribs where they should be located instead!
Proper girth placement on a horse is important for both the rider and the horse. If you are riding a horse that has been previously trained to use a girth, you will want to follow those instructions when you put it on. However, if this is your first time using a girth, there are some steps you can take in order to ensure that your girth is placed properly.
The first thing to consider is how long your horse will be wearing the girth. If it is just for short rides, then there are not going to be any problems with improper placement as long as it stays in place. However, if you are planning on riding for longer periods of time or over rough terrain, then proper placement will help make sure that nothing gets caught in between the saddle and bridle or any other part of the tack.
When placing your girth on your horse’s back, you will want to place it between the withers and croup area so that it does not rub against any sensitive areas such as the spine or ribs.”
Proper girth placement on a horse is important for comfort and health.
The girth should be placed so that it is not too tight or too loose. The handler should be able to fit one finger between the horse’s back and the girth. If you cannot fit one finger between the two, it is too tight for your horse. This can cause discomfort and pain for your horse, which can lead to other problems down the line.
On the other hand, if you can fit more than one finger between your horse’s back and the girth, it is too loose for your horse. This can cause discomfort as well as make it harder for them to breathe freely.
Proper Girth Placement On A Horse
Saddle position affects performance and comfort for your horse as well as yourself. Significantly.
Your horse’s shoulder muscles must remain free enough to bulge under the front of your saddle while you ride. Squeezing/pressing anywhere along the wither area creates a miserable experience for your horse and less comfort for you.
These simple key tips will enable you to set up your saddle in the right place on your horse’s body to offer maximum positive results with the equipment you own.
WESTERN vs ENGLISH: Position them differently.
The skeleton (Tree) of a saddle is the strong, substantive foundation around which the saddle’s softer parts are constructed.
WESTERN trees have long, broad parallel “bars” generally shaped to flare at the front over the horse’s shoulders. Therefore, the front edge of a Western saddle’s tree will sit farther forward than an English saddle’s forward-most tree points.
ENGLISH trees have a smaller frame that covers less length and breadth along the horse’s back.
When positioned properly, the front edge of either saddle should not affect the horse’s body adversely, especially if it is shaped appropriately and a shim in your saddle pad is used correctly. In fact, a shim can help a too-narrow saddle feel better.
No matter how soft is the underside covering of a saddle, both English and Western trees can impact your horse’s movement if they are placed too far forward or too far back.
A note about TREELESS SADDLES:
Our research has indicated clearly that saddles without some sort of well-shaped rigid internal foundation put too much pressure on the center area of horses’ backs. Over time, especially if carrying heavy riders, horses will develop a sagging center, compromised stride quality, and other physical deterioration.
POSITION RULE OF THUMB? IT’S ALL IN THE FINGERTIPS!
STEP 1 – FEEL
Locate the back edge of your horse’s shoulder blade (scapula) by ‘feeling’ for it with your fingertips while the horse is standing still. You should be able to feel (gently but firmly) the muscle-covered edge of this big bone as it drops off toward the rear. Curl your fingers over it and make note of the position.
STEP 2 – CHECK
Place your saddle and shimmed pad on top of your horse keeping in mind that a WESTERN SADDLE’S FRONT CONCHO should be located right on top of/in line with the area where you curled your fingertips over the scapula’s back edge.
An ENGLISH SADDLE’S FRONT EDGE should be located right behind where your fingers curl over the edge. (Note that saddles with forward-shaped flaps such as jumping saddles will be calculated differently. Feel on the underside of the saddle and note the forward most rigid ‘points” of the tree. Make certain those points are behind the scapula’s back edge).
CHECK that you’ve got it right by reaching underneath the saddle pad along your horse’s body to be certain your fingers can curl over the scapula’s back edge and the saddle is positioned properly.
STEP 3 – DOUBLE-CHECK that your saddle is placed correctly by noting where the cinch lies as you tighten it. You should be able to see about a hand’s breadth of open space from your horse’s elbow to the front edge of the cinch.
ICING ON THE CAKE – If you can reach back under your saddle pad when all cinched up and feel there’s room for your horse’s shoulder to bulge/swing under the front of the saddle, you can be confident your saddle setup will serve you both best. Note: of course it’s important to make sure the saddle isn’t tilted up TOO high. Feel underneath the back of it when you’re mounted as your horse walks off. Fingers should not be pinched.