HELP! Aussie Girth estimate?

[3equines]

OK fortune has smiled my way and I am going to try the 'cheap' Aussie saddle with the 10" gullet to see if it wil work for my Haflinger, Sweet P.

BUT, how the heck do I guess what size girth to use? With her Cashel bareback pad we use a 32" Western girth that BARELY makes it to the 2nd-to-last hole, about 4 fingers above the 'elbow' of her foreleg on each side. I am wondering of Aussie saddles girth like English saddles....higher up on the side of the horse compared to Western... would a 36" Aussie girth be advised (that's the longest size they come in)?

Somebody out there should know......;)

[3equines]

picture of the fat girl.....http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=566&pictureid=6551&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=566&pictureid=6551) you can see where that girth lies in the SUMMER (OK not quite 4 fingers above her elbow!!!)

[WashingtonBay]

Can you tell where on the barrel the billets are going to be from pictures of it? I'd try to guestimate that and then measure that distance on your horse.

[3equines]

I haven't any experience with the Aussie saddles yet, and just ordered the saddle.... was hoping to get a girth here at the same time as the saddle;) the girths come in 28" 32" and 36" lengths.

[WashingtonBay]

Do you have a picture of the saddle that shows the rigging?

[3equines]

Here is the traditional Aussie girth system from another website. It looks like the girth fits in a dressage-saddle type position, relatively low on the side of the horse but your cinch needs to be long enough to reach that point.

[WashingtonBay]

It can be low but it looks like it has a lot of room to go higher so you should err long.

I'd go measure on the horse around from about where the kiddo's foot is... or the end of that bareback pad. That would put you in the ball park I bet.

[3equines]

Thanks, WB. Glad the pictures were good for something besides bragging!!!! Now, where's all those Aussie saddle folks hiding - ?

[Flair]

How long are the billets? Mitch's new saddle has super long billets, and I'm going to have to get him a new girth because his 26" is all the way at the top of the billets.

[3equines]

Don't know..... like I say, its the 'cheap' saddle, so i get what I get..... But I can tell Sweet P is a heck of a lot rounder than Mitch!!! Do you have an Aussie saddle or a dressage saddle?

I have Sweet P's 1/2-sister, Peach, and there is a huge difference in conformation between the two. Peach 'looks' more like your Haflingers. Peach fits an 8" FullQH bar gullet, she has some backbone above the withers and ribs, and is very drafty but.... not quite so barrel-shaped. Sweet P has no backbone above the withers or spine (even if I starved her to death!!). Peach takes a 28" Western girth and even that has room to spare once she sweats out her water weight. Sweet P, however, is just - round, no matter how much she sweats!! http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=481&pictureid=5667&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=481&pictureid=5667) "Peach"

[Flair]

Mitch has a new treeless saddle. And I need to get him a shorter girth because the billets are super long. Never thought I'd see the day when a Haflinger needed a 18" or 20" girth.

Sweet P is definitely a lot rounder than the M-line boys 'round this forum.

[3equines]

:hysterical: Sweet P is a lot rounder than any Haflinger I've known! Her origonal owner called her "Miss no-neck" when she was a filly. I liken her to a Belgain draft horse that got put in the dryer and shrunk (like ytour favorite sweater!)

I'm taking my chance on the 36" Aussie girth..... and a neoprene 'no-slip' underpad!

Will keep you posted..... http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=481&pictureid=5672&thumb=1 (http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/album.php?albumid=481&pictureid=5672)

[sarhound]

My Walker and my fat paint horse both need a smaller girth on my Aussie saddle--it's a 32 incher, and it's up to the top of the billet on both sides. I'm going to try a 30", but they may take a 28"--kinda hard to tell. I'm also going to switch to a neoprene girth; the string girth (mohair) has been causing galls. Hopefully, it will fix my problem...