How to Measure Girth Size

Whether you ride English or Western, your girth or cinch is an important part of your tack. It keeps your saddle securely on your horse and you firmly on top of the saddle. A properly-fitted girth is essential to your safety and the health of your horse. Measuring your horse for a new cinch isn't difficult, but having an extra pair of helping hands makes the entire process smoother.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Soft measuring tape
• Calculator

1. Stand your horse on a smooth, flat surface and have an assistant hold him.
2. Run the measuring tape around his barrel where the girth will rest, just behind his elbow and withers. Carefully drag the measuring tape completely around his body until the two ends meet, and then pull it taut. Being able to hand the tape under your horse and have your assistant pass it back over his wither to you saves you time and a lot of fumbling. This gives you your horse's heart girth measurements in inches.
3. Use this formula to get the correct calculation for your horse's girth size. Take your horse's heart girth measurements in inches, divide it by 2 and then subtract 3.
4. Round the calculation up if your figure is not a whole number to get your horse's cinch or girth size in inches. For instance, if your horse's heart girth measures 79 inches, you would divide it by two, which is 39.5, subtract 3, and it would equal 36.5. You would round this up to 37, meaning your horse needs a girth or cinch at least 37 inches long. Since most girths and cinch only come in even numbers you would look for a 38-inch girth.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have a soft measuring tape, the kind used by seamstresses or tailors, use a length of rope. When measuring your horse knot the rope where the two ends meet. Once your remove the rope you will have the measurements of your horse's heart girth in inches by measuring the rope length.