Most riders dream of a beautiful, padded leather girth. And rightly so – it is a classic of comfort. However, in everyday stable life there are situations in which taking an expensive, pampered piece of leather out of the cupboard is… pure madness.
This is where the neoprene girth comes on the scene. Although simpler and cheaper, for many professionals it is an absolutely essential “stand-in” for special tasks. Here is why it is worth having both models in your tack box.
1. Spring and autumn, i.e. the fight with mud
Autumn and spring training sessions often end the same way: the horse is splashed with mud from the chest all the way to the tail.
- The problem with leather: If sand and mud dry on a leather girth, you face 20 minutes of laborious cleaning with soap and conditioning, so that salt and moisture do not destroy the material.
- The solution with neoprene: A neoprene girth just needs to be rinsed under a strong stream of water from a hose or wiped with a wet sponge. After 30 seconds it is clean and ready to dry.
2. Hygiene with many horses
If you ride more than one horse a day or your horse has a tendency to skin problems (e.g. lumps in the girth area), hygiene is crucial. A neoprene girth can be regularly disinfected, and most models will easily survive machine washing (in a special protective bag). Natural leather copes very badly with such drastic hygiene treatments, while a synthetic material withstands it without any loss of durability.
3. A soft start after a break
Horses that return to work after a longer break or are particularly “electric” when the saddle is being girthed often respond better to neoprene. Why? Neoprene is naturally more “padded” and elastic from the very first second. A new leather girth needs time to adapt to the horse under the influence of body heat. Neoprene offers this softness “out of the box”.
4. Trail rides and bathing
Planning a trip into the forest that may end with crossing a ford or bathing horses in a lake? Water is the greatest enemy of leather – it makes it stiffen and crack. Neoprene loves water. It is the ideal girth for “wet tasks”, which you will not regret when the horse decides to take a bath together with the saddle.
5. Economy of use
By using a neoprene girth for everyday, tedious training in bad weather, you genuinely extend the life of your leather girth. Leather that is used less often and in better conditions will retain its elasticity and appearance for decades, instead of wearing out in two seasons through contact with sand and sweat.
Summary: The two-girth strategy
You do not have to choose between luxury and practicality. The ideal set is:
- A Balotade leather girth – for competitions, training in the arena and days when you want your horse to look and feel premium.
- A Balotade neoprene girth – for mud, quick weekday training, trail rides and days when what matters is the time spent in the saddle, not cleaning equipment.
When choosing a neoprene girth, look for models with rollers at the buckles. They make it easier to tighten the girth from the saddle and save your billets from chafing.
📦 Ready for any conditions?
Complete your equipment with a reliable neoprene girth. The softness your horse will appreciate, and the convenience you will love.
