Why I Always Carry a Spare Girth Buckle in My Jumping Tack Trunk

A girth buckle is a small piece of hardware with a surprisingly important job. It keeps the girth at the right tension, holds the saddle securely against the horse’s barrel, and gives me one less thing to worry about when Archie and I are heading into the warm-up arena. Most days, I barely notice it. On competition days, I inspect every buckle as though it were part of the jumping course.

I learned to respect that little piece of metal through ordinary wear rather than one dramatic disaster. A buckle can become stiff with sand, lose its spring, develop a sharp edge, or pull away from worn leather. Elastic girth straps can stretch unevenly, and a hole punched repeatedly in the same position can start to weaken. Everything may look fine at home, then fail when the tack is under pressure.

My jumping tack trunk now contains a spare girth buckle, a short length of suitable webbing, a leather punch, a screwdriver, spare keepers, and a few basic tools. It is not a professional repair kit, and it will not replace a saddler. It is simply enough to get us safely through a show-day problem without turning a minor equipment failure into a scratched start or a long drive home.

That preparation matters particularly in Australia, where competition venues can be a fair distance apart and a quick trip to the saddlery is not always possible. A show at Werribee, SIEC near Sydney, or a regional agricultural showground may involve early travel, a float full of gear, and a full day before the final class. When something breaks, having the replacement in the box is usually far easier than finding one locally at short notice.

The small failure that can stop a whole jumping day

A girth buckle rarely announces that it is about to fail. It may have a tiny crack near the pin, a bent tongue, or a worn slot that allows the buckle to shift. Sometimes the problem is in the strap rather than the buckle itself. A stitching line can loosen, or the leather surrounding the hole can stretch until the girth no longer feels secure.

Jumping puts extra demands on the saddle and girth. Archie lands with considerably more force than he uses in a walk or trot, and his shape changes as he approaches a fence, takes off, and lands. The saddle needs to remain stable without the girth becoming painfully tight. If a buckle releases in the warm-up, I cannot simply assume it will hold for another round.

A failed girth does not always mean an immediate fall, but it can create a dangerous chain of problems. The saddle may slip sideways, the rider may lose balance, and the horse may become uncomfortable or distracted. Even a buckle that stays attached while allowing the girth to loosen can make the saddle move enough to affect a combination or landing.

That is why I treat replacement hardware as safety equipment rather than an optional extra. A spare buckle does not solve every possible girth problem, but it gives me a realistic chance of making a sound temporary repair. The aim is to preserve a safe, correctly fitted setup, never to patch something questionable and carry on regardless.

What I check before packing the float

Before a show, I inspect the entire girth rather than looking only at the buckle. I run my fingers along the leather or synthetic material, check the stitching, flex the elastic, and examine every hole that Archie commonly uses. I also look at the buckle bar and tongue for rust, distortion, sharp edges, or movement that feels different from the other side.

The spare buckle must match the original in more than general appearance. I check the width of the strap, the shape of the buckle, the position of the pin, and the way the hardware sits against the girth. A 50 mm buckle will not be a sensible substitute for a 25 mm strap, and a slightly different design can place pressure on the leather in an unsuitable way.

I have learned to pack the spare in a small labelled pouch instead of letting it rattle around loose in the trunk. Sand and grit can get into the moving parts, while a loose metal buckle can damage leather, stirrup leathers, or grooming equipment. The pouch also contains the tools needed for a basic repair, so I am not searching through the tack room at five in the morning.

My pre-show routine includes trying the spare on the girth at home. If it requires a particular screwdriver or a fiddly adjustment, I want to discover that in the shed rather than beside a busy warm-up arena. I also keep a second girth in the float whenever possible. A buckle is useful insurance, but a complete spare girth is the better answer if the webbing or leather has failed.

Choosing hardware that is safe and practical

The most suitable replacement depends on the girth design. Many jumping girths use roller buckles because the roller helps the strap pass smoothly and reduces friction as the girth is tightened. Some have fixed buckles, while others use removable hardware attached with screws, rivets, or stitched leather tabs. I use the same type and size as the original unless a qualified saddler recommends a different option.

I prefer stainless steel or another corrosion-resistant material for a competition spare. Australia’s dust, humidity, coastal air, and sudden wet weather can be hard on tack hardware. A buckle stored for months in a damp corner of a tack trunk may look acceptable until the pin sticks. I wipe the metal clean, dry it properly, and inspect it periodically rather than assuming a new part remains new forever.

The replacement also needs to sit flat against the horse. A twisted buckle, exposed screw, or rough edge can rub under the elbow and create a sore patch. I check the underside of the girth after every ride, especially when Archie has worked hard or the weather has been hot. Sweat and fine arena sand can hide irritation until the girth is removed.

Buying the cheapest universal buckle is not always economical. Australian riders can find hardware through saddleries, rural supply stores, online tack retailers, and sometimes a local saddler’s workshop, but stock varies between regions. At a large venue such as SIEC, there may be trade stands nearby; at a country show, there may be no suitable replacement at all. I would rather spend a little more on the correct part than rely on an ill-fitting substitute.

How I handle a buckle problem at a show

If I notice a buckle has failed, I take Archie away from the warm-up and stand him somewhere quiet. The first step is to loosen or remove the saddle safely, then inspect the girth and saddle for damage. I do not keep riding while trying to judge whether a compromised buckle will survive the next fence. A few minutes spent resetting the tack is preferable to creating a larger problem.

For a removable buckle, I can sometimes replace the damaged part with the spare using the tool packed in my repair pouch. I thread the strap through carefully, check that the pin engages cleanly, and confirm that the buckle sits evenly on both sides. Then I run my hand around the girth to make sure there is no sharp edge or twisted material against Archie’s skin.

I ask another experienced rider, coach, or steward to look over the repair before I return to the arena. A second pair of eyes often notices a strap sitting at the wrong angle or a keeper that has been missed. If the girth is still questionable, I use the complete spare or withdraw from the class. An entry fee and a disrupted schedule are disappointing; an avoidable accident is far worse.

The same calm approach helps with other unexpected equipment issues. At one event, the difficulty had nothing to do with a broken buckle, yet it reinforced how quickly a straightforward cross-country round can change; I wrote about that unexpected cross-country obstacle because preparation is often about responding sensibly rather than predicting every exact problem.

Why the spare stays in my tack trunk

The spare buckle has earned its place because it protects time as much as it protects equipment. Australian eventing often involves a long float journey, early starts, and limited access to replacement tack once riders arrive. At a venue near Melbourne, I may have several saddleries within reach, but that cannot be assumed at a regional property outside Ballarat, Tamworth, or Toowoomba.

It also saves me from making poor decisions under pressure. Show days can be noisy and rushed, with dressage times, gear checks, course walks, warm-up instructions, and the usual “no worries” attitude encouraging everyone to keep moving. A small failure can tempt a rider to improvise with unsuitable hardware or hope that a damaged part lasts one more round. Having the correct spare makes the safer choice easy.

I keep the buckle in the jumping trunk even when we are travelling for dressage or flatwork. A girth can fail during tacking up, after a lesson, or while loading for home. The item weighs almost nothing and takes up less room than a roll of bandage. There is no sensible reason to leave it behind simply because the day’s main class is not show jumping.

Archie’s tack is checked, cleaned, and maintained by professionals when it needs proper attention, and the spare buckle does not replace that care. It is a practical backup for the gap between discovering a problem and getting expert help. In my experience, good preparation is rarely dramatic. It is a labelled pouch in a crowded trunk, a second girth on the float, and the quiet confidence that a tiny piece of metal will not decide whether we get safely to the start box.