Where Does the Girth Go?

The girth for a properly-fitting saddle should be located a couple of fingers behind the horse's elbow so as not to create rub sores or girth galls. Adjust a girth to fit in its proper place with helpful advice from a veterinarian in this video on caring for horses.

Hi, I'm Dr. Joanna Robson. I am a doctor of veterinary medicine with Inspiritus Equine, Incorporated and I'd like to show you where the proper positioning of the girth is, and this also holds true for your latigo and your cinch on a western saddle. Horses are actually pie shaped which means that they are narrower as they taper in towards the elbow and they get wider through the abdomen. If your saddle is fitting correctly behind your horse's shoulder, the billets and the line for your girth should fall in such a position that it sits a couple of fingers behind your horse's elbow in this flatter area right here that ties into the horse's abdomen. If your saddle doesn't fit correctly or it forces your girth to be too far forward like so, the girth can actually create sores or girth galls, by sitting in a position that actually interferes with the horse's elbow and triceps muscles. Vice versa, if your saddle doesn't fit correctly and your latigo and cinch or your girth sit too far back, the girth sitting too far back around the wider part of the horse's abdomen means, as you ride, the girth will slip from big resistance to least resistance and slide into this area, creating a looser girth and that will also cause your saddle to slide out of position. If you have a saddle that moves out of position as you are riding, often times that means that it doesn't fit correctly. That also plays a role with your girth and your stench positioning. So again for your girth or stench to fit in the correct position, it should fall into this area where it is a little bit flat a couple of fingers sitting behind your horse's triceps and elbow right in this area. If it does up behind the wider portion of your horse's abdomen it sits too far back. If it is done up behind the muscles of your horse's triceps it is too far forward and creates pressure sores.