If the saddle fits and it’s put in the right place before it’s snugged up the cinch shouldn’t need to be tighter.
If he’s using a thick pad the pad may be compressing after he gets on, in which case he should be able to gradually do that before mounting by taking up the cinch as he walks the horse around.
If that fails, maybe just plan on riding the horse for a few minutes and then getting off and snugging up the cinch, or you could take it up for him after he mounts.
I will get some photos!
Here’s a site that may help. this is what it should look like, lengthwise (the girth/cinch).
https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/tree-and-saddle-fitting/proper-position-of-a-western-saddle/
This question makes me wonder if you’re fastening the cinch properly, because there doesn’t need to be any “tying” in a western saddle. See, e.g., this Warwick Schiller video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nHHHCuawfI
The easiest solution to your problem is have your boyfriend get on and ride around until the cinch gets loose. You tighten it from the ground and take a permanent marker and make a mark on the latigo at the hole you have it buckled on. In the future, all your boyfriend has to do is tighten the cinch enough to get it buckled back in the same hole.
Thanks for the video! So, I was “tying” up the latigo like this (see pic). I was under the impression that’s the way to do it, but we’ll just use the buckle and loop the loose end like the video shows, makes it much easier
Does anyone have a preference - leather or nylon latigos - does it make a difference?
Back in the Dark Ages when I was a kid, that’s how it was done, but now days, almost all cinches come with the buckle ends and latigos come with holes.
People generally have very strong preferences with respect to using leather or nylon latigos. :lol: I’m not really that fussy as long as it’s easy to handle. Two of my saddles came with nylon latigos and I like them just fine.
I really liked the nylon latigo that came with my first saddle - until it came undone (from the buckle) on a trail ride. It probably doesn’t happen very often, but I changed to leather and have never had that happen again.
I prefer using the buckle rather than tying - less bulk under the leg.
I tied my latigo, as you have done, for years and years. Then a clinician asked why I did that and I replied - it’s how I was taught. He pointed out that using the buckle and the latigo keeper is smoother under your leg. He also said the buckles were safer…I don’t have any empirical knowledge of that, but he was a smart, experienced guy, so I bow to his expertise.
I made the switch from tying at that point.
I’ve also used nylon and leather latigos…the nylon is nice because it dries quickly, and they are durable and inexpensive. In the end, I’ve switched over to leather, mostly because I’d rather have a natural material against my horse’s hide, but this is, of course, purely personal. Both types work well.
I like nylon on the offside (buckled) and leather on the near side (buckled). Purely a preference
I would be concerned it is more of a saddle fit issue than a girth issue. I don’t tighten my saddles super tight, and they do not roll, move or shift side to side.
As far as latigos, I think it personal preference more than one being better than another. I prefer leather and do use the buckles on both sides. The buckles do create less bulk under the leg.
The saddle also could be moving around because the rider is a 6’ 200 lb beginner learning to move along with the horse.
Saddles tend to move around less with more advanced riders that don’t need cinches that tight then.
We always use leather and buckles, but that is just our preference.
Some horses tend to blow up a little when being cinched and once they have a rider on them they relax so the cinches end up looser than they seemed initially.
Then you need to have someone cinch a bit more or get off and do it yourself.
2nd the notion that, if the saddle fits properly and the rider is reasonably balanced, there’s no need to cut the horse in half with the cinch. Cinches (and English girths) should be snug, never “tight”.
I strongly prefer leather to nylon - nylon slips in the worst possible times, it seems, while leather is a bit stickier/grippier. I also vastly prefer tying a traditional knot to using buckles. When you’re tying, the cinch is infinitely adjustable, whereas most cinch holes are WAY too far apart for my taste. Plus, I trust my knot to hold if things get hairy much more than I trust a punched hole. Maybe I’ve just seen too many wrecks and it’s made me a bit paranoid.
Sometimes girth’s need to be tight, esp for roopers or barrel racers. When you’re tied onto a steer a wrong jerk can pull it sideways.
Anywats, I tighten in segments. I also am short with all horses 16hh plus so I actually put the Latigo over my shoulder and then stand up pulling it tight. It is a smoother motion then “pulling” it tight where it often includes jerky movements. Also I use the buckle. Is less likely to slip. Really don’t care leather vs nylon
As a relative western newbie as well, I have been in your shoes, where cinching to what I thought was tight per English standards, somehow left me with airspace under the girth. In addition to tightening in steps, I have discovered that the pad makes a difference, too. Me and saddle slipped sideways when I was trying a new fleece pad - almost a huge wreck.
With a wool pad the saddle almost sticks with no girth. I am using an SPH pad for it’s wither relief (on my almost mutton withered horse) and I find the large split up front further reduces roll, almost like each side of pad is independent and doesn’t pull the other side over. And I am not having to cinch very tightly at all.
I tie it like you have been doing. I don’t trust one buckle and one hole!
I prefer nylon latigos. They slide better for doing up the cinch when it is cold and/or humid.
I ALWAYS tie my latigos. I never use the buckles and holes b/c there never seems to be a hole where I need it. If you tie, you can get the cinch tightness “custom”.
I ALWAYS recheck my cinch before mounting, after I’ve walked them a few steps. And I always retighten it before mounting. Horses seem to “relax” after you intially put the saddle on, some moreso than others. It only takes 15 seconds, if that to tighten up the cinch a second time before mounting.
Don’t untie the latigo when you go to tighten the cinch before mounting. Just loosen the knot enough so that you can get enough slack to tighten the cinch, and then tighten the knot back down again. But don’t undo anything. Super quick.
IfYou can also give them a treat before you cinch – they can’t hold their breath and eat the treat at the same time.
I prefer leather (nylon is too slippery) and usually use the buckle. It’s less bulky. On the occasion where the buckle won’t line up with a hole, or I run out of holes and don’t want to punch a new one, I use the knot.
Tuffy makes a cinch with elastic. https://www.ehcampbelltrading.com/products/tuffy-shoulder-relief-cinch
It’s cheaply priced and I can so far give it rave reviews. And I don’t typically like neoprene, but this works well for my barrel of a mare. It’s super easy to clean and I’ve used it on trails with no rubs or other issues.
And I typically end up hopping down to tighten the cinch (which could be avoided if I took the time to walk and trot her before mounting.)
My latigo is brown nylon with black magic marker lines at the correct spot plus some one inch markers above and below. I tie, which has almost no bulk with a nylon latigo. Haven’t had one slip yet. Good saddle fit & location makes the cinch less important. Also, as the horse moves, an improperly placed saddle or cinch will drift to where it ought to be. Remember that sometimes the cinch needs to angle forward to be at the smallest circumference.
With a strange horse, I put the saddle on loose and then lead the horse through a couple of figure 8s. That usually causes the saddle and cinch to drift into a stable spot. With my own horse & saddle, I know where the front of the saddle needs to be in relation to the end of his mane. Makes an easy marker for me.
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