WOW's Girthing Options
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Girthing is the most overlooked aspect of saddle fitting. No other part of the saddle is more crucial to proper saddle fit than billet strap placement. Even the most perfectly-fitted saddle to an individual horse's back can be rendered completely useless and harmful to the horse's body with improper girthing. When developing the WOW Saddle, every single aspect of saddle fit, equine anatomy, and rider requirements were considered, and creating an adaptable girthing system was crucial to ensuring perfect saddle fit for every horse.
Whether your horse has an extremely forward girth groove, is herring-gutted, slab sided, suffers from extreme shoulder asymmetry, experiences consistent saddle slip to one side, pushes the saddle back from their shoulders when jumping large fences, or even if they have a very backward girth groove, any WOW saddle can be adapted to your needs. Most importantly, all these arrangements can be quickly and easily deployed on all WOW saddle, regardless of the model. That includes having the double running-v system on a WOW western saddle, too!
The position of a horse's girth groove can change with fitness and influences how a saddle will fit and sit. WOW's girthing system has the ability to be changed for different girth grooves as your horse changes or you change horses. All girth arrangements can be used symmetrically or asymmetrically, adapted to be whatever the horse and rider requires.
Not only do WOW Saddles feature this unique, adaptable girthing system, but WOW has developed a full line-up of thoughtfully-designed, revolutionary girths, including the FreeSpace, H, and Elegance. While competitors around the world have attempted to copy these designs, none come close to offering the same level of anatomically-friendly, research-backed girths.
Traditional Girthing
Traditional English saddles typically come with 2 - 3 stock billet straps. They usually hang from the middle of the tree. Very occasionally, if you're really lucky, your saddle may come with one optional space for one of the billets to move to, but that is extremely rare. If you have a horse with poor girth-groove conformation, your options amount to the use of auxillary tack (such as a breastplate, breast collar, crupper, or foregirth), or asking a saddler to change the billets for you - typically one would ask for a point strap to be installed. This is not always possible on every saddle.
Almost all English girths come with two buckles, and standard operating procedure calls for the girth to be hung on the first(1) and third(3) billets, so it exerts even pressure front-to-back. So why have 3+ billet straps when your girth only requires 2 to attach? The answer is to offer an option for a horse with an unusual girth groove, or to fix a poorly-fitting saddle that might be lifting up in the front or back.
In the case of a poorly-fitted saddle that's lifting in the front, one could choose to fix the girth to the first(1) and second(2) billets. If the saddle is lifting in the rear, one would attach the girth to the second(2) and third(3) billets. This would, in theory, fix the lifting issue and hopefully even out the pressure being exerted on the horse from the saddle, though that's extremely unlikely.
While attaching your girth in one of these non-standard ways does apply more tension to the front or back of the saddle, the difference is minimal, as more often than not, the three billets are attached to the tree in basically the same area - directly above where they hang.
The downside to this is that the downward force applied to the saddle is focused in one area - leaving the back 2/3rds of the saddle completely out of the equation. Many riders who jump will often notice the back of their saddle lifting up when in the air due to the way their billets are attached only to the front of the tree. If the horse desires the saddle to apply equal pressure spread across as large an area as possible, he's probably not going to get it from this standard system.
If and when you get a new horse, or your horse's fitness changes his conformation enough, will your saddle be able to adapt? Or will you be saddle shopping again in six months?
Pros:
- Should Work for Most Horses: The standard 3-billet English saddle should be adaptable to work on the average, correctly-built horse
- Offers 1 - 2 Options: Some newer saddles include an option for a point strap or balance strap in the event your horse has a more-common girth groove conformational defect
- Running-V: Some models of saddle now come with the billets attached to a running-v, which helps apply consistent, even pressure across the length of the saddle
Cons:
- Still Very Limited Billet Options: Just like humans come in all shapes and sizes, horses do as well, and offering only 1 - 2 billet options leaves many riders with no kind solution
- Balance: Less-knowledgeable riders may choose to use an inappropriate option for their horse in an attempt to make their saddle fit, and that may lead to an unbalanced saddle
- Forces the Owner to Consider Inappropriate Auxiliary Tack: If your saddle's stock 1 - 2 billet options still don't work, you may consider the use of harmful or irritating auxiliary tack - such as a foregirth - to force your saddle to work in lieu of addressing proper fit of your saddle
- Does Not Apply Pressure Evenly Across the Saddle: Equal, consistent pressure cannot be applied across the whole length of the saddle if the billets are only attached near the tree points
- Not Adaptable: Most saddles do not come with any billet strap options, and for those that do, only one or two options are available. If you get a new horse, have a young, developing horse, an aging horse, or your horse's fitness level changes his conformation, your saddle will likely not be able to adapt
Girth Groove Conformation
The photo at right shows 3 of the most common girth groove locations on the modern sporthorse. Ideally, all horses would be built like horse C, with the narrowest part of the sternum placed directly beneath the saddle-bearing area of the back (8th - 18th ribs), still leaving about a hands'-width of space between the back of the elbow and the girth. Unfortunately, horses come in all shapes and sizes, with all types of asymmetries and 'defects' (as far as getting standard tack and equipment to fit correctly is concerned) baked in. Of course, these conformational 'defects' are only 'defects' from our perspective: we wish to ride our horse, and to do so, we need to be able to get a saddle on him, and most of us would like to think our saddle, girth, bridle, and other tack is actually comfortable for our horse. These 'defects' affect the horse 0% - until a saddle goes on.
Horse A is what we call 'herring gutted'; the sternum is swept evenly upwards as it moves back, with the narrowest part near the horse's flank - probably not where we want our saddle to end up! These horses tend to have issues with the saddle sliding ever backwards, so you typically see them outfitted with a breastplate or breast collar.
Horse B has a forward girth groove, meaning the narrowest part of the sternum is well in front of the saddle-bearing length of the back (8th - 18th ribs). When girthing these horses up, the girth will naturally lie more than one hands'-width behind the narrowest part of the sternum. Horses with this conformation typically work their saddles forward, until you find yourself perched on the shoulder of a rearing horse. A crupper will ocassionally help horses built this way, if they'll tolerate one; otherwise, there are girths shaped like a half-moon (with the curve going forward toward the horse's head) that claim to help keep a saddle in place. Another option is an auxiliary strap called a foregirth.
The Foregirth
A foregirth is essentially a very long belt, onto which two backwards-facing hooks are mounted. The foregirth is attached in front of the saddle and tightened down over the withers, then the saddle is placed directly behind and on top of the strap, with the hooks holding on to the front of the saddle.
The foregirth was originally invented to solve a common problem with children's saddlery; specifically, a child's spoiled, overweight pony, which could pull the saddle forward onto its shoulders when it reached down to graze. In the beginning, it was understood that it should only ever be a last ditch effort; to be used only after the use of a crupper - and diet - had failed.
In modern times, the foregirth has seen a bit of a resurgence in popularity. Several dressage horses at WEG were spotted sporting one, which is almost incomprehensible, as the foregirth obviously, severely restricts the scapula's range of motion. Not only would this inhibit things like forwardness, relaxation, and the flashy, fancy movement so desirable in the modern sporthorse, there is a severe risk of galling behind the elbow. The buckle of the foregirth runs the risk of pinching or tearing the delicate skin behind the elbow if it ends up being placed there, and will bruise the muscle tissue wherever it ends up sitting. The limited number of manufacturers making this unusual piece of auxiliary tack don't typically design them with any kind of padding behind the buckle or any form of buckle guard to protect the horse.
In addition, it appears that riders' whose equitation is less than correct, are using the foregirth as a solution to the problems their poor equitation is causing. The backseat, constantly-driving position employed by too many riders today places all their weight in the back of the saddle, which results in lifting the front of the saddle up and thus, working the saddle forward. Using an extreme piece of equipment like the foregirth is absolutely not the answer in these cases.
Additionally, many modern dressage saddles are being constructed in such a way as to make forward slip inevitable. The overly-deep seat, extremely full, high rear gusset on the panels, and straight front cut to the flaps typically cause the front of the saddle to tilt up. Again, forward slippage is almost a guarantee, and a foregirth is not the answer - correcting saddle fit and billet placement should come first.
As you may have noticed, the foregirth has no provision for spinal or wither clearance built in - it sits directly on top of these structures. At minimum, even the earliest beginner rider is taught the saddle must have 3 - 4 fingers' clearance over the withers. Why, then, are so many top riders employing the use of a strap tightened firmly over their horse's withers? The inherent design of the foregirth causes restriction and compression of the spine, Supraspinous Ligament, Serratus Dorsalis, Serratus Ventralis, Rhomboids, Trapezius, and elbow; all key anatomical structures involved and required for proper throughness and collection. Consistent use of a foregirth has been shown to lead to damage of the scapular cartilage and back of the elbow.
Besides, how does the horse feel about such a hard, narrow strap being pulled tight behind their elbows and across their withers? It's probably uncomfortable at best and downright agonizing at worst! On top of that, the saddle obviously doesn't fit the horse and is causing additional damage to the soft tissue structures of the back.
A Note on Anatomic Girths
Besides keeping the saddle on the horse, all girths have one other very important function: elimination of friction against the horse. Friction occurs when there is uneven contact against a surface. Therefore, for a girth to accomplish this elimination of friction, there must be consistent, even contact across the entire width. That means there must be no gapping of the leading or back edges of the girth; otherwise, pressure is not being exerted equally which will cause friction and excessive pressure exerted over a narrower length.
The horse has an important anatomical structure running superficially (near the skin) front-to-back at the bottom of the rib cage; the Lateral Thoracic Nerve. The Lateral Thoracic Nerve is a pure motor nueron, innervating muscles essential to lifting the horse's thoracic sling, such as the Serratus Ventralis (27). Like the cables on the Golden Gate Bridge, the Serratus Ventralis supports the entire weight of the horse's neck and body from its origination point on the scapula.
If you lightly run your fingers along your horse's skin behind his elbow, you'll likely elicit a 'fly twitch' response. You are stimulating your horse's Lateral Thoracic Nerve.
At the base of a horse's rib cage lies the protective sternum plate. All 8 'true ribs' - ribs that connect to the sternum - join together here. The sternum ends in a wide, downward-flared structure called the Ensiform Cartilage, colloquially known as the Xiphoid Process. The Xiphoid Process acts as an attachment point for the abdominal wall, linea alba, and the muscle fibers of the diaphragm. Its role is to allow proper expansion of the diaphragm during respiration - in other words, it allows your horse to breathe.
Excessive force applied to the delicate and vital Xiphoid Process prevents your horse from fully expanding his lungs during respiration. It also creates a shortened, stilted canter stride.
To recap, a good girth: (1) applies equal pressure across its entire width, (2) reduces friction against the horse's body, and (3) protects sensitive soft tissues from damage caused by this pressure as well as the buckles of the girth.
If you currently use an anatomical girth, I invite you to do a simple test. Saddle your horse as usual and do up your girth. Once you have your girth fully tightened, check to see if you:
- Can fit your fingers easily under any part of the leading edge of the girth? Slide your fingers along the whole length on that side
- Can fit your fingers easily under any part of the rear edge of the girth? Slide your fingers along the whole length on that side
- Can you easily pass your fingers under the leading edge of the girth between your horse's legs? Can you fit your whole hand?
Every time I'm called out to do a fitting and asked to check the rider's current girth, if the rider is using an anatomical girth, gapping of the leading edge is clearly visible between the horse's front legs. I can almost always fit my entire hand in the space it creates. By applying all the pressure on the back edge of the girth, you are causing irritation and damage to the Lateral Thoracic Nerve (preventing your horse from properly activating the Serratus Ventralis and lifting his thoracic sling), the Xiphoid Process (preventing your horse from fully expanding their lungs and causing thickening and hardening of this cartilage over time), and applying uneven, improper pressure across the length of your saddle (impacting the way your saddle fits and whether it stays in place).
Just because your girth was expensive and has the word 'anatomical' attached to it does not mean it's actually better, safer, healthier, or even anatomically-designed for your horse, nor does it mean it would actually be preferred by your horse.
A simple, straight girth made of soft, breathable material - not neoprene! - is healthier, safer, better, and more comfortable for your horse than any anatomical, curvey girth on the market. If you must apply pressure to the Lateral Thoracic Nerve at all, at least it will be consistently spread across the whole width of the strap. And if you must apply pressure to the sternum, at least it will not be concentrated on the Xiphoid Process.
Pros:
- Feelings: You feel good because you're using a girth that's allegedly 'anatomical' on your horse
Cons:
- Not Actually Anatomically-Designed: Despite the name, these girths were not designed with any of the horse's anatomy in mind (except perhaps the elbow)
- Uneven Pressure: Due to their shape, most end up applying uneven pressure across their width
- Lateral Thoracic Nerve: The Lateral Thoracic Nerve gets irritated and can be damaged by the uneven pressure, leading to an inability to activate the Serratus Ventralis and properly lift the thoracic sling
- Xiphoid Process: Excessive forces against the delicate cartilage of the Xiphoid Process prevents the horse from properly expanding his diaphragm
- Cost: For all the trouble they can cause, anatomical girths are very expensive
An Actual Anatomically-Friendly Girth
WOW doesn't just make saddles; they make a whole catalog of revolutionary, science-backed tack, including the FreeSpace Girth, H Girth, Elegance Girth, and FreeSpace Bridle.
WOW's FreeSpace Girth was the first girth on the market to employ the use of a cushioned sternum plate in the center. This sternum plate acts to spread all the forces exerted by the girth's straps across a large, even area on the horse's sternum. The active cushion - which is the part of the girth against the horse's sternum - holds the plate away from the horse. As a result, the bottom edges of the girth's straps are lifted away from the horse's body; relieving any pressure against the Lateral Thoracic Nerve, and freeing the Rectus Abdominus and Pectoral muscles.
Is it this lack of pressure that is the key to allowing the horse to engage; the unimpeded Rectus Abdominus is finally able to do its job and lift and flex the horse's back! Freeing the Ascending Pectoral muscles results in better leg retraction, too, meaning horses can jump higher, quicker, and cleaner.
WOW's FreeSpace Girth has been shown to be more stable than any other girth on the market, too, and to prove it the FreeSpace made an appearance at CVI Saumur.
WOW's Girthing System
Unlike traditional saddles, which offer 2 - 3 standard billets, and ocassionally offer 1 - 2 additional billet options, any WOW saddle can be quickly and easily adapted to offer 9+ billet options! This allows any rider the opportunity to change their setup if their horse's body changes with fitness, they start jumping bigger fences, or they buy a new horse. While most of these setups can be made without additional equipment, only the foregirth and military girth will require you to purchase any additional parts.
In addition, all of these arrangements can be used symmetrically or even asymmetrically, to assist in correcting consistent saddle slip to one side.
Standard Double Running-V's: Pull the saddle down evenly from front to back.
Stitched-Back Rear Running-V: Adds additional pull to the back of the saddle.
Rear Balance Strap: Adds significant pull to the back of the saddle. When used on one side, will assist in correcting consistent saddle slippage to the opposite side. Aids in keeping a saddle in place on flat-backed horses or horses with no wither.
Point Strap & Back Running-V: Used on horses with a mildly-forward girth groove, when located in the first quarter of the saddle. Prevents the saddle slipping forward.
Point Strap & Back Balance Strap: Used on horses with wide, flat backs and those with no wither, whose girth groove is located in the 1st quarter of the saddle. Stabilizes the saddle from sliding about.
Foregirth Attachment with Rear Balance Strap Loose: Used on horses with very forward girth grooves, located in front of the saddle. The rear billet remains on the running-v, outside of the foregirth attachment. This is the mildest option.
Foregirth Attachment with Rear Strap in Rear Foregirth Keeper: If the foregirth attachment and point strap fail to keep the saddle back, running the rear billet through the rear keeper on the foregirth is a medium option.
Foregirth Attachment with Rear Strap in Middle Foregirth Keeper*: If your saddle is still experiencing forward slip, passing the rear billet through the middle keeper on the foregirth is the strongest option. There will be little stability in the back of the saddle. *This arrangement should only be used temporarily - allowing you to consistently work the horse correctly until the withers and shoulder are better developed.
Military Girth (Mild): Useful for lateral stabilization on a horse with a mildly backward girth groove.
Military Girth (Extreme): Used for lateral stabilization on a horse with a very backward girth groove.
Military Girth (Show Jumpers): Used to keep the saddle stable and forward on the horse's shoulder. Horses jump better the more the saddle sits over their shoulders.
Double Running V's
All WOW saddles come set up with double running-v billets. While you ocassionally find saddles that feature a rear running-v, WOW's standard girthing arrangement utilizes two running-v billets. This ensure consistent, even pressure is applied across the entire length of the saddle.
In the photo at right, you may notice the front running-v appears to have two straps. While the billet hangs from the front running-v, it comes attached to the point strap as well. The unused point strap is tucked into a keeper located on the top of the saddle's panels, and does not interfere with the action of the front running-v. If you decide you need a point strap, you simply remove the head screw, lift the running-v's front strap off the base, replace it with the point strap, then reinstall the head screw.
When using any other girthing arrangement, the double running-v's remain installed and attached to the saddle. When not in use, they are tucked up inside the flap so they don't interfere with your feel or the horse's comfort. If your horse's asymmetry or comformation improves, simply pull them out of the flap and reinstall the billets.
Double running-v's work great on horses that have a girth groove located directly below the second quarter of the saddle, horses that have excellent shoulder and topline symmetry, and for horses that don't require additional lateral saddle stabilization.
Stitched-Back Running V
If your horse has a mildly forward girth groove - a girth groove that falls below the first quarter of the saddle - and you decide to use a point strap, you may find it exerts too much force on the front of your saddle. Riders with a horse who is very 'soft-fleshed' often find the saddle feels out of balance in this instance; as if there isn't enough downward-force being exerted on the back quarter of their saddle.
If that is the case - and the saddle isn't rocking or flipping forward and down (which would mean this arrangement is not the right answer) - your Fitter may decide to stitch the rear running-v's strap back onto itself. Doing so changes the force being exerted by the rear billet so that all the pull is being exerted on the rear-most strap of the running-v.
Stitching back the rear running-v will help to keep the saddle more still on the horse, while continuing to exert equal downward force across the entire length of the saddle.
If your horse's fitness level changes and he is not so 'soft-fleshed' anymore, you need only remove the stitching from the rear running-v strap to reduce the amount of pull exerted on the rear-most fixing point.
Rear Balance Straps
On horses with very flat backs, or those who lack any noticeable withers, and who have a slightly forward girth groove which falls directly below the first quarter of the saddle, you may find your saddle has a tendency to slide around while you ride, even with the use of a point strap.
In these cases, your fitter will replace the rear running-v with a back balance strap on both sides to help stabilize your saddle.
In order to be effective, the back balance strap should be pulled straight down into a vertical line from its fixing point. If the back balance strap is pulled forward at an angle, it will end up pulling the saddle forward towards the horse's shoulders.
It is therefore required that the girth you use be designed to hold both the point strap and back balance strap open, apart, and vertical. WOW designed two special girths to be used in this case; the WOW H Girth and the WOW Split Elegance Girth.
Not only will the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth hold these billets in the required way, they also have the added benefit of spreading the pressure exerted by the girth over as long an area as possible on the horse's sternum. Rather than focusing all the pressure on a 4 - 5" wide strap, the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth spread the pressure across a 12"+ wide area! Doing so eliminates the risk of applying too much pressure only on the horse's delicate Xiphoid Process and potentially hampering his ability to breathe or reducing his ability to activate the Serratus Ventralis muscles during collection. As an added benefit, the Split Elegance and H Girths can add an optional sternum plate, which holds the billets away from the rib cage, freeing the Lateral Thoracic Nerve, Rectus Abdominus, and Ascending Pectorals (although not to the same extent as the WOW FreeSpace Girth).
Both the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth can be used on any saddle with any billet arrangement.
Point Strap & Back Running-V
On horses with a girth groove in the first quarter of the saddle, you may find that the saddle has a tendency to work its way forward while you ride. In these cases, swapping the front running-v to a point strap should keep the saddle in the correct position behind the horse's shoulder.
The stock, front running-v billet comes with the point strap pre-installed. When not in use, the point strap is tucked through a slot in the underside of your saddle's flap. To switch the front billet to a point strap, you'll need to remove your saddle's head screw, remove the point strap from its keeper, and insert the hole at the top onto the base of the head screw. The running-v can remain installed - simply tuck it into the pocket on the underside of the saddle's flap. Do up the head screw again so your saddle is back together and you're done.
The point strap can be used tucked inside the pocket of your saddle's flaps, or it can be pulled out of the pocket and left loose. Keeping the point strap in the pocket is a 'milder' form of use, as the pocket acts to lightly pull the point strap back before it travels down. Test this configuration first, and if it isn't strong enough, try pulling the point strap out of the flap's pocket so it can hang straight down from the head screw. This is a 'stronger' form of use.
If the point strap out of the pocket and rear running-v are not keeping your saddle in place, then the next step is swap your rear running-v for a back balance strap.
Point Strap & Back Balance Strap
On horses with a girth groove in the first quarter of the saddle, and who have tried and failed with just the point strap, the rear running-v should be replaced with a back balance strap.
Replacing the rear running-v with a back balance strap will keep the saddle in place on very flat-backed horses, or those with no wither.
It is vitally important to this billet arrangement for the back balance strap to be held as vertically plumb as possible. If the back balance strap is pulled forward at an angle once the horse is girthed, the back balance strap will exert a force that pulls the saddle forward - probably not what you wanted to happen!
WOW designed two girths to address this need: the WOW H Girth and the Split Elegance Girth.
Not only will the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth hold these billets in the required way, they also have the added benefit of spreading the pressure exerted by the girth over as long an area as possible on the horse's sternum. Rather than focusing all the pressure on a 4 - 5" wide strap, the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth spread the pressure across a 12"+ wide area! Doing so eliminates the risk of applying too much pressure only on the horse's delicate Xiphoid Process and potentially hampering his ability to breathe or reducing his ability to activate the Serratus Ventralis muscles during collection. As an added benefit, the Split Elegance and H Girths can add an optional sternum plate, which holds the billets away from the rib cage, freeing the Lateral Thoracic Nerve, Rectus Abdominus, and Ascending Pectorals (although not to the same extent as the WOW FreeSpace Girth).
Both the H Girth and Split Elegance Girth can be used on any saddle with any billet arrangement, though they work beautifully with saddles featuring this billet arrangement.
Foregirth Option
On horses with very forward girth grooves - those that fall in front of the first quarter of the saddle - you may find that the point strap still falls short on keeping the saddle in place. This is especially true on horses that also have very low withers. Many arabians are built this way; forward girth groove, low withers, and short backed - though these traits aren't limited to their breed.
In cases like these, installing a Foregirth to your WOW should keep the saddle firmly locked in place behind the horse's shoulder. The Foregirth attachment is simple to install. You'll need to remove the panels of your saddle, then place the Foregirth directly under the saddle's flaps and re-install the panels, sandwiching the Foregirth between panel and flap. The front running-v should be swapped to a Point Strap, which is then pulled through the front pocket of the Foregirth attachment.
You may notice there are two additional pockets on the Foregirth. Those are for the back Balance Strap to be pulled through, if necessary, but you should first do a test ride to see if leaving the back Balance Strap free provides enough stability to keep your saddle in position. Aim to keep the back Balance Strap as close to vertically plumb as you can keep it. To assist with this, WOW's H Girth or Split Elegance Girth should be used.
You may eventually find that after your horse has had some time working correctly under saddle that he no longer requires the use of the foregirth. You may be able to step down into simply using a point strap, or even a front running-v.
WOW's Soft Straight Girth was designed for horses who have a tendency to work the girth forward, up against their elbow where the skin is thin and prone to breaking. Perfect for horses with a forward girth groove who are using a Point Strap or Foregirth Attachment on their WOW Saddle.
Please note: If you are also utilizing a back balance strap, the Soft Straight Girth should not be used, as it would pull the back balance strap forward. Instead, consider the WOW Split Elegance Girth or WOW H Girth.
Military Girthing - Mild
WOW's Military Girthing is useful in a variety of instances where additional lateral stability is needed or when the girth groove falls marginally in the first quarter or cleanly into the second quarter, and the saddle needs to be held more forward onto the shoulder. Military Girthing should not be used on horses that require a Point Strap or Foregirth, as the action of a Military Girth (forward) is at odds with the action of a Point Strap or Foregirth (backwards).
To install a Military Girth, you'll first want to remove the billets from the existing running-v system. Next, you'll need to completely remove the panels. Once the panels are off, the V's of the running-v system can be tucked inside the pockets under your saddle's flaps. The front strap of the Military Girth is hung from the Head Screw on one of the lower holes so that it hangs at a forward angle from the tree (see photo at right). The back strap of the Military Girth is attached over the rear running-v strap, then the panels are re-attached.
With the front strap of the Military Girth hanging from a lower hole, the action of the Military Girth pulls the saddle forward mildly. Military Girthing can be deployed symmetrically or asymmetrically.
Military Girthing - Extreme
To increase the amount of forward force the girth applies to your saddle, the front strap of the Military Girth can be lowered so that it hangs from the head screw on a higher hole. This will cause the billets to hang at less of a forward angle (see photo of Military Girthing - Mild, above), and because your horse's girth groove hasn't changed positions, the Military Girthing will pull the saddle forward with more force.
This arrangement should only be used when additional lateral stability is needed or when the saddle must be held more forward onto the horse's shoulder. Military Girthing should not be used on horses that require a Point Strap or Foregirth, as the actions of these billets (backwards) is at odds with that of the Military Girth (forwards).
Set up in this way, the Military Girth will exert a very strong forward pull on the saddle, which is useful in instances where the horse is jumping over 1.20m. Many riders school their horses with the Military Girth set to mild and then adjust it to extreme when showing over bigger fences.
Military Girthing for Show Jumpers
Military Girthing really shines when used on show jumpers jumping at least 1.20m, where the rider is up and forward in a light seat and the horse's girth groove falls marginally in the first quarter or clean into the second quarter of the saddle.
For show jumping, the saddle must be set in a more forward position relative to the horse's scapula. The lighter seat and position of the rider may encourage the saddle to move gradually backwards, especially as the horse's strong shoulders push the saddle back over large fences. The Military Girth works to hold the saddle forward onto the shoulder, freeing the back of the saddle off the horse's back and allowing the horse to gather up his hindquarters further underneath his body during the take-off phase of the jump. This enables the horse to lift his hind end higher during the flight phase, and will act to cut back the landing into a more vertical line on the backside.
The Military Girth acts as scaffolding; dictating exactly where you wish the saddle to sit and stay on your horse's back.
As you jump bigger fences, the front strap of the Military Girth can be lowered down (lengthened) by hanging it onto a higher hole, increasing the forward angle of the Military Girth. Doing so increases the amount of forward pull your girth will exert on the saddle.
The Military Girth aids in saddle stability without the need to over-tighten the girth.
Asymmetric Girthing
All of WOW's girthing arrangements are designed to be deployed symmetrically or asymmetrically. For example, one may require the use of a Point Strap on the right and a back Balance Strap on the left to correct consistent saddle slippage to one side. Perhaps your horse's dominant shoulder is so developed that it requires the saddle to sit back, moving the girth groove on the weaker side to the first quarter of the saddle and necessitating a Point Strap to compensate. In some cases, obtaining stability in the saddle allows the rider to work the horse more correctly to the point that any specialty girthing arrangement can be done away with entirely and returned to the stock double running-v system.
Regardless of whatever unique conformation your horse has and your own unique saddlery needs, your WOW saddle can quickly and easily be adapted to suit both of you perfectly.
WOW Girths
To aid in effective, humane girthing of the horse, WOW has developed a full range of girths and cinches that may be used on any saddle, regardless of brand. Among them are the WOW FreeSpace Girth, WOW H Girths, and WOW Elegance Girths. As with every product WOW develops, each of their girths was designed to solve a particular problem not addressed by any other product on the market. Almost all their girths and cinches are available in both leather and synthetic vegan leather, in a range of colors to match your saddle, and in a variety of lengths to suit the smallest ponies to the largest drafts.
Conclusions
When you're in the market for a new saddle or perhaps facing fitting issues with your existing saddle, consider your girthing options. Few horses have perfect, symmetrical conformation suitable for use as a riding horse. Most horses will have some type of asymmetry or conformational challenge necessitating the use of specialized equipment to properly and safely fit the landscape of their body. Not only that, but their existing landscape is likely to change - possibly dramatically - as they gain or lose fitness.
Wouldn't it be better to choose a saddle that offers a variety of choices - not only for girthing arrangement, but panel choices and headplate selection, as well as hundreds of seats, flaps, and comfort options for you? WOW Saddles have over 1,400 saddle builds and are made to easily and quickly adjust and adapt to you and your horse's changing needs.
The Author: Christy Knipp
Christy Knipp is a lifelong horsewoman, with 39 years in the saddle and a B.Sc. in Equine Science from Virginia Intermont. She has a long list of accomplishments both in and out of the show ring and has worked for six Olympic medalists over her career. While operating her own hunter/jumper training business, she produced top FEI junior riders, countless Medal winners, and hundreds of division champions. After retiring, she began selling and making custom tack and leather accessories until she and her husband traveled to the UK to be trained as WOW Saddle Fitters. Delfina Saddlery now travels the west coast from California, Oregon, Nevada, to Arizona, selling and fitting WOW Saddles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can all WOW Saddles be adapted to these girthing arrangements?
Yes! Every WOW Saddle from all of their saddle lines can quickly and easily be adapted to any combination of these girthing arrangements.
Do I need to buy any parts to adapt my WOW saddle to one of these arrangements?
Most of the girthing arrangements featured in this article are made from your existing WOW saddle's parts. The Foregirth Attachment, Back Balance Strap, and Military Girth are the only exceptions; you will need to purchase an additional part or two to be able to adapt your saddle to one of these arrangements.
Can I adapt my non-WOW saddle to one of these arrangements?
Maybe, but probably not. More saddles are available with a Point Strap option, but a qualified saddle fitter may be able to install one if needed. Options such as the Foregirth would require you to purchase a foregirth, though we do not recommend it (see: Foregirths chapter above).
Do I have to use a WOW Girth with my WOW Saddle?
No, you do not have to use a WOW Girth with your WOW Saddle. While the selection of girths made by WOW were designed specifically for use with a WOW Saddle, they can also be used by other saddle on the market.
