By the manufacturers do harm? I have a dream team saddle, I originally got a w girth to go with it but it was too big (horse lost weight after a few weeks) so I bought a wintec dressage girth as I cant afford to fork out for another w girth and havent had any buyers for my 32" girth. However could I be doing any harm to my horse? She seems reluctant to canter (all the usual checks done) so Im just wondering if its the girth thats the issue? or whether she is just being lazy (she is a difficult horse to get going and is unbalanced) at the moment I am just working on getting the trot going forward.
Could using a girth not 'recommended'
- Thread starter stressy
- Start date
I doubt it, to be honest. So long as it fits and isn't rubbing or pulling your saddle to an angle/forwards/back, it shouldn't make any difference which girth you use IMO. Could be wrong though as I'm not really familiar with treeless saddles.
Manufacturers will tend to recommend a girth for one of two reasons - it works well with the saddle ie minimise slipping etc and the other is that they can keep your sales rather than lose you to Wintec 
Wintec girths work really well with treeless so I doubt that that's the issue. A lot of horses like them too (although there are always the exceptions!). If you horse has lost weight then I'd look at the fit of the saddle as it might now be putting pressure where it's not wanted. Check for any areas which cross the spine like where the girth and stirrups go over.
Otherwise.... is your horse barefoot? could always be a little footy which can give a sore back. What a minefield, huh!
Wintec girths work really well with treeless so I doubt that that's the issue. A lot of horses like them too (although there are always the exceptions!). If you horse has lost weight then I'd look at the fit of the saddle as it might now be putting pressure where it's not wanted. Check for any areas which cross the spine like where the girth and stirrups go over.
Otherwise.... is your horse barefoot? could always be a little footy which can give a sore back. What a minefield, huh!
thanks for replies I suspected that the wintec was fine, saddle doesnt slip with it at all, she isnt barefoot, perhaps I am doing it up too tight?
I suspected that the wintec was fine, saddle doesnt slip with it at all, she isnt barefoot, perhaps I am doing it up too tight?
Arnie is very fussy about a girth - even more so than a saddle. If he's not happy with it then you know all about it. He loves his wintec girth though with his treeless saddle
The main thing i'd ask myself is why did i opt for the w girth? If this was recommended it would have been due to the conformation of your horse?
Whether it will do any harm is hard to answer to be honest.
I have the Dream Team pad and the c girth on my Freeform, so you can use other combinations. However i have the c girth as pony has a forward girth groove, so if i popped a wintec on i suspect it would pull the saddle somewhere along the lines unless it was designed for the forward girth groove.
I also have the roamer girth from robinsons as my spare but comparing it doesn't give my pony the same movement and i use this now on the baretek bareback saddle thingy.
Whether it will do any harm is hard to answer to be honest.
I have the Dream Team pad and the c girth on my Freeform, so you can use other combinations. However i have the c girth as pony has a forward girth groove, so if i popped a wintec on i suspect it would pull the saddle somewhere along the lines unless it was designed for the forward girth groove.
I also have the roamer girth from robinsons as my spare but comparing it doesn't give my pony the same movement and i use this now on the baretek bareback saddle thingy.
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