Posted by Administrator on 3/23/2015 to
Fitting Guides
What girth do I need for my horse?
Since it is influenced by several factors we can only give guidance to this question. The fit of the saddle, positioning and type of the billet straps and the confirmation of the horse are all part of the picture.
The below is based on the shape of the horse only. Fundamentally it is more difficult to fit a saddle properly on a horse with marginal withers, since the saddle can more easily slide forward and therefore, move the girth forward.
Generally the following basics apply based on the confirmation of the horse:
Straight girth:
For a well proportioned horse. Wide front, low chest, streamlined ribcage with little bulge of the ribcage/belly behind the elbow. Enough wither to prevent the saddle from sliding forward. In this case there is plenty of distance between the girth and the elbow joint if the saddle has been positioned correctly.
Contoured girth:
As for the straight girth, with the benefit of extra space for the elbow movement. Ideal for horses whose ribcage/belly moves the girth forward.
Asymmetric girth:
Ideal for horses with requires more freedom of movement in the elbow area due to a more forward girth groove.
Crescent girth:
Specifically adapted to fit the horse with a narrow chest and/or where the horse had a more pronounced ribcage/belly starting directly behind the the elbow, as often to be found in the horse with a short back.
Measuring for your girth:
Always measure on a girthed horse.
Our measurements are given in inches/cm and measured from buckle end to buckle end excluding any buckle flaps if applicable.
To select the correct size dressage girth:
Please saddle and girth your horse, measure from buckle end along the median contour of the girth, ensuring the end of the buckle sit below and as close to the bottom of the saddle flaps as possible. The distance between the bottom of the saddle flap and the buckle end should ideally be no more than 6"/15cm.
Important:
We recommend that you add an additional 2"/5cm to your measurements to allow for the density of the sheepskin/wool.
Buckle flaps:
For Mattes Equestrian short girths/dressage girths that have buckle flaps, the distance from the end of the buckle, to the end of the buckle flaps measures approx 7cm/3".