05/23/2026
There were a lot of people that appreciated the post the other day about setting the saddle before tightening the girth, so I figured I would share a few tips about tightening the girth itself.
A few things I try to focus on:
• Tighten the girth equally from both sides of the horse
• Go SLOW - one hole at a time is appreciated by your horse
• Create movement throughout the process
• Don't over tighten - don't check at the elastic, check from the sternum area
I think it's best to allow the horse to move at least once before the final tighten, and then again after the final tighten and before mounting. This gives the skin, muscles, and soft tissue time to adjust to the pressure rather than being suddenly restricted all at once.
A few common “problems” and things to think about:
1. “Blowing up” or bloating:
Horses are not actually filling themselves with air just to make things difficult. More commonly, they are tightening their muscles and bracing in anticipation of pressure or discomfort. Slow the process down and add more movement. Often that alone changes a lot.
2. “Girthy” horses:
Sometimes girthiness is pain related. Gastric ulcers, back pain, or poor saddle fit are the most common reasons, so having the horse evaluated by a veterinarian, body worker, and saddle fitter is always the first step.
However, girthiness can also become a learned or habitual response based on anticipated discomfort with a history. In those cases, it helps to look closely at the girthing habits of everyone handling the horse. Are people rushing? Tightening all at once? Small changes in timing, pressure, movement, and even where you tighten the girth can help start changing the horse’s association with the process.
One thing I learned from a vaulting lesson I took years ago: you don’t vault onto a horse standing completely still. Why? Because landing force on relaxed muscles is harder on the horse’s back.
While girthing obviously isn’t the same level of impact, the same idea applies. Tightening the girth while the horse is walking calmly in a straight line allows the horse to engage and organize their muscles more naturally instead of bracing against sudden pressure.
Sometimes slowing down for 60 seconds creates a much more comfortable experience for the horse.
