Mohair?

I am thinking of buying a mohair girth for my arabian endurance horse. They cost around $15. (( Victory Canter English Tack & Apparel - Horse Tack - Girths - Comfort - Non Slip Mohair Girth ))

Does anyone know the benifits/downfalls of mohair? I was going to buy a professional's choice XMS girth, but they are a bit too expensive for me.

What do you guys think? Id really like some testimonials!

I love my mohair cinch, but I think it depends on what type of riding your doing. It takes them awhile to dry out and they need washed once in awhile. Versus the neoprene which is easier to clean and drying isn't an issue.
The only time I don't like my mohair is when we are on a weekend ride and the weather is humid. I have to put a wet cinch on the horse because it won't dry out from the day before.
That said, the mohair will stretch better giving the horse better respiration on a strenuous ride. It cools better then neoprene as well.
That's a pretty cheap price for mohair by the way I think you should go for it.

Mohair is definitely the way to go! My mare galls with anything else... It's easy to care for, gives the horse some breathing room, and is cool. Just be sure to pull the legs forward after you tighten the final time, to make sure the skin is laid flat under the girth.

To wash, just soak in some horse shampoo or woolite, rinse, lay flat to dry. I only wash mine 2-3 times a year at most, and rinse occasionally when it gets dirty/muddy.

I ordered a 46" girth for my 14.1 arabian. He usually wears a 44" to 46" girth. Will it streach alot? I don't want it to be too big. :\

How long do these girths last? I do endurance racing and trail rides. Are they stable and do they fray?

Thank you guys so much! Im very excited for my girth to come in :]
Lets keep this conversation rolling, shall we?

Thanks again!

They don't stretch much, just give your horse some breathing room.

My Billy Cook western mohair cinch is 7 yrs old now and still going strong .

I have a custom hand tied one I don't remember where it came from so it must have been awhile
I wash it in woolite, rinse it really well and let it air dry. I'm sure it will last me a long time. I haven't noticed any fraying and as far as stretching, its not significant.

I also love my mohair girth. I just bought a new one for my treeless saddle because I need a really, really short one.
They sure seem to last and last.

I've switched from neoprene to mohair last year. I've got tons of miles on it and it still looks new (but then I'm a fanatic about keeping my stuff in shape). Most of the riders I know will only use mohair.

$15 for real mohair is very cheap. I paid $60 for my Weaver Roper "Smart Cinch".

A mohair cinch, or any that "Stretch" measure the same. You don't measure for the stretch-ablity. If you odered a 32", it will look smaller, but will strectch to 32" when on the horse. So, it actually measures to how far it will stretch. To measure a mohair cinch that isn't labeled, put one foot in the cinch ring like a stirrup, and pull as hard as you can upwards, to stretch it out and measure.

Oh, and cheap mohair is usually not real mohair, it's usually a rayon/cotton mix that's just called mohair or whatever. If it says 100% mohair, then i's real goat hair, and is great. The rayon can irritate senstive skinned horses, but dries much quicker, and is strong. Cotton isn't quite as durable, and has all the absorbing qualities, so it's cooler on the skin, but takes longer to dry out.

Personally, I LOVE my mohair cinches, but cheap they "ain't". Also, hardware is an important factor. Nickel or any "plated" hardware will chip quick, when exposed to normal wear and tear, and can not only irritate your horse's skin, but cut the strings on the cinch, shortening it's life, as well. So only get stainless steel or brass. It's more expensive, but well worth the money in terms of durability and comfort for your horse.