What size girth does my horse need?

A dressage girth is short and made for saddles with long billets. A long girth is made for saddles with short billets. The saddle decides which one you need, not the discipline on the show bill. With a dressage saddle, the billets run a long way down the horse's side, so a short girth keeps the buckles up under the flap, out from under your leg. With a jumping or all-purpose saddle, the billets are short, and a long girth carries the buckles farther down.

The sizes are very different, which is why the same horse can wear a 26 in a short girth and a 48 in a long one. Horse & Hound's measuring guide gives about 26 inches short and 46 to 48 inches long as the average for a 15 to 16 hand horse, with the warning that the right size depends on the saddle, the girth type, the breed and the condition of the horse. Browse both on our girths and cinches page.

Can you jump in a dressage girth? It depends on your saddle's billets, not on the girth's name. If your jumping saddle has short billets, a short girth won't reach. If you aren't sure, ask your saddle fitter before you buy.

Put your saddle and pad on, then measure from the middle billet hole on one side, under the horse, to the middle hole on the other. Horse & Hound says to run a string or fabric tape about four inches behind the elbow, then measure the string in inches. That number is your girth size. Dressage Today gives the same shortcut with the old girth on: measure between the middle billet holes.

Why the middle hole? It leaves room to tighten a few holes evenly on each side, and to tighten gradually. If you have a girth that fits, measure that from buckle end to buckle end. Don't trust an old girth that has stretched, because elastic and old leather can grow with age.

One of the questions we get most is about labels. Girths are sized from buckle to buckle, not end to end. The confusion starts there. EquiSearch reported a girth labeled 28 inches at the buckles that measured up to 37 inches overall. Some dressage girths have set-back buckles, which Horse & Hound says can make them measure slightly longer, and most come in two-inch steps. Check the size is in the unit the brand uses before you order.

The buckles sit above the elbow, under the flap, with the longest girth that gives you that. Dressage Today says to use the longest short girth you can, and to leave about two fingers between the saddle pad and the top of the girth. Horse & Hound says about three fingers. Treat that as a range. Your saddle should stay steady, and nothing should pinch, or let the elbow knock the buckles.

On a long girth, aim for at least two billet holes above the buckles and at least one below. The same Dressage Today article tells you to forget the old rule of thumb of a hand's width behind the elbow, because the right position depends on the individual horse and how the saddle fits.

Tighten gradually, one set of holes at a time, with a few steps between. A flat hand should fit under the girth, with a response Dressage Today calls 'a polite handshake'. Then check again after you've walked a few minutes.

An anatomic girth can be worth it for a horse with a defined girth area or a forward groove, and it only helps if it sits the way the maker built it. Dressage Today describes several shapes. Ergonomic girths have cutouts for the elbows and shoulders and a wider center for the breastbone. Anatomic ones have elbow cutouts on both sides. Asymmetrical ones have a cutout on one side only, so direction matters. A crescent shape is for a short-backed horse with a wide ribcage and narrow chest, where the saddle slides forward. A straight girth can work if the horse has a well-defined girth area.

Which way does it go? Follow the maker's marking or hang tag, since brands differ and we won't guess for them. An asymmetrical shape has to go the way it was designed, so check that the cutout sits where the elbow moves. Then walk him and watch whether the elbow still has room.

A forward girth groove brings another option. Horse & Hound says narrow gauge girths suit narrower ribcages, such as when the flat area between the elbows is less than 20 cm, and horses with a forward groove may benefit too. EQUUS adds that an upright shoulder, mutton withers or a wide torso can keep the girth close behind the elbows regardless of where you put the saddle. You can see shaped options in our LeMieux girths and on our Ovation page.

Start with the cause, because the girth is only part of it. EQUUS lists conformation, a recent tack change, poor fitness and a dirty, stiff or ill-fitting girth as causes of girth galls. Its prevention advice includes a fleece cover over a soft girth that you clean often, and neoprene, string or hourglass-shaped girths, which cause less friction behind the elbows. It also suggests lifting and stretching each foreleg forward after cinching, and if the sores keep coming back, changing saddles.

Materials trade off. Dressage Today says leather is breathable and usually tolerated, but needs regular cleaning and conditioning. Neoprene is soft and washable but can hold heat and rub. Natural sheepskin is well tolerated but needs delicate washing, and covers can twist. Horse & Hound adds that seamless outer materials can reduce irritation.

Open sores, swelling or a horse that suddenly hates being girthed are a job for your vet. A different girth won't diagnose anything.

Elastic changes how far you tighten, and how much the girth gives as the horse breathes. Dressage Today says center or side elastics help the ribcage expand and contract, but a one-sided elastic can pull the saddle to one side. Check that the saddle stays centered.

EquiSearch found that elastic at each end can stretch up to 2 inches, or 4 inches overall, and that stretch increases with wear. Its advice is to test the stretch before you buy and allow extra room if the elastic is stretchy. Too much give lets the saddle slip, so firm elastic at the buckles matters for horses prone to slipping.

In practice, tighten in stages. Girth snugly enough to mount safely, walk a few minutes, then take up another hole or two. A girth that's loose enough to rotate, or tight enough to leave deep creases, is wrong either way.

Clean it, condition it, and replace it when it can no longer hold the saddle steady or stay comfortable. Dressage Today says leather needs regular cleaning and conditioning, and that vegetable-tanned leather is a newer option made with plant-derived tannins. Synthetic girths with pinholes or washable covers are easier. Follow the maker's care label for neoprene and sheepskin.

Horse & Hound notes that old girths, and any with elastic, stretch over time. That's a sign to measure again before you reorder the same size. We don't know of a mileage number that tells you when a girth is finished, so use signs:

• Elastic that has lost its firmness, so the saddle shifts or you need new holes on every ride.
• Leather that has gone stiff or cracked and won't soften after cleaning and conditioning.
• Stitching, buckles or billet-end keepers that are worn, frayed or loose.
• Rubs or hair loss in the same place after other causes have been ruled out. Ask your vet about the skin.

Try it on with the saddle, then check the size, the buckles, the elbow room and how he moves.

• The size you ordered, buckle to buckle, and the middle billet hole.
• Buckles above the elbow with the gap to the saddle pad you want.
• Two billet holes above the buckles and one below, on a long girth.
• Room for the elbow when you ask for a few steps of walk.
• A flat hand under the girth once it's tightened.
• The saddle staying centered if the elastic is one-sided.
• His skin after the first few rides.