Collegiate Anatomic Girth Review

When Sugar moved to our farm for semi-retirement early last winter, we decided that it would be best for him to stay in light work, just to keep healthy and a fit. Having done everything from 4-H shows & beginner riding lessons to low level eventing, and more recently trail riding, I was excited about the prospect of having him in the barn again. I’ve known Sugar since he was a 3 year old, and now at 23 he still remains one of the kindest horses I’ve ever worked around. We gave him the winter off to settle into a routine, and once the weather improved in the spring started light hacks around the farm a few times a week. Sugar arrived with his western tack, but not being overly comfortable in a western saddle, I fitted him into one of our huntseat saddles. Even though he’s only 14.3, Sugar has a very traditional Quarter Horse build, and has been in an extra wide gullet for most of his career. It was clear pretty quickly that most of my tack wasn’t going to fit, so I started out by ordering a more appropriately sized girth.

Remembering that we used to have issues with his saddle sliding from side to side because of his broad withers, I decided to pick out an anatomic design to help give the saddle a more secure fit. Since Sugar would only be going out a few times a week, I wanted something that was economically priced – and easy to care for. I picked out the Collegiate Anatomic Girth, which fit within my budget and was a synthetic design.

I was very excited that the girth offered elastic on both sides. Sugar is very well behaved to tack up, but having been out of work for the winter we were definitely appreciative of having a little extra stretch! The girth also has rollers on the buckles, making it much smoother and easier to tighten, both from the ground and under saddle.

The contoured designs allows for a cut back behind the elbow, preventing any rubbing or pinching against the barrel. The wide belly guard helps to provide a stable fit, giving more security than a traditional straight or anti-chafe model. I find that Sugar is substantially more comfortable in this, and it’s definitely helped to give the saddle a more secure feel. The wide center clip allows for easy compatibility with a martingale or breastplate, but also sits in a half pocket when not being used, so it Sugar’s case its not in the way and does not interfere with standard use.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to try an anatomic fit – the price point makes it a great entry level model, while the quality and the design are appropriate for clinics & competitions as well as casual schooling.