Cinchas and Cinchas Ties

I received the following questions from a gent concerning cinchas and latigo straps: "I looked at several of your videos and photographs and I am trying to determine how you secure your cinch. I have a hard time with my cinch strap and the belt buckle on the cinch. Also what type of cinch(s) do you prefer or recommend? I used to have a cotton rope traditional cinch but have since went to a neoprene cinch as my saddle keeps slipping. thank you in advance for answering my question. Lawrence."

Hello Lawrence, I am assuming that the problem you mention is finding the right hole in your latigo where the tongue of the buckle can keep the cincha tight enough but not too tight. I haven't used the buckle tongue on a cincha for decades now. I just use a friction tie from the cincha buckle through the saddle D ring to the keeper. In fact, on many of my cincha, I cut the tongue off the cincha buckle. Once I was doing a demo in a indoor arena and one of the ladies got my attention to tell me my cincha latigo was not secured through the buckle tongue. I replied "I cut the tongue off the buckle, I don't ever use it." She looked at me like I was a heathen. Anyway, the pictures below are closeups of the 'cowboy knot' and the fleece cincha buckle.

I am not, by any means, saying that this is a better method. I've ridden with a bunch of people, much better than I'll ever be, and they use the cincha buckle as designed. I was just tired of chasing the right hole to get the right cincha tension. The way I secure the cincha, which I have heard people call a 'cowboy knot', works for me, at least in part, as my saddles fit my horses very well and all of them have at least a little bit of withers to help the saddle stay positioned.

Years ago I used to secure the cincha latigo with a girth knot. I see people do that all the time and its a legitimate way, but for me it place too big of bulk under my leg. The pictures below show that method of securing the cincha.

For the past twenty or more years, I have used mostly fleece lined cinchas unless I was riding someone else horse and equipment. I have a couple Mohair cinchas and felt cinchas, but again I prefer fleece lined. I am just not a fan of neoprene cinchas or saddle pads for that matter. I think they build up heat too much.

You did not mention what type of saddle pad you are using. While you likely can't fix a really poor fitting saddle by using pads and blankets, I think you can make it better and the horse more comfortable. I use CSI pads that are formed for the withers and have vent holes, as well as plastic pressure plates to even out the pressure from the bars of the saddle. The pads are two piece, felt on the bottom and automotive carpet on top. However, there are several different makers of formed pads like 5 Star Equine. I would start by setting the saddle of your horse's back and see how it fits his back conformation, and go from there.

I hope this helps, good luck and safe riding.

More on the CSI Saddle Pad

The more I use my CSI Pad, the more I like it and doubt I'll be using anything else.

 

The CSI Pad is actually a two piece saddle pad. The bottom piece, either 1/2 or 3/4 inch thick, is wool felt and combines with a thinner top pad, which is the CSI flex plate sandwiched between two layers of automotive carpet, to make the complete pad.  

 

The flex plate is a flat plate of polycarbonate that the bars of the saddle rest over, dissipating the pressure, often the uneven pressure of a saddles bars and rider's weight.

The pressure displacing plate, sandwiched or sewn between two sections of automotive carpet has a narrow strip of Velcro which mates to the felt pad.

 

Both have pads have holes in the spine to vent heat off the horse's back. I admit that if you separate these two pieces, it takes a little patience aligning the holes, but the concept of a replaceable wool felt pad is a really a great idea and allows you to separate the pads for cleaning. I have two CSI pads, one with a 1/2 inch felt liner and the other is a 3/4 inch felt liner, which are natural felt. I haven't had the need to replace a liner yet and will likely being buying another CSI pad this year.

These are high dollar saddle pads. If you are like me, you'll be eating bologna sandwiches for a month in order to afford one, but you won't be disappointed. In the picture above you can see from the wet spots on the horse's back how the CSI Flex Plate disperses pressure from the bars of the saddle and the rider's weight, keeping pressure off the spine. The CSI Pads are contoured for the withers which make it easy to position and comfortable for the horse.

CSI also offers a Western round skirt and English cut Saddle Pads as well. CSI also has shims available for horse's with anatomical issues. CSI counsels that most horse's do not need the shims and you should consult with one of their saddle fit experts before buying.

 

While I clean my CSI felt liners using a metal curry brush being careful not to tear up the felt in the process, CSI does offer a rubber cleaning brush which, to be truthful, doesn't work very well for me, hence the metal curry brush for scraping away the built up of hair and dirt before I wash the pad.

 

Again, if you end up buying one of the CSI pads, you won 't be disappointed......more importantly, I don't your horse will either.      

Reader Question on Saddle Fit

Received this question: Is there a way to fit a saddle that has full quarter bars to a horse that needs a medium bar without buying a new saddle?

I think we can all agree that it is impossible for one saddle to fit all horses. This is because the difference in the widths of the saddle-tree bars, their angle, length and flare. I also think we all have saddled horses with saddles and bars too narrow for the best fit....that's probably because most of us have saddles older than our horses.

Quarter horse bars are going to narrower in width and have a steeper angle than say semi-quarter horse bars (medium bars) and full quarter horse bars. Horses today seem to have shorter withers, bigger shoulders and flatter backs, hence the move away from older quarter horse bars fitting higher withered horses, to semi and full quarter horse bars.

You really should have a saddle that fits your horse, but money wise, this is unrealistic for most people. You can do a little bit to fit the horse through using the appropriate saddle pad and/or blanket, but you can't make up a really poor fit this way. Imagine piling up a bunch of folded blankets on a chair then sitting on it,....doesn't feel balanced at all, does it?

I use an Impact Gel felt saddle pad and a blanket on top between the pad and the blanket. I think my saddle pad is half inch thick, certainly no thicker than three-quarters of an inch. I don't like the real thick one inch saddle pads, not do I use anything but felt. A few months ago, I went to a much thinner, all wool blanket which helps reduce the space between the saddle and the horses back. Previous to this I was using a blanket folded in half which produced more bulk and weight.

Saddle pads have came along way in the last twenty years. It's common to find a pad with a cut out to protect the withers and a tented center than protects contact from the horse's backbone. I always tent the pad and blanket at the withers when I saddle so when I cinch up it's reduces any discomfort at the withers.

The pictures show the saddle, pad and withers relationship before and after tenting. I think it also allows a better saddle bar to horse withers and shoulder fit.


You can try to fit a better fit for your saddle using different pads and blanket combinations. Look to ensure the flare of the forward saddle bars fit the shoulders below the withers and fit the back at the same time. Look for two inches (or two fingers) of clearance in the gullet from the top of the horse's withers.

Maybe a neoprene pad may not slip as much, although I would hate to use a rubber pad as I think it reduces the ability to breath and gets hot faster than a felt, wool or fleece pad and I am describing the pad that makes contact with the horse's back. I find it kinda odd that a lot of pads are described by the material the saddle sits on as opposed to what makes contact with the horse.