Re: HELP - Girth Problem

[Byron Harward <byron@code-co.com>]

> I put electrode gel (the one delivered with the HRM).

I have been riding with the VMAX basic for about 4 years. I ride with it on
every ride. (I learn a lot about my horse that way as well as do better
training.)

I used to put electrode gel on the patchs but had problems not quite like
the one you mentioned. I found that on a flease/woolback pad or girth, the
gel would quickly make the pad/girth hard. This caused problems (hair loss,
sore spot.)

If I had washed the girth/pad out after each ride this probably wouldn't
have happened, I know. What I found, however was that two other things
solved the problem. Either would have worked:


1. Water works as well for me as gel! If I just tacked up with nothing, the
moniter wouldn't work for a long time until my horse became sweated. If I
take a sponge and thoroughly wet the area, the salt in his hair turns the
water into a perfect conducting solution and the moniter will work as soon
as I tighten the girth. This is what I have looked as as an elegant
solution: Cheap and works.

2. I changed my girth to a neo-prene (sp) girth. This doesn't collec the
gel and does not get hard. It also  doesn't galls my tenderest horse that
always used to have problems in the spring. I can wash it off quickly with
a hose. I have used a single such girth for over a year of hard riding and
it still works great. It doesn't slip as much as other girths I have tried.
I have one "round-body" quarter horse that had to have a very wide roper
girth to keep his saddle in place. A regular neoprene girth holds the
saddle in place better than the roper girth.

I hope this "one-rat" information is useful.

Byron Harward and Tzadik.