GIRTHS l FACTS AND FIT
Research has shown that a poorly fitting girth can have a dramatic impact on a horse’s movement and comfort. Rachael Sivyer from the College of Saddle Fitting explains what can go wrong — and how to ensure that it doesn’t
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WHAT IS A girth? Basically, it is a belt that goes under the horse’s body to secure the saddle, rather like a person wears one to hold up their trousers or shorts to prevent them from ending up around their ankles on the f loor.
Originally the girth was merely thought of as a tool to hold the saddle in place and keep it still, but since Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire’s groundbreaking research on racehorses, this ‘belt’ has been looked upon somewhat differently.
Russell wrote in trainermagazine.com: “It seems that the girth has the potential to be more inf luential and important than has ever been imagined. Indeed, the girth’s impact on equine locomotion has been reported to be so great that authors of a study suggest the girth and its fit should be considered by a veterinarian when evaluating a horse for poor performance.”
Indeed, the research pinpointed that high-pressure areas from girths were localised behind the elbows and not on the sternum as had previously been thought. Ultimately, it was found that a poorly fitting girth can have a negative impact on stride length. Imagine then the discomfort of a horse wearing the ‘wrong’ girth during even an hour of schooling with his elbows knocking against it with each stride he takes.
Types of girth
Since Russell MacKechnie-Guire’s in depth look at girths, the popularity of anatomical girths has soared. There are many connotations of the type, but basically they consist of a lozenge of varying sizes between the legs, while the girth is curved/cut away behind the elbow to allow more freedom of movement, plus increased forelimb and hock f lexion. The knock-on effect on the body is also quite marked. Generally, anatomical girths are made of leather, but increasingly they are available in synthetic materials, including medical grade closed cell foam which doesn’t deform easily and which can help to reduce pressure. Having listed all of their positives, anatomical girths don’t suit every horse and, in fact, some dislike them. It is also vital that they are fitted correctly. Some owners buy the same length anatomical girth as they do a straight girth, but this won’t fit and may even compromise the elbow. The lozenge must also be of the correct gauge, which is why it must be assessed by a professional fitter.
Other long girths include:
■ Contoured —again, these are shaped behind the elbows, but are different from anatomical girths in that they aren’t shaped to such an extreme.
■ Straight — the shape is as the name implies, an
