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.

A Thought for Christmas

Posted by rji | Filed under General Info, Worth Mentioning

The paradox of our time is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

Mistletoe - A thought for Christmas We have bigger houses but smaller families, more convenience, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts and more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to greet a neighbour.

We have conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air and polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies but we communicate less and less.

Ours is a time of fast food and slow digestion, of big men with small character, of steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes and more divorce, of fancy houses and broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that cheer all, calm all and kill all.

It's a time when there's much in the showroom and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology brings this letter to you, and a time when with one click, you choose to share or to hit delete.

So, remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they won't be around forever. love - A thought for christmas

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person will soon grow and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and that won’t cost you a penny.

Remember to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all to mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share your precious thoughts. (adapted from a quote by George Carlin)

Wishing everyone, everywhere a thoughtful Happy Christmas xxx