NEW! Place your order online and ship directly to the Dover Saddlery retail store of your choice! You will be contacted by a store associate in approximately 7-10 business days when all of your items are ready for pick up. Standard shipping is FREE! You will be responsible for any Oversize/Overweight fees which will be visible during the checkout process. Ship to Store orders are not eligible for expedited shipping.
To place your ship to store order, simply add items to cart and begin the online checkout process. Select a Dover Saddlery retail location for your 'Shipping Information'. You will be asked to provide your name and phone number so we can contact you when the items are ready for pick-up.
Curbside pick-up is available. Please coordinate with the store associate when you are notified that your item is available for pick-up.
Questions? Call us at 800-406-8204.
Reserve Online-Pick Up at Store - for FREE!
Chat with us now to reserve this item at your local store! We will check to make absolutely sure the product is available and reserve it for you to pick up as soon as today. If the item is not available at your store, we will ship it there for FREE and you will be contacted when it is available (approximately 7-10 business days).
Click on the Live Chat button below.
Provide your desired store location, item, size, color and quantity.
We will check your local store's inventory to make absolutely sure that the product is available.
Sizing a Girth A girth with the correct length for your horse and saddle will be adjusted on the same billet holes on each side-regardless of whether you're using a long girth or a short (dressage) girth.
For a long girth, ideally the buckles will not be located high under your thigh where they can feel bulky. When this happens, it means the girth is too long for the horse. Always be sure that you have at least two billet holes available above and at least one hole available below the buckles.
When looking at a short girth length for a dressage saddle or monoflap event saddle, be sure that you have at least three to four fingers' width between the top of the girth and the bottom of the saddle pad and saddle flap on both sides. If the girth comes too close to the edge of the saddle pad or flap, your horse's skin can feel pinched.
How to Choose Between Types of Girths Girths come in a variety of materials and shapes, and each offers unique benefits to the horse. The right type of girth for your horse will depend on your horse's conformation, how your horse moves, skin sensitivity in the girthing area, allergies to textiles and how much he sweats during work.
The most important aspect about the material and shape of a girth is that it works well with your horse's conformation and gaits to distribute pressure evenly along his barrel. The girth needs to move very slightly with the hair (horizontally) and not against it (vertically) in such a way as to chafe.
Straight girth styles are fashioned like a belt. Anatomically contoured styles are designed to provide room for a horse's elbows during movement- ideal for horses with big shoulders or big gaits. Some long girths have built-in belly guards appropriate for jumpers; the guards protect the horse's underside from being injured by shoe studs while its hooves are tucked up over jumps.
Girth Materials
Leather: Offers the most traditional look and durability; may be elegantly simple or feature two-tones of leather, fancy stitching and overlays. Clean and condition with leather care products.
Neoprene: Affordable and cleans with soap and water. Often a solution to slipping problems with leather girths. Be aware that some horses are allergic to neoprene.
Synthetic: Economical, durable and easy-care. Clean with soap and water.
String: In mohair, wool, cotton or nylon string, a popular choice for combating slippage, for horses that get irritated skin in the girth area and to alleviate certain pressure points. Natural string girths should be hand washed in cold water; nylon can be machine washed.
Wool/Synthetic Fleece-Lined: Genuine wool or synthetic fleece may be attached to fabric or leather girths to help horses who need a soft surface against their skin. Genuine wool wicks sweat as an added benefit. Care varies depending on the style.
Webbing/Fabric: Soft and affordable. Can be machine or hand washed in cool temperatures.
How to Attach a Nameplate to a Halter, Bridle, Martingale or Breastplate
Required Tools: will need a leather hole punch, hammer and pencil.
Steps: 1. Unwrap your nameplate and identify the rivets as having two posts and two caps. 2. Center the plate where you would like it ; mark its holes with pencil. 3. Use the hole punch centered on the pencil marks. A good quality hole punch with appropriate pressure applied should be able to penetrate even thick leather halters. 4. Push the rivet posts through the back of the tack so the posts are pointed toward you. 5. Put the nameplate on rivet posts. 6. Place rivet caps onto the posts, and tap the caps with a hammer.
Note: If you do not feel comfortable installing your own nameplate, we are happy to help. Bring your plate and tack into your local Dover Saddlery store for assistance. Your local leather repair professional or cobbler may also be able to assist you.
The Easiest and Best Guarantee in The Business
Shop with 100% confidence at Dover Saddlery. If something doesn’t fit you or your horse, return your original purchase within a year, and we’ll make it right with a refund, exchange or replacement.
Our experience as riders and horse owners ourselves is that in most situations a year’s time is fair enough to evaluate proper fit and function. PLUS: For manufacturer’s defects, we’ll extend the manufacturer’s warranty to a maximum of 24 months, regardless of their individual policies. (AND: Manufacturer warranties longer than 24 months will be honored and supported by us as well up to the length of those warranties).
Exceptions: Safety items such as helmets and protective vests may only be returned within 30 days, with their original tags intact. Saddles and riding boots may be returned within the one year period, but are subject to a prorated refund based on usage. Used saddles may be returned for 30 days only. For everyone’s protection, treats and vet meds which have been opened are not returnable, and returned blankets must clean and free of debris.
Special Conditions
To protect all customers and ensure that every return or exchange is handled fairly, we may require a receipt or decline a return in these situations:
• Item was not purchased directly from Dover Saddlery. (It was purchased at a used tack sale or from a retailer or online seller other than Dover Saddlery.)
• Item is missing a label or has been defaced.
• No receipt and no valid identification in our stores.
• Item is wet, dirty or contaminated, or until it has been cleaned. (For health and safety reasons, we cannot accept returns on used, defective or poorly fitting blankets if they are UNWASHED.)
• Item has been lost, stolen, damaged, or misused.
• On rare occasions, based on the nature of prior transactions.
• Supplements have been opened or used.
• Multiple returns of the same item.
• Personalized items may not be returned unless defective.
Security Guarantee
Dover Saddlery understands your concerns regarding online security. We share in your concerns and therefore work hard with experts in the field to maintain a highly secure ordering environment. Along with our comment to security, we offer you a Secure Order Guarantee - this gives you 100% protection for your credit card transactions on Doversaddlery.com.
Our Secure Order Guarantee means that you will never have to pay any money related to unauthorized charges to your credit card account, as long as those charges are a direct result from a transaction on Doversaddlery.com.
How it works: If you experience credit card fraud, the Fair Credit Act specifies that your credit card company can hold you liable for no more than $50.00 in fraudulent charges to your account. Our Secure Order Guarantee will reimburse you for any amount up to $50.00 billed to you by your credit card company for unauthorized charges to your account, if those charges result from an order you placed with Doversaddlery.com. For this protection you must promptly notify your credit card company of fraudulent charges and follow their procedures as outlined in your credit card agreement.
Our Dover Saddlery® Easy-Care Belly Guard Girth protects your horse’s underside from shoe studs. It places smooth leather against your horse, while a long-lasting PVC outer surface deflects strikes. The PVC outer also makes this jumping girth easy to wipe down after use.
Triple elastic in our signature navy and white on both ends, combined with roller buckles, ensure easy adjustments. A center carabiner and four D-rings allow for the attachment of training aids.
