# Three buckle saddle, 2 buckle girth?



## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

So i recently aquired an english AP saddle. It has 3 buckle straps for a girth, however i cannot find a girth around with 3 buckles! Not at the local tack stores or on my favorite sites.
So, can i just use a 2-buckle girth and attach it to the left & right straps, leaving the middle one out?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Yep, use the left and right billets and then leave the middle one free. You can always use it if one of the other billets becomes unusable.


ETA: Like this!


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

that is bacause there are no 3 buckle girths. The 3rd strap is a built in emergancy strap.

Also the front most strap is on different webbing to the 2nd and 3rd strap which means that if you put your girth on the 1st and 3rd strap (working from the front of the saddle) then if one piece of webbing gives up the ghost you dont loose your girth entirely.

Oh and just to confuse you, my English show saddles have 4 straps as I have point straps attached to them to prevent them slipping forward on roly poly natives


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

_OH.._ Ok thanks alot guys  Feel smarter now lol! Did not know that but it's a good idea only i know some have 2 and some have 3 so i sort of figured they would have different girths. Good to know they dont! Makes it so much easier.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

lilruffian said:


> l! Did not know that but it's a good idea only i know some have 2 and some have 3 so i sort of figured they would have different girths.


oh and some have 4 straps, some even have 5 straps (if you have a flat backed rolly polly pony they come in very important.


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## equineeventer3390 (Mar 27, 2009)

Usually the first strap is a single strap. Then the last 2 straps are connected at the top. Like others said, the extra strap is an "emergency strap". It is best to use the first and last one, like in the picture. You never want to use both the ones that are connected together. If you do, and one breaks, the other will break too and then your girth is gone. With using two that aren't connected, you'll have one strap still if one breaks while your riding. That said, all saddles are different. My saddle, the first two are connected and the last one is single. I still use the first and last one, but just check your saddle and use two that aren't connected.


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