This is going to sound really dumb, but how do you do up a cinch?

Question

Hey there, so I'm riding my friend's quarter horse, since they are going out of town, now, they live on a farm with a few other horses, their stable manager knows a lot about horses, but not so much about riding, so I don't know how in the world I'm supposed to do up a cinch since I'm an english rider, does anybody have any directions, or like a link to some? Thanks!

Answer 1

if you know how to do up a tie them you will be able to cinch the saddle! Take the leather strap, put it through the girth (under the horse), Feed it through the front of the ring (the one that the strap is fastened on), pull it around the left side and across the front of the straps, then feed it through the ring again but in the back, then the strap should be in the front again. Put in through the piece that's in the front so the is hangs down. That should do it! Then you can give it a pull to tighten it! Hope this helps.Try it without the horse first.

Answer 2

http://www.ehow.com/how_2325306_cinch-we...

Answer 3

Ha ha.  I sympathize! After a dozen years riding english, I had to have someone show me how to put on a western saddle and I felt like such a dope.  LovethePonies' answer is dead perfect!

The only thing I would add is that even if your cince has a buckle, instead of just a ring, you can kindof just ignore the buckle tounge thingy and wrap the strap twice around as in his/her instructions.  The little bluckle tounge thing just hangs there, but doesn't bother anything.

My related suggestion - if the bridle has two separate reins, you might want to tie a knot in them; for us English riders, it's easy to forget they aren't attached and drop one - PLUS since they are much longer than we're used to, it's extra easy for the horse to step on that dropped rein!

Answer 4

Its just like a western saddle if you know how to do one of those. Just run the strap under its belly into the cinch. put it just behind his front leg. pull tight, you dont want it loose. Do it a little extra tight because once you ride him/her it will loosen and you will have to tighten it again. Because they release air, which loosens the strap. Hope that helps.

i think english is the same as western, you just dont always have a back strap.

http://www.frontrangefrenzy.com/horsecar...

Answer 5

i'll try to type it out(dunno how much sense it'll make). i learned by watching my trainer do it, so it's really easy if you have someone show you in person.

1. wrap the leather thru the chinch and saddle(there's the bar/hole, idk the offical name of it) 3 times. i usually keep it loose due to it's easier to do the next steps.

2.pass the leather over itself to the oppsite side you pulled it out of the third time(you want to pull it towards one side, i usually pick towards the front and run the leather across and towards the back of the saddle), tuck that end up under the leathers thru the hole/bar on the saddle. pull it down thru the center and under the leather itself.

3. tighten the leathers starting with the 3 loops you first made and work the extra thru the round the front section.

i know it's kindda hard to follow but that's how i do it. have someone you know show you, that's the easiest way.

Answer 6

http://www.ehow.com/how_2325306_cinch-we...

Also if your western saddle has holes in the cinch strap and the ring has a prong, you just find the place where you want to tighten the saddle and put the prong thru the hole.  Be sure to lock it by taking your hand and pulling down on the strap.  This locks it in place so it won't pop out accidentally.

Answer 7

To cinch a saddle (western without a buckle)

1. Put saddle on horse. Let the cinch hang down on the right side of the horse, making sure it isn't twisted.

2. Go around to the horses left side. Reach under the horse to grab the cinch Take the latigo ( long leather or nylon strap), and thread it through the big ring on the cinch. It should go in the backside and come out the front. Don't pull it tight yet.

3. Take the free end of the latigo and put it through the big ring on the saddle that the other end is attached to, then put the free end through the big ring on the cinch again. You should now have a nice loop that will tighten the cinch as you pull up on the free end of the latigo.

4. To tie the knot: put the free end of the latigo through the ring on the saddle again, but this time let it stick out to the left. Bend the latigo in front of the ring again, so that it is now facing right. Put it up through the ring, then down again, but under the horizontal section you just made.

5. Walk away, or walk the horse a minute before you tighten the saddle again

Visit this site for handy-dandy pictures: http://www.newrider.com/Specialisms/West...

Hope this helps!  Have fun!