Having the correct girth size for your horse and saddle is important for the comfort and performance of you and your horse. Girth size is not only impacted by the size of the horse, but also by the particular saddle. Make sure you check the proper measurement for each horse and saddle.
Girths are measureed in inches and come in two inch increments, most commonly between 42″ and 54″. Always round up to the next size when your horse’s girth measures an odd number.
Measuring For Girth Size
- Put your saddle on your horse without a girth attached.
- Have a helper stand on the horse’s off side (right side) and hold the end of a measuring tape (use a soft one that will easily form to your horse’s barrel) at the second hole from the bottom on the billets.
- Bring the tape under and around your horse’s barrel at your horse’s heart girth* and up to the second or third hole of the near side (left side) billets.
- This measurement will be a good estimate of the girth length that will fit your horse and this particular saddle. It will provide a bit of wiggle room for different pads and seasonal changes in your horse’s girth. Measuring from the first hole on the billets will result in a girth that is too long.
* The heart girth is the narrowest part of the horse’s rib cage. On most horses, the heart girths falls about four inches behind the horse’s elbow.But horses vary and some will have heart girths that fall more forward or back of this approximation.
You can find the location of your horse’s heart girth by standing back and looking at your horse from the side. Look for a slight upward curve or dip in the lower line of the stomach behind the elbow.
Back to English Saddle Girth