Flexi-Girth for sensitive mare?

[livamino]

Does anyone have any experience of using the flexi-girth with success?

My young connie mare is very sensitive around the girth area, especially when in season as you would expect. She is only happy if the girth is tightened slowly during a short lunging session before can get on and ride. Everything has been checked back/saddle/teeth etc and due to my pregnancy is only ridden a couple of times a week at the moment by very experienced instructor. If girth is taken up slowly she is happy to be schooled, otherwise she'll leap about the place!

Just wondering of others experience of this girth for similar reasons before I buy?

[GinaGeo]

What sort of girth are you currently using?

I've had a quick look at it and it does provide the central elastic which I favour, rarely seen outside of dressage girths.

I however use saddles with long girth straps and therefore use Dressage girths. So it's much easier to find girths centrally elasticated or elasticated both sides. Dressage girths also seem to have a much larger surface area than long girths which might play a role I suppose.

[livamino]

I first used a leather girth with elastic at ends but then switched to fabric humane girth to allow for more give & even pressure. Also using thick polypad under saddle to add to comfort.

I was told about the ridden Arabs at HOYS having dressage type girths & sheepskin covers, guess to eliminate discomfort.

[watchbank]

Dont know if it will help but my cob is like this and i tried a few and the best is the aerborn comfort girth i think its called and when shes in season i added a sheepskin cover x

[livamino]

Could be same girth that I'm using... Will add cover tomorrow. Thanks.

[angelena]

I use the Stubben trevira girth and none of mine have disliked it. The one they have all hated is the humane girth. I was told to buy a professional choice girth but they cost a fortune.

[livamino]

I'll take a look at the Stubben girth, thanks.

[vikki85]

Flexi-girths were designed with this in mind, the guy who designed them had a mare who hated being girthed and the flexi-girth cured that. Obviously coursed for horses though so may not work with every horse, but I'd say it was definitely worth a try.

I have a flexi-girth, my mare has never been sensitive but do I find it excellent for jumping etc, I sometimes forget to tighten it because it is so secure and my saddle never moves.

[sbloom]

Not overly impressed with the flexi-girth, it doesn't seem to work for all horses by any means, and the one that I saw on a clients horse I substituted with the leather Atherstones that we make and sell, and he was no less comfortable.

The human girth places a LOT of pressure on the D ring, and is also unsafe. I'd try your old girth first.

[livamino]

How does the Stubben Trevira perform with a martingale? I'm wondering if the strings would gather & pinch at point of the martingale connection?

[Deleted]

I have sensitive mares too, similiar problems. All sorted now

I have a brown leather flexi girth on my showing saddle - which is fine BUT

for every day use - schooling/hacking/dressage I use Professional Choice Non Slip Girth.

These girths are amazing as they are so non slip, you can do them up a lot looser than normal girths, hence putting less pressure on the sensitive area

[sarahp]

Did your physio/back person check her ribs? They can sometimes tweak something in the rib/girth area that can make them over sensitive - out physio used to check there as part of her routine.

I haven't hear of girthing problems when in season before, a new one on me - only of them getting sensitive for this reason in the loin area over the ovaries which can be aggravated by the saddle.

[catkin]

I have used pretty much all of the above girths and haven't found anything better than a nice old fashioned Atherstone with elastic at both ends. The anti slip are good too.

I am not sure though that the type of girth is the root of the problem. Your mare sounds very much as if she still hasn't accepted any type of real pressure and I would go back to basics, some do take so much longer than others.

For types like this, I use a nice wide roller in the stable, or even when turned out (obviously in a controlled environment), so its on them a lot of the time and they get used to the feeling against their body when moving around. Do please make sure that you can girth right up and happily lunge or long rein or loose school before you get on and ride.

The only other point (other than getting the ribs checked) I would mention is that I have known a couple of polo ponies who were terrible to girth and it turned out that they had stomach ulcers. I was amazed this would effect them so far forward on their body, but it did.

Good luck

[catkin]

p.s just to add, that with the advent of more modern rugs, we don't use rollers as much as we did! Please make sure you get a good wide one, padded at the top. I often use a doubled-over saddle cloth under it too to help with movement and pressure points.