Cinche Buckles

[dab]

Are roller buckles more likely to pinch your horse?

I just bought my first saddle with western rigging – Am thinking my horse might do well in a mohair cinch … probably a diamond shaped one – I haven’t found any mohair cinches that have protection between the horse and the buckle like many of the neoprene cinches do – I’m wondering if I ought to keep looking until I find a cinch with covered buckle –

[craz4crtrs]

I use mohair western cinches and even english mohair girths.

Cashel makes a cinch end cover. Works great.

http://www.cashelcompany.com/ProductDetails.aspx?C=6&SC=47&ProductID=9599

[sk_pacer]

Look for cinch chafes - that should get you the protection you need. Chafes are separate from the cinch and one pair should last ages - you just take them off the worn or dirty cinch and put it on another. I would also suggest learing to tie a butterfly knot rather than messing with buckles - never trusted them as the tongue can tear trhough the single latigo.

[UrbanHennery]

We don’t do anything to cover the cinch rings on our western saddles and have never had a problem. We often do 5 or 6 hour trail rides FWIW.

Also, I really like the roller buckles as they make it easier to double the cinch and not have to haul on it to get it tight.

Finally, I use the buckle to set the cinch and then tie a traditional latigo knot as a backup. I like that it can’t loosen itself (buckle) or slip if the buckle tongue snaps (happened to husband last year).

[jeano]

I still use the buckle tongues but I must share my favorite near-death experience involving them.

I was riding a borrowed saddle that had them, and Ariat riding shoes with pull on loops at the heel. Somehow, BOTH loops snugged themselves on to both buckle tongues. I couldnt move my feet. At all. I was completely baffled for a few seconds, then I realized what had happened. Then I started thinking, great, if this horse freaks out, if the girth isnt tight enough and the saddle rolls, I will be under the belly getting my face kicked to smithereens. (Yes, I was wearing a helmet.) I finally was able to flex my feet enough to get the loops off the tongues. It was easier to slit the loops than saw off the buckle tongues, so that’s what I did. I never rode in that saddle again, the shoes are long gone, and I’ve never had the problem with another girth or boot combination, but it sure got my attention when it happened. I think the latigo knot is safer, too.

[Kami74]

I have a Prof Choice cinch with the roller buckles and it’s own material extends past the buckle so there is no way that it will pinch.