Measuring for the New Comfy Curve Girth

As always with a new product, there are a few questions that pop up. This is a VERY good one:

How do I measure my pony/horse/donkey/mule for the Comfy Curve girth?

How you measure will depend on what you want the girth to do. If you are dealing with galling behind the elbows, then you will measure differently than if you need to be able to move your saddle back a little bit and have it stay flat when driving. I’ll give you an example of measuring for each!

First, if you want to offer some comfort behind the elbow, your current girth length should be just fine. You will measure in the natural girth groove area OR measure your current girth from end to end, including the buckles.

If you want the girth to allow your saddle to sit a little further back on your pony’s back without the tipping that can occur, then you will need to measure your pony around the barrel, where you want the saddle to sit.

You can see that this measurement will be a little longer than the girth groove measurement. Another way you can do this is to place your saddle where you want it to sit on your horse’s back, then tighten your girth just enough to hold it – to see if your current girth would be able to do that.

This is Zorro’s elastic girth. It buckles on the biggest hole on both sides when I have the saddle back where I want it to sit. But when we trot or canter the girth will slide forward into the girth groove. It’s just the nature of a straight girth!

If it can’t reach, then, measure the distance from the end of the buckle to the hole you want it to buckle on, on your girth strap. Add that distance to the length of your current girth and that is how long your Comfy Curve girth will need to be!

In the above photos you can see that the girth doesn’t reach when I have the saddle back where I want it to sit. I measured the distance from the end of the girth to the second hole and that is 8″. The girth itself is 15″ long so I would need a 23″ long girth! You can also measure to the middle hole if you think you need some extra. Zorro’s Comfy Curve girth is 23″ long and fits him on the second hole on each side. I feel that will give us enough room even in the winter when he is fuzzy.

The martingale is between Zorro’s front legs and snapped to the ring on the girth. You will need to have a snap on your martingale to use this style of girth!

The Comfy Curve girth has that nice curve to it which allows for clearance in the elbow area if that is what you are looking for. It also allows the girth to sit a little bit further back under the horse without inching forward as a straight girth would.

Here is a video I made showing Zorro walking with first the elastic girth and then with the Comfy Curve. It may not seem like much, but that 1-1 1/2″ that the Comfy Curve girth allows is all it takes to keep the saddle in place and sitting flat!

EDITED TO ADD!!!

Now that we’ve been selling this girth for over a year we have learned a bit about measuring. It’s best to add only an inch or two to your existing girths length. If you measure as above, because we all interpret instructions differently, it’s likely your girth will be too long.

When Zorro is fat and fluffy he needs a 22″ long comfy curve girth. He is 40″ tall and when chubby measures about 56″ around his girth. When he is in shape and not hairy from winter he uses an 18″ girth. At that time his girth measures 54″. Why this is I don’t know but it’s just how it is! So if you think your little 32″ mini needs a 24″ long Comfy Curve girth, it doesn’t 😉