Left: The billets on this saddle will not hang straight down when the horse is girthed up, which means the saddle will slide forward during movement. Right: Crossing the billets will ensure that they follow the direction of the muscle fibres in the triceps and latissimus dorsi and ensure that the saddle remains in position.
Does your saddle slide forward no matter what kind of girth or saddle pad you use? This is one of the most common problems my clients approach me with, and I know how frustrating this can be. I know there are a number of ‘anatomically correct’ girths now available on the market – they can be more or less effective, if you take the following points into consideration when making your choice of girth. It all begins with the saddle.
Have you ever had to stop in the middle of your ride and reset your saddle because it has moved forward onto your horse’s shoulders? This is a common problem, and it is often caused by improper billet alignment. Unless the billets on your saddle are positioned correctly, your saddle will not stay in its proper place on your horse’s back. And no matter how many times you stop and reset the saddle, what kind of saddle pad you use, or what shape girth you use, your saddle will continue to slide forward.
How do you know if the billets on your saddle are aligned properly for your horse? Place your saddle on your horse’s back, making sure that it is correctly situated behind his shoulder. The billets should hang perpendicular to the ground, and also should hang in the girth area. If the billets hang too far back, gravity will pull the billets forward into the girth area. The billets will, of course, pull the girth and the entire saddle along with them. The girth will always find its position at the narrowest point of the rib cage behind your horse’s elbow, and an unfortunate result is that the saddle either gets driven forward into your horse’s shoulders, or is driven clear on top of his shoulders. Read the full article here.
~ Jochen Schleese CMS, CSFT, CSE, courtesy of Saddlefit 4 Life
