ridecamp@endurance.net: Girths

Girths

Barbara Madill (madill@teleplex.net)
Thu, 24 Apr 1997 15:21:19 -0400 (EDT)

On April 23, 1997 you wrote:
>After hearing tons of supporters of neoprene girths on this list, I added
one to my orthoflex when I ordered it. No problem. I now have two
orthoflexes, one the new style, one the old, both with neoprene girths. To
my surprise, I discovered a nasty girth sore on my grey horse. Yes, I wash
his pits and yes I keep the girth clean. Has anyone else managed to get a
girth thing with these wonderful girths besides me or do I just get to
experience every weird problem out there? Valerie once told me that
endurance riding was nothing more than a series of problem solving.<

Valerie is right, but think of how simple a lot of other probems seem after
solving long distance related ones!

Sue, my mare, Larca, used to have dreadful "pits" problems -- only
thing she'd lose points on at 3 day 100's. I switched to Wintec Elastic
Dressage girth -- retails about $40.00 or did when I got mine two years ago.
Since then she moved on up to some nice championships and no girth problems.
(Three day format at total time 15 3/4 to 17 hours over three days -- lots
of time to stiffen up and swell up!!)
I do successfully use a neoprene cinch with my Monte Foreman
Balanced Ride western saddle. Since I started using the rear cinch that
came with the saddle, the saddle's stayed in place. I use it for all of the
trail clearing and marking we do at Biltmore.
What model are your Orthoflex saddles? I bought an Endurance
Cutback, hoping it would be good for Larca, but the billets are slanted
forward. It works fine for my young horse, but not for her. I was chicken
and used the good old Passier I bought nearly 30 years ago for my last three
or four 100's. Put a saddle seat style "seat saver" on it for me.
I've been really pleased with that Wintec girth -- thought I'd shown
it to you when I was up for Vt 100 last year. Nice thing is that it
compresses into a VERY small and soft area when the horse brings its leg back.
Only place I found that stocks it is Rick's Heritage 1-800-336-3882,
but I'd suggest you order from their catalogue. I just called to make sure
they still carry it, but they didn't have the dressage length in stock. I
think mine is a 30" -- easy to adjust from the horse's back. I use it with
the Ortho, the Passier (for which I made extenders from old stirrup
leathers) and the Big Horn Endurance saddle that I converted from center
fire to English dressage style rigging. (Since the Big Horn has NO horn, I
call it my "Oxymoron Saddle".

Seriously, I can't tell you what a difference that girth has made.

Hope the above wasn't too garbled and is able to help you and anyone else
with similar problems.

The big bummer of long distance is that you can practice and practice, but
it's only DURING the competition that you can test out a new combination!
Keeps life from being boring!!

Barbara

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff