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Glite Dictionary
📏 Body measurement 🐎 A saddle strap 🐎 To strap a saddle
girth

girth

1 6.8
A strap under a horse's belly that holds a saddle in place
  • noun
  • /ɡɜrθ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cincha
  • Kristi patted her pony, checked the saddle girth to make sure it was still snug, and swung onto Babe's back.
  • tighten the girth
  • saddle girth
  • girth strap

Examples

  • Obscured behind the horse, Melanie bent down and pulled hard on the girth to tighten it up one more hole.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I patted Tags and tightened the girth.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • And a girth mark around the horse's belly.

    The Man from Snowy River (1982)

  • Can you adjust the girth?

    The Big Fisherman (1959)

  • You unhitch the girth, and the saddle slides off.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • "Austin loosened the girth and scratched the mule's belly."

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Watching her as she saddled, I saw she moved quietly around the horse, got him to take the bit easily, and remembered to tighten the girth.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • This was placed atop additional cloth layers on the horse's back and affixed with girth and chest straps.

  • The sheriff had the girth unbuckled, but when he tried to pull the cinch out from under the horse, it wouldn't budge.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Before riding, always make sure the girth is tightened properly to secure the saddle.

Synonyms

cinch
vsgirth
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A strap that goes around a horse's belly to hold a saddle

also secures packs as well as a saddle under the belly
bellyband
vsgirth
  • Archaic
9.6

A strap placed around an animal's belly to hold the wagon shafts

is used to fasten a saddle or pack rather than secure vehicle shafts

Surface Forms

girth singular
girths plural

Etymology

Girth comes from an old English word related to gird and girdle, which meant a 'band'. That's why a girth is the strap that goes under a horse and keeps the saddle in place.