The Girth Conundrum

Santa is bringing me a new treeless saddle this year. He's just delivering it - I'm paying for it.

It's supposed to ship around December 15th. So I should get it just before Christmas, and be able to start using it when I get my guys back into work after the holiday. If I have a girth to fit.

It's a short flap saddle, so the billets will be shorter, and I will need longer girths. I have tons of options for long girths, but only 2 dressage girths, and they are both the same size.

I am pretty sure that my best option for Cisco is going to be one of the anatomic, forward girth-groove type of girths. That cost many $$$$. And he's not the picky one. The princess is pretty opinionated about her apparel, and she usually doesn't approve of the cheap stuff.

Total Saddle Fit StretchTec

For the last 6 weeks or so, I have been scouring the interweb for anatomic girth options.  And I'm still no clearer on which one would be my best option.

Here's what I am considering:
Total Saddle Fit Stretchtec  (leather with neoprene liner) $284
Prestige Anatomic Dressage Girth - approx $220
Prolite Performance (Synthetic) - $210

There are a couple more on the list, but they will be more expensive, so they are way down the list. So, realistically, I need to choose from these 3.

I'm thinking that the Prolite might be my best option. But then I have to decide between the regular and narrow options. I measured the kids today as per the Fairfax website, and Phantom would require the narrow, and Cisco could use the regular. Except that I'm not sure that I measured them correctly, so I will have to try again on my next visit.

The only thing that I am wary about with the Prolite is that it doesn't have elastic. Not sure how I feel about an elastic-less girth.

Prolite Girth

This girth isn't carried in any of the local stores, of course. It can be ordered at one store so I will likely go that way. Unless I can find it cheaper in the UK.

Then there is the next issue - what size? I think it needs to be about 4" longer than my current girth, which puts it at 30". Big girth for my little ponies.

I will probably change my mind 20 times over the next 6 weeks until I am ready to try the new saddle. And then hope that the ponies agree with whatever I pick.