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.

Horse Riding & The Winter Blues

Posted by debbie | Filed under Equestrian News, General Info, Show Jumping

While we UK horse owners and riders tough it out through torrential rain, fields full of mud, chapped lips, chilblains and freezing toes;......

Spare a thought for the poor USA and International horse owners and competitiors who've had to drag themselves over to the 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival which officially opened Wednesday and kicks off 12 weeks of international equestrian competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival Where Ireland's Shane Sweetnam won the $6,000 1.40-meter competition, beating 54 other entries and riding Sienna. Even that competition name 'Suncast Opener' makes you long for hot sunny days.

Sunny days; and the Winter Equestrian Festival even offers $5 million in prize money.... makes you wanna p'@#k"

"The sport in America needs to catch up to Europe, and what's happening here is really fantastic," says US international competitor Mark Wylde. "It's what we need as riders and competitors. We need to try and raise the standard in our own country."

A 12 week festival, $5 million in prize money .... catch up, catch up !!

Ah well ..... back to mucking out and looking forward to Spring; when there'll just be more rain and more mud...... but warmer brighter mornings !!