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 Measuring midpoint on the slope is the recommended option. Trees with very large girths, such as some of the sequoias growing the western United States, can also pose girth measurement problems. If they are growing on even a gentle slope, if girth is measured at 4.5 feet about where the pith of the tree emerges from the ground, the upside of the tape could easily be below ground level. In this case a better option would be to measure the standard girth measurement at 4.5 feet above ground level on the high side of the tree and note this in