I got this letter today and contained very good questions. Hence this article:
LETTER
Hi John,
I reckon my saddle may be due soon as its been about 3 weeks, so i got a couple of questions to ask whilst im thinking of ’em.1. My horses (and I) have only ever ridden in english saddles, so I presume the chances are they may buck??? as not used to back ‘cinch’ (got the name of it right i hope) They will get used to it pretty quickly will they??
2. How firm are they done up?
3. What is the purpose of them? Is it just to keep the back of the saddle securely down?
Cheers
Judy
BACK CINCH
The ‘Back Cinch’ or second girth must be done up just flush with the gut of the Horse. Not tight!. (See photo)
It MUST be attached to the front Girth normally by a loop or a clip, which is why most girths and mine have clips front and back. If you don’t clip it on, the back cinch will slide back and ‘Flank Rope’ your Horse as in the Rodeo and get you bucked off.
When you sit in the Saddle, the Cinch will drop down about 3 inches so you needn’t worry.
Allowing the back cinch to drop and hang too low can cause a Horse to hook a back hoof inside the back cinch and you should then watch the results (preferably from the side lines)
Therefore, the back cinch, especially once the Horse is used to it (which takes no time) should be up nice and snug when saddling up, to take this loosening into account. NOT Girthed up like a Girth but snug…touching the Gut all around.
IMPORTANCE
It is highly beneficial to wear one! For these reasons:
That they stop the Saddle from ‘Rock n Rolling’ and shifting you around on top of a ‘Green Horse’ Young Horses will begin to bucking if you wobble around too much on them.
Horses that are used to a ‘back cinch’ are better equipped to handle other things and all round better broken in. Further, when some Fool suddenly puts a Western Saddle on down the track, they won’t get bucked off 🙂
The back cinch stops the Rider being thrown forward should a Horse ‘pig root’ or Buck.
It stops the Saddle from going over the front end of the Horse.
SADDLING
When using a Saddle with a back cinch fitted, the Rider needs to listen up to this.
Never girth up a back cinch at the tie up rail. Wait until you have walked to the Round Pen. If you do, you are likely to make an unsuspecting Horse buck whilst tied up.
Never girth up the back cinch before the girth.!!!!!
Make sure the girth is tight enough to withstand bucking prior to pulling the back cinch up
UNSADDLING
NEVER undo the girth before the back cinch
Never loosen a girth without undoing the back cinch
Always undo the back cinch first.
Make sure the back cinch is completely out of the buckle and hasn’t caught on a low hole
Always have the Back Cinch connected to the Girth with the strap provided or you will FLANK ROPE your Horse as in the Rodeos!!!!!
The good news is that they all get over it in a couple of days, the bucking is irrelevant and does them good. Especially the Breaker as it learns to handle more and that it cannot get rid of a Saddle. You also have an opportunity to ‘go to school’ on the bucking style of the Horse in case the day comes 🙂
BUCKING
Most Buck!!! Ignore it. It is good for their attitude and other things. Ignore their bucking and just keep them lunging. DON’T start yelling!!!!!!!. Don’t try and stop them. Let Oxygen do that 🙂
The only people who get caught out with a Horse suddenly feeling it when riding are the typically weak people who piddle around Horses. When you lunge the Horse with the back cinch, MAKE IT CANTER both ways and get after it a bit. Don’t poonce the Horse around because you may be concerned. Concerned people cause their own demise!!!!
80% Buck…..virtually none buck later. I ride 100% of ALL Horses with a back cinch. Breakers, Problem Horses, Bucking Horses, you name it. So Relaaaax 🙂
New Zealand Folk buy here – https://www.hpsaddlerynz.co.nz/
