SmartPak Contoured Dressage Girth with Sheepskin is rated
3.5 out of
5 by
22.
Rated 3 out of
5
by
ASMEquine from
Overall nice, some design flaws
The shape is good and the sheepskin is nice. I wish the description said the buckles are spring buckles, which I do not personally like. The elastic keepers (not sure if they’re even supposed to be for the billets, if they’re not that’s a whole different issue) are wayyy too stretchy to hold the billet ends down, so they stick out weirdly. This girth is also super thick, so you may need to size up if you’re not used to sheepskin girths.
Date published: 2024-11-21
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Jaws from
Just Okay
I got this girth in 2021 to replace the leather girth that I use for shows. I used it as my regular girth for about six months but had to stop because it wasn't drying the whole way between rides in the summer. The fleece is very plush so it takes a little longer to dry. I just use it for shows now.
The fleece cover is too small for the girth especially after washing. Out of the box the cover just reached the end of the girth. Once it is washed I could not get the cover to fit back how it was. Mine shrunk up and the sheep skin got stiff and rough despite following the washing directions. It gets worse each time I wash it.
The ends of the girth end up curving inward in order to get the cover back on. When you put the girth on the horse the end of it goes past the cover. This wouldn't be a big deal but the rough half of the Velcro is on the girth so it ends up against the horse. This is definitely a design flaw. If it was the soft half of the Velcro it would be less of an issue.
Out of the box this girth seems really nice. The fleece is very soft and I really like the spring loaded buckles. It doesn't have keepers but it doesn't bother me.
The price is very good. I'd pay more for this product if SmartPak made the cover longer and used a better quality sheep skin that doesn't get so stiff after washing.
Date published: 2023-07-04
Rated 4 out of
5
by
LCRSF from
Great girth
Love this girth. So easy to remove the sheepskin and wash it. My horse gets rubs so easily with leather girths - of course not with this girth. Think about sizing up as the sheepskin is so fluffy it takes up some of the size. I went from 24 to 26. Only reason I gave 4 vs 5 starts is the requirement to buy the whole set (girth included), even if you only want to replace the sheepskin. I bought 2 girths since with discounts, the pricing was excellent
Date published: 2022-09-12
Rated 2 out of
5
by
Paired from
Almost Good
Maybe this has worked for some, but I've tried this now a handful of times. First time size was too small because of how thick it is (it's a beautiful nice fleece though). There are no keepers on the other side of the girth which is nutty, so your billets stick out the whole time which looks awful and feels like you are almost catching the elbow. The other pain point is the spring loaded buckle. VERY difficult to put through the first hole and to take off. Unfortunately stuck with it for a good two weeks, so not in pristine enough condition to return it. Smartpak, would love if you put regular buckles on this girth and keepers, as it would make a lovely piece of equipment at a nice price point!
Date published: 2022-01-13
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Melissa from
Soft fleece, great price
I like this girth however I would like to design changes. The billet slots above the buckles are tight and make it a little tricky getting the billet through them. I’m not a fan of the spring on the buckle which I did not see in the description. And there is no slot to tuck the billet into as others have said. I hate when my billets are not tucked away neatly so I hope they stay tucked into the fleece cover. I would have give the girth a higher rating if the billet slots were bigger before the buckles and there was something after the buckles.
Date published: 2021-09-13
Rated 2 out of
5
by
TheCot from
D rings placement
This is a well made girth, except the placement of the D rings. This girth would have rubbed my horse raw. I thought about just cutting them off. But sent it back. I'll keep looking. SP was great as always
Date published: 2021-02-17
Rated 1 out of
5
by
kimh from
I purchased this after returning the Mattes as it doesn't have any keepers. This one is a similar shape as the mattes and the cover is removable....however, the ends where the buckles are and the velcro attaches are curved in and very hard. Their keepers are very narrow and difficult to push the billet straps into. The idea is good.....but whoever chose the material isn't keeping the true comfort of the horse in mind.....I will continue my search for a good girth.
Date published: 2021-01-23
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Stacy from
Terrible design
Unless I received a defective girth, it’s hard to understand the good reviews. The girth I received had rigid sewn ends adjacent to the buckles which curved inward. No amount of bending would flatten them. On the horse, the ends stuck into his sides, making the girth painful and unusable. Returned.
Date published: 2021-01-13
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Lovesdressage from
Soft and comfy!
I love this girth because it is so comfortable for my horse. Highly recommend.
Date published: 2020-11-12
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Abby from
Sheep skin girth
I have used this 2 weeks. And it has been perfect for my horses sensitive skin
Date published: 2020-10-30