08/10/2025
Girths under the microscope – what science says 🐴📊
A girth may look like a simple piece of tack, but researchers have confirmed it plays a key role in horse comfort. 💡
🔬 A newly published study in Animals investigated how girth type and girth tightness affect saddle pressure and horse movement.
What did they test?
➡️ 6 regularly ridden horses at rising trot
➡️ 2 girth types: straight vs. anatomical
➡️ 2 levels of tightness: looser (8 kg) vs. tighter (16 kg)
To ensure accuracy, they used:
✨ pressure mats under the saddle (100 measurements per second)
✨ slow-motion cameras and limb markers for movement analysis
✨ device for precise adjustment of tightening force
👉 Results?
• Girth type had only a minor effect on movement.
• Tightening, however, had a big impact on saddle pressure – the tighter the girth, the more the pressure shifted forward.
And this forward shift can have long-term effects on the horse’s comfort and back health. 🌿
For more about this study, see the following post.
Source: Marlin, D., et al. (2025). The Effect of Girth Design and Girth Tension on Saddle-Horse Pressures and Forelimb Stride Kinematics in Rising Trot. Animals.
📸 Photo: Equus Magazine
