sore girth

["JOLYNN MAYNARD" <jolmayna@whitepine.k12.nv.us>]

First, I ride in an OF Express Lite with a Toklat dressage girth on Arabs.
 At the first day of the Bryce XP my chestnut gelding got very sore in the
girth area after the ride (50 miles).  I thougt that perhaps I had him
cinched too tight and the third day switched to a neoprene dressage girth
rode with loose girth and had no problems.  Well, I just did the LD ride
on a young horse at the Man Against Horse.  It is a fairly difficult ride
with significant mountain trails.  Weather was good, not hot or cold at
both rides.  I rode with the OF, Toklat girth again, and again my horse
was very sore after the ride in the girth area.  There was some hair gone
but a lot of heat and tenderness which made him walk short because he did
not want to move his front legs.  I wash my girth after every ride with
high pressure water, no soap or chemicals.  Why is this girth causing this
soreness?  I just can not see any way that there is anything that would
cause rubbing or chaffing, so is it heat build up, saddle sitting to far
forward, or what?  Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Jolynn Maynard