The Equestrian Blog

Saddle Girth – How tight is too tight?

Are you guilty of doing up your horse’s girth as tight as you can in the belief it gives your saddle and you the best security? Well Australian researchers have found that a girth done up too tightly can have a negative effect on your horse’s performance.

The usual tension applied to a saddle girth to keep a saddle on a Thoroughbred racehorse is around 13kg but researchers found anything over 10kg could alter the horses performance.

Although they still have to work out why, it’s thought that it may force the horse to adopt different breathing patterns involving a greater use of the diaphragm which in turn affects performance. Alternatively, the soft tissue and fluid in the thoracic wall (the part between the neck and abdomen, enclosed by the ribs) could be displaced during exercise.

As yet, no-one knows for sure. Some horses don’t seem particularly affected by girth tightness but others do. Saddle placement also played a part, so more research is needed. Whatever the effects of your saddle girth just make sure you don’t leave your girth too loose.

Another Event Rider Killed !

Posted by rji | Filed under Equestrian News

Another one of Britain's young three-day event riders has been killed after falling off her horse during a competition in Florida.

Eleanor Brennan, was just 21 when she died at Ocala on Saturday. Her horse, Mr Barnabus, stumbled at a jump and landed on her. Eleanor sustained fatal head and chest injuries.

The British team manager said, "It is always tragic when something like this happens, My condolences go to her family and friends. She was a lovely, charming young lady and a good rider."

Eleanor Brennan was competing for the first time at the Florida International Three-Day Event and Ocala Fall Horse Trials. The event is described as, "the most challenging in the equine industry".

Organisers said her horse, Mr Barnabus, struck a gate while attempting to clear a fence and rolled over onto its neck, trapping Eleanor underneath. Mr Barnabus died instantly.

Eleanor Brennan's death is the second at the event after another rider was killed in a fall in 2006.

So, given the increasingly complicated obstacles in eventing, is eventing the sport becoming too dangerous?