Measure Girth Size
Whether you ride English or Western, your girth or cinch is an important part of your tack. It keeps your saddle securely on your horse and you firmly on top of the saddle. A properly-fitted girth is essential to your safety and the health of your horse. Measuring your horse for a new cinch isn't difficult, but having an extra pair of helping hands makes the entire process smoother.
Things You’ll Need:
* Soft measuring tape
* Calculator
Step 1
Stand your horse on a smooth, flat surface and have an assistant hold him.
Step 2
Run the measuring tape around his barrel where the girth will rest, just behind his elbow and withers. Carefully drag the measuring tape completely around his body until the two ends meet, and then pull it taut. Being able to hand the tape under your horse and have your assistant pass it back over his wither to you saves you time and a lot of fumbling. This gives you your horse's heart girth measurements in inches.
Step 3
Use this formula to get the correct calculation for your horse's girth size. Take your horse's heart girth measurements in inches, divide it by 2 and then subtract 3.
Step 4
Round the calculation up if your figure is not a whole number to get your horse's cinch or girth size in inches. For instance, if your horse's heart girth measures 79 inches, you would divide it by two, which is 39.5, subtract 3, and it would equal 36.5. You would round this up to 37, meaning your horse needs a girth or cinch at least 37 inches long. Since most girths and cinch only come in even numbers you would look for a 38-inch girth.
Now that you have your girth lets look at how to check the girth on a saddle. Here are some tips on how to make sure that the girth is tightened properly.
Step 1
Making sure your girth is tightened properly is the most critical part of saddling your horse. The girth, or cinch as it is often called in the Western saddle, is the belt that holds your saddle onto the horse. You need to make sure it is tight enough, but not so tight it encourages your horse to buck you and the painful saddle off.
Step 2
Go ahead and tighten the girth as normal. Once tightened, untie your horse and walk it for several minutes. Stop in mid-stride and go back and check the girth. Some horses will hold their breath while you are tightening the cinch, so that once they walk a bit and let the air out, the girth is then loosened.
Step 3
To check the tightness of the girth, place three fingers alongside the girth and push them under. This should be done midway between the top of the girth and the bottom, where the girth runs under the belly. You should be able to squeeze your fingers just under the girth. It should be a tight fit, but you should be able to do it. More than three fingers and it is too loose, less than three and it is too tight.
Step 4
Always check the girth before you mount and after each rest-stop. When you stop to relax, be sure and loosen the girth on your horse and allow him to rest too. Think of your tightest pair of jeans after you have eaten a large meal. Loosening those jeans is a must for comfort whenever possible. You can button them again when you have to get up. It's the same idea with the girth--tighten it for business, and loosen it for comfort.
