[gummiponys]

My horse puffs his stomache out when I tighten the girth up. DOn't know what he's complaining about. I have an elastick like Wintec girth that does not pinch at all. Even if you made it with DUCT TAPE!!!

But he still does anyway, and it's a pain. Sometimes I turn him in tight circles but doesn't help. SO I get on, even though the saddles loose, walk him around for 2 mins, then I tighten it up again. Very annoying because he's always dancing around on me when I want him to STOP.

[MissBandit]

Not much you can do about that, just keep on keeping on basically. If you inch up the girth a little bit here and there as you are tacking up that might work better. Don't tighten it up as far is you can, just work it up a few holes, brush him, mess around, work it up a few more holes, pick feet... etc... It might take longer the first few times but if you work it really slowly then maybe eventually he'll quit bloating out so much. Still makes me laugh a bit. He's too smart.

[devilishjumper]

hmmm.... i would have said tight circles because they phisicaly can't hold in air on a tight circle but your horse has seemed to out done himself. Try what Miss B said good luck.

[Sasha]

A horse can't hold his breath forever! My gelding is notorious for bloating, but I've become an expert on just watching his sides and quietly moving up a hole at a time in between walking him as he expels the air. It's best to take it up by degrees on all horses anyway, much more comfortable.

[Drafty1]

Walk him around as you cinch him up, that way he will let his air out.

[Blistering Winds]

Honestly, there isn't anything you can do. Even my horse Blister picked it up. He use to never do it. And i always do it slow.

You can also, instead of walking around, just let him stand there. I brush him out, Toss the saddle on, THEN Clean his hooves, do some stretches, etc. Get myself ready to ride, THEN tighten the girth again. Put the bridle on, walk to the arena, then the third shot, That is it. I'm done tightening. I know the holes he needs to have in English, and which hole has to be up on the western saddle for the girth's to be tight enough.

[belle4]

Gummi,

Just tighten the saddle a bit and walk the horse forward a few steps. Repeat as necessary. I do this on every horse I saddle. Just makes the whole experience a bit nicer for the horse.

[indiekisses985]

Tighten the girth as much as you can on cross ties or whereever you tack your horse up. Then, as many have said, pretend to be doing something else and sneekily tighten the girth more. Lots of horses bloat out. They are smart animals. What would you do if somebody tightned something around your stomach as tight as they could until even their weight couldn't pull it down?

Also, if you need to tighten the girth- your last bet is to tighten it from UPTOP the saddle. Have someone hold the reins. This takes a lot of practice cuz its hard but you get a lot more force from uptop.

[bluehorse]

I always told my students to tighten their horses girth snug and walk them to the arena. Before they mount up to retighten it. Usually just the walk to the riding area gets them to let the air out.

[Moostang]

Ever horse I know does it... I tighten it at the grooming area.. then walk them to were I am going to mount, by that time they stop so I tighten it again, that usually takes care of most horses, except one, you have to walk her around several times and catch her off guard.