Girth (tack) slightly too small, a girth extender may be used. A girth extender attaches to the billets of the saddle and lengthens them, so that a shorter girth may be used. Most jumping saddles have three billets. This not only allows the rider a spare should one break, but can also provide an adjustment option. For horses on which the saddle sits nicely, neither slipping forward or back, the first and third billets should be used. On horses where the saddle slips back, the first and second billets should be used. The second and third should never be used together, as
Tree girth measurement tree and by extension the girth should be measured with respect to the same base point. This point is fixed at the same location over time as the tree grows. In addition this is a reference point that is present and consistent in all trees no matter the height of the girth measurement. Even if the girth is measured at a non- standard height because of low branching, a large burl, or even on the upslope side of a large girth tree on sloping ground, all heights can still be consistently referenced to this single point present on all trees.