Nyls modeling the brown VenTECH Leather Monoflap Girth. Photo by Kate Samuels
Professional’s Choice is offering some really exciting products this season in their equine accessories lines, and these VenTECH leather girths are no different. I got the chance to try out both the dressage girth and the jumping monoflap girth, both of which are extremely stylish, and best of all, highly functional and super comfortable for your horse.
For a long time, we’ve been stuck with the choice of a fancy leather show girth or perhaps an old girth that you use at home to school in. Now, thanks to combining tradition and technology, you can have both. These girths will look right at home in a show environment, but are are also useable and functional at home.
The VenTECH technology is the highlight of this product, as it is extremely comfortable, breathable, washable and offers the advantage of being non-slip. One of the advantages of using these girths is that they stay put so well, you don’t have to crank your girth as tight as you would with others. The non-slip neoprene conforms to your horse, allows heat and moisture to escape, and holds on tight. I’ve also used this product on several horses that are extremely sensitive and prone to rubs, and I can say that the grip is excellent, and does not rub or pinch in any way.
A close-up of the VenTECH technology on the underside of the girth. Photo by Kate Samuels.
You can also remove the neoprene liner from the leather portion of the girth, so that you can easily hand wash the inside of the girth, keeping it free of dirt and grit. This ensures that your horse’s skin stays comfortable, and when you’re using this girth a lot, you can stay sane! Just pull it off the velcro, squirt it down and hang it up to dry. Easy as that!
The SMx VenTECH Leather Monoflap Girth has both a Carabineer clip and a built-in D-ring, so that you can use both a breast plate and a training aid at the same time. The SMx VenTECH Leather Dressage Girth only features the D-ring in the center.
One of my favorite features of these girths is the sturdy construction of the buckles and the placement holders for the billets. The buckles are stainless steel rollers, which makes life just that much easier when you’re leaning down to fix your girth, and are very sturdy for longterm use. I love that each billet gets its own slot to go through, and they are very secure. The amount of times I have ripped a limp billet holder is infuriating, and I can tell you these will not fall to the same fate.
Stainless steel roller buckles and triple elastic on both ends make for easy adjustability. Photo by Kate Samuels.
While you don’t need to tighten your girth as much with the neoprene non-slip aspect, both girths feature elastic on both ends, for increased comfort and adjustability. One of my horses is always quite crabby about having his girth tightened, and so elastic is essential to make him happy. Durable elastic is essential to make me happy, as there’s nothing worse than a girth that slowly bags out and stretches two sizes. I can also attest to the longevity of the elastic on these girths, as I’ve been using their longer leather jump girth for years now with no visible change.
The SMx VenTECH Leather Girths are also ergonomically designed, so they sit in an excellent place on your horse. The wide base and the cutback of the ends allows for a greater pressure distribution along your horse’s sternum, which can be a really big issue with discomfort and lack of mobility. Nobody likes a really tight and thin belt, just like no horse likes a lot of pressure right behind their front legs.
The VenTECH Leather Monoflap Girth is stylish as all get out, but also incredibly functional for both show and home. Photo by Kate Samuels.
You can find both of these girths online for purchase through Professional’s Choice, each priced at $257.95.
Go Professional’s Choice. Go Eventing.
