Sunday, January 1, 2012

What You Need to Know about Saddle Girth

By Kim Wu


Do you know the single most significant piece of gear that retains the saddle on the horses in position? This particular simple piece of strap is referred to as the saddle girth that is utilized with Australian and English horse saddles. It may also be called a cinch in western riding. It is actually positioned below the barrel of the horse and is connected to the saddle on both sides with the help of two or three leather straps called billets. Apart from maintaining the saddle in position, it's also utilized in jumping or speed sports such as polo, eventing and show jumping. Several western saddles have a cinch which is attached by a single wide leather strap on each side, known as latigo.

Kinds of Girth

Saddle girth continues to become helpful for both the rider and the equine as time went by. Typically, a western cinch was developed of genuine mohair and natural cotton with numerous strands of heavy cords. Today, many girths are made from synthetic fiber or synthetic-mohair blend. Several kinds of girth are usually readily available to match the horses properly. One may be the Balding Style, consists of three strips and is folded in the middle. The Atherstone style looks like the form of the bag hide with 1.5" wide strips and provides better leather running across the center. An additional variation is the overlay girth wherein the piece of leather in the center offers the similar curve as the girth. Actually, it is usually stitched in a beautiful design. In addition there are unshaped girths which are generally made from flat, heavy cotton or padded cotton with nylon webbing reinforcement. If your horse is delicate, there are also fleece girth covers which function as shield to the barrel of the equine.

The Selection and Placement of the Saddle Girth

One of the tips in choosing the best saddle girth for the horse is making sure that it is properly positioned. Take note that it is the point of attachment of the saddle, thus, it is essential that these two will adjust well with each other. The bad position of the girth can limit the overall performance of the saddle. On the other hand, a good position of the girth will allow the horse to move without hassle and breathe perfectly. It should neither be too wide to avoid the horse from pulling the saddle back due to a force of the knuckle. This situation can be very detrimental to both the horse and the rider because it will damage the animal's back and unbalance the rider.

The correct fitting of the girth must be regarded and given significance because if not, both the rider and the horse will have difficulties. The pressure should be distributed equally over the whole region, to permit the equine to breathe much better without pressuring it as well as to move readily as his leg moves backward.




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