Friday, August 31, 2012

Rider Confessions

I ride Harley with a loose girth.

At least, that is what people have been telling me over the years.
And by "people" I mean,

the barn owner.
my teacher.
other riders.
random barn folks hanging on the fence.
a gate steward at a horse show.
a judge at a horse show.

"Feels tight enough to me!"  Harley wears a special contoured girth, made by Prestige, to prevent the saddle from being pulled into his shoulders due to a forward girth spot.  Worth every penny!

In contrast, there are a handful of individuals who have told me that the girth does not need to be super tight if the saddle fits horse and rider and I have read something here and there to support their claims.  One of them was a tack professional who designs saddle pads and shims.  The other one was a therapeutic riding professional at a certification workshop.  She was one of the workshop trainers for instructors and insisted that we check for girth tightness at the sternum of the horse.  She explained that if you check for girth tightness at the side, and especially if the girth has elastic ends, you will almost always be able to feel that you can tighten it up a hole or two.  I guess this would be true until you run out of holes in the billets!

The workshop trainer asked us to compare the tightness of the girth at the sides and then at the sternum for a horse whose girth had been "tightened up" in typical fashion for lessons.  At the horse's sides, the girth had some give and I could easily pull it away from his body.  It felt like I could raise it up one more hole.  When I felt the girth at the sternum, it almost felt like he was being split in two!  I could barely squeeze my fingers between the girth and his body.  The workshop trainer told us about the soreness that can develop at the girth spot on horses who are consistently worked with a girth that is too tight.  A little prodding or pressure applied at the side of the girth spot may be enough to cause the muscles to tense up or the horse's facial expression to show discomfort.  Horses in chronic pain from the girth or other tack may become frustrated and show stronger vices, like ear pinning, head tossing, biting, side-stepping, walking off, or more dangerous behaviors under saddle.  As riding instructors, she stressed that it was very important for us to look out for the well-being and happiness of our equine staff.  This was as important for our riders and volunteers as it was for the horse.  A pony in discomfort can become a dangerous pony very quickly and, of course, no one wants to cause an animal any pain.  Girthiness is to be taken seriously as the symptom of a greater problem.

I took this lesson to heart and started checking the girths of all my therapeutic lesson horses at the sternum.  I also taught my volunteers to do the same.  I had to loosen more girths than I tightened in the beginning, but before long my group of helpers became very good at checking and tightening girths correctly.  My lesson horses seemed happier.  Some even displayed a reduction in unwanted behavior, like head-tossing while being girthed-up.  It is required practice to check the girth several times in a therapeutic lesson, especially if the rider is not independent or able-bodied, so I was constantly monitoring the safety of the girth tightness that I chose for my horses.  The "sternum test" really worked!  It was an enlightening experience.

I started applying this practice to my own horse.  He had not displayed "girthy" behavior, but I still wanted him to be comfortable when I asked him to work.  I tightened the girth until it felt secure at the sternum.  Looking from the ground, the girth rested snuggly against his sides.  I have known horses that hold their breath and pop out their rib cage to protect themselves from the girth, but Harley was not doing this.  I rode my horse.  The saddle did not shift.  If we went on trails and moved at speed or traveled up and down hills, like at the Turkey Trot, my tack stayed secure.  Even when Harley is having a "bouncy" day, my saddle stays put.  I never think about the girth when I am riding until someone at ground level looks at my saddle billets with wide eyes.

I cannot tell you how many times this had happened.  I am standing next to some horse person and he or she glances at the girth for my saddle and suddenly the person's eyes get big.  Next, I hear that my girth is too loose.  I have tried handling this situation in a number of ways.  In the beginning I always got off and tightened the girth.  I did not want to worry anyone about safety, especially at a horse show, and, hey, maybe they were right?  I do not want to get caught hanging under my horse's belly.  Talk about looking like a newbie!  However, sometimes I would tighten the girth or ask someone else to tighten it for me (can't seem to reach a dressage girth from the saddle), and then later that same day another person would make the same discovery about my girth.  I cannot just keep tightening it!

Other times, I attempted to explain to whomever was trying to save me from certain death, that the girth was tight at the sternum.  At this point the person's eyes would usually glaze over or he or she would raise an eyebrow in disbelief.  Something about anatomy terms seems to have that effect.  Of course, people whom I see all the time, like the barn owner, would listen to me and usually ignore the girth after that, but that did not take care of random new folks.  This is where "looking young" is not a good thing.  People seem to think that I need help, because I look like I am new to whatever I am doing: riding, teaching, trying on shoes, etc.  Just imagine being treated like a novice in everything that you do whenever you meet new people.  It gets old really fast.  Trust me.

The strategy that has worked the best so far when informed that I am in eminent danger, because the girth securing my saddle is too loose, is to very nonchalantly say,

"It is always like that".

For some reason random people are more likely to accept complacency then they are thoughtful technique.  On one occasion, the other person dropped the issue immediately and responded back with,

"Oh, people always say that to me, too."

I am baffled by this, but if it keeps the savers off my back, I am willing to play along.  Maybe they assume that I am less concerned with safety than they are or too ignorant in my riding practice to bother with.  I do not want to be rude to someone who is trying to look out for a stranger's safety, because there is something to be said for that, but I also need an effective counter response so that I can continue on my way.

Although I use the "sternum test" for all the horses that I tack up, Harley is the only one who triggers action in "concerned girth activists".  This has happened with more than one saddle/girth combination.  Since I cannot see what his girth looks like when I am on his back, I cannot share their perspective.  Do you think that he could have figured out a way to hold himself away from the girth, so that it looks dramatically loose?  He is slap-sided, which probably exacerbates the visual effect.  I only get these comments when he is standing still and only after riding for a while.  When I get off to untack, his girth looks exactly the same as it did when I tacked up.  I have tried putting his girth up an extra hole on each side (elastic on both), just in case, but I learned at my last lesson that the "looseness" is still apparent, because my teacher lost her thought while explaining something to me at the end of our lesson.  Her eyes, which had dropped to the girth, widened and she stopped midsentence to look up at me and say,

"Your girth has like this much space."  She was using her thumb and index finger to measure out about an inch.  I had been caught up in the wonderful stuff that she was saying about our work during the lesson and almost didn't realize what she was talking about at first.  In the same situation, I am sure that I would feel obligated to share the same information with my own student.  My expression sank a bit as I sighed, smiled a little, and whispered,

"It's always like that..."

24 comments:

  1. Most people overtighten their girths. Your system is a good one, and as long as the saddle and girth fit, and the girth doesn't rub, and the saddle doesn't shift, things are good. I also ride in a Western (About the Horse) saddle, and the rigging and tree are designed to allow the front cinch to lie farther back from the legs. The saddle also requires a back cinch, and the maker wants front and back cinches pretty much equally tight, but not too tight in either case.

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    1. I *think* that my teacher recommends the brand of Western saddle, which you described. She has mentioned the importance of the back cinch to western riders in lessons.

      Thanks for the confirmation, Kate.

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  2. This is a fantastic post im going to keep this in mind when i girth up tonight my horse has become a little bit girthy and that most definatly might be why.

    Thanks :D

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    1. Cool. If this helps you and your horse, that makes me very happy!

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  3. I have been told that numerous times with my horse, Cruiser. In fact, I was surprised, myself, the first time I saw someone else riding him and I could see daylight between the girth and the bottom of his belly. The saddle never slips. My response is the same as yours, "It's always that way."

    Judi
    Author of "Trail Training for the Horse and Rider" and "Trail Horse Adventures and Advice"

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    1. Thank you for sharing this. It makes me feel better to know that there are experienced riders (and authors!) with the same dilemma.

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  4. Maybe you should wear a fake mustache- you know, to make you look older ;)

    When I got my Ansur I was told expressly not to over tighten the girth so I took to riding with it pretty loose. This worked fine until I was riding the friesian in a lesson one day and noticed a bit of saddle movement in the canter. I reached down and could fit my fist sideways between the girth and the horse. That was a little too loose!

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    1. The kids would probably like the mustache idea. Mustaches seem to be a recent fascination with them. I cannot imagine why. Thanks for the tip. ;)

      That would be a loose girth! Is Mr. Friesian rather round? Barrel-shaped horses have more surface area to distribute the pressure, so you can tighten it more without bothering them, in theory. Good for you for staying put during that canter!

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  5. Hehehehe... I too am notorious for riding with my girth too loose. In fact my old trainer used to say that she could "drive a train through it." I admit, I tend to ride looser than tighter, although for jousting we really do tend to make it quite tight, due to the weight of the armor and the higher center of gravity.

    Would you mind posting a pic or short video of where/how you check the girth? I *think* I know where you're testing, but I want to be sure.

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    1. Wow, cool. I would like to see a video of a train being driven through the girth and the saddle!

      I will try to put together a "sternum test" photo essay or video. :)

      It makes sense to tighten the girth for jousting. I will consider the size and weight of the rider when I tighten up the girth on lesson horses. I usually wait until the rider is up, but I imagine that it is impossible to lean over and adjust the girth in full armor!

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  6. My girth is also always loose. It doesn't bother me, I have yet to have a saddle slip on me, even in the face of bucks, spooks and rears. I usually respond with "It's OK, I have good balance", but I'm sort of snarky like that.

    I have seen a saddle slip, but it was a saddle that fit poorly to begin with, the rider had poor balance, gripped with her knees and panicked. It was going to end in disaster regardless of the girth.

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    1. *laughing* About your snarkiness, not the disaster part!

      I guess "sharky" withers are not really a bad thing, even if they can make saddle fit a chore. Although, in my experience, lots of things make saddle fit a chore. ;)

      Oh dear. I agree that the girth cannot compensate for the things you described. I watched my friend's saddle slip right under the horse while she was cantering into a turn. The horse was a big, round draft cross, who was not very balanced at the canter. He would also sweat a lot and he was wearing one of those synthetic, Wintec girths, a really long one to accommodate his hugeness. Those girths get really slippery when they are wet. Somehow my friend did not fall off. She hung on the side and stopped the horse before climbing down. It was like watching a cartoon.

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  7. I have the same issue! First, my horse is girthy...it just happened one day...he was fine with being girthed (and I always went slow) and then one day, decided he didnt like it and got prickly about it. So now we go slower. I tighten like 4 different times before I actually mount. I am ALWAYS being told it's too loose...note, in 21 years of riding I've never come off due to a loose girth (other reasons YES, but not that, haha). Second, my horse bloats. Just when I think it's tight, I realize he's STILL holding his breath and puffing out a bit. I do what feels comfortable to my horse and to me. What I HAVE gotten hurt from is girthing too tight, too fast and getting bucked off two steps past the mounting block...NOT FUN. I like your judgment on this issue!

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    1. Thanks for presenting an interesting side to the girth issue, Nicku. I like your practice of girthing up slowly. It is really frustrating to have your experienced questioned, especially when you have a couple decades in the saddle. I think that being short doesn't help with that, but at least we can ride lots of different sized horses if we want to. Perks. :)

      I cringe when I see someone throw their weight into the billets and hike up the cinch several holes. I will say this and then completely admit that I used to tighten girths that way. Those poor horses. Thank goodness they never retaliated. I was definitely taught to tighten it until I could tighten no more.

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  8. I am so going to make a concerted effort to check my girth at the sternum from now on! My saddle fitter (the most sought after fitter in my city) told me not to over tighten the girth, as my horse has a well fitting saddle, has a decent wither and nice wide back.

    Gracie on the other hand is a little mutton withered and while her saddle fits well too, to help keep it in place she needs the girth a little tighter, much to her distaste.

    Have you ever had anyone check your girth at the sternum while you were mounted? I'm interested to know if it is a little looser with your weight compressing the flocking.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your saddle fitter's advice, Lisa. I agree that the wither and shape of the horse has a lot to do with girth tightness. Horses with withers tend to be a little more angular and mutton-types a bit rounder through the ribcage. At least Gracie has more surface area to distribute the girth pressure.

      I have wondered about the saddle settling while mounted. I think that I have had someone check the girth at the sternum, but I cannot remember. I need to remember to ask someone to do that.

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  9. If it doesn't bother you or Harley and you're used to it always being like that, so what. My daughter sometimes rode with a loose girth too. It was my understanding that if your saddle fits properly and you are a balanced rider it didn't really matter. Obviously, the girth is doing it's job holding the saddle in place. Personally, I like a little tighter girth to hold the saddle on Dusty or Blue. These two have absolutely no withers and saddle fit is tricky. I use the Le Tixerant girth's and they are just wonderful for us.

    I can understand how you feel every time someone points out "your mistake" for your own safety. Many times over the years I've been told that my saddle should be more forward. You know sitting up over the withers. I know where a saddle should sit but for some reason there are many people who don't know the correct placement.

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    1. Thanks for your support, Grey Horse Matters. I agree that a rounder horse will require a tighter girth. The Le Tixerant girths look really awesome! I like the large surface area at the girth spot. Great find!

      Oh, you are so right. Saddles being placed too far forward is another thing that I look for and would often correct before teaching lessons. The horses would usually look at me like "thank goodness you fixed that". It really restricts their movement and allows the scapula to bang against the tree points. That hurts!

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  10. Thank you, Story!

    So Dee's strides improve when the girth is loosened? That is remarkable. As for the round one, better safe than sorry. ;)

    I hope that your horse's allergies have improved.

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  11. Wow you just put into words something I've had a gut feeling about for years!
    I have some friends who tighten and tighten their girths, and part of me has been going EEEK! YOU'LL CUT YOUR HORSE IN HALF! but any time I've opened my mouth and said something I've been snapped at. I know that neither Flurry's nor Aero's saddle tends to slip, so I just do the girth up "comfortably" but I will try out the sternum checking method and see how it works for me.
    Thanks!
    PS I looked very young for years too, the funniest was having salespeople call to MY house and ask was my mother in. Of course my answer was no... she was always in her own house! It stopped SUDDENLY when I hit the mid-thirties though :-(

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  12. Thanks, Martine! You were most definitely on to something. Too bad that the horses' riders did not want to listen.

    That same thing happens to me with the phone calls. I like it, because then I do not have to talk to them. ;)

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  13. Thanks for letting me know that I mistakenly made the video private. I think I fixed it... it should work now.

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  14. Someone has just shared your post and video with me as I have been talking on a forum about our horse becoming uncomfortable in the girth. What a great post. I really believe we are over-tightening the girth on Jay - I often comment to my daughter that his belly seems to pop out (and certainly his head lifts) after that final "one more hole" tighten. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Glad I could help and welcome to my blog!

      Now I am intrigued and must go check out the forums. :)

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