I've always riden with a rear cinch strap. I was reading an article recommending replacing the rear leather strap with a regular cinch strap. It was said that this better secured the saddle when riding in rough country, was more comfortable for the animal and held the saddle in place better. Now I'll admit that I don't rope and live on really flat ground so usually leave the rear strap just a little loose. But any of ya'll ever try this or ever seen it done before.
They claim that tightening the rear girth first kept the saddle from pulling forward to far when tightening the front girth. The rear cinch would on a big pony like mine, ride where the belly begins to slope up toward the flank. You'd likely need a longer girth hobble(?)
I might consider trying this if no else has a horror story of some kind? I'm trying to remember if I've seen a saddle rigged this way but don't think I ever have except maybe on a roping horse at the higher ranked events. Drafts tend to have mutton withers and this might also help keep the saddle balanced over the spine.
I'd like ya'lls opinions.

I use a heavy duty, wide leather rear cinch..and I keep it snug, but not tight....when my horse is relaxed, you can just barely stick one finger inbetween his belly and the rear cinch. Ain't no back foot getting caught in it!
I hate when I see ppl leaving it so loose that a horse can get his foot caught, seen it happen and it was downright ugly!
Never heard of using a regular front cinch for the back though....hmmm.....seems rather odd to me, but what do I know? LOL.

[ November 19, 2007, 12:01 AM: Message edited by: Mustang Blue ]

Mike, i dont mean to sound rude, but how can your saddle move forward when you cinch up? correct me if i'm wrong but if your saddle is in the proper position on the horse's back (before you cinch up) the saddle shouldn't move until you ride up or down a hill. i guess i can understand the thinking of a more stable saddle but i don't agree with the "solution". the back cinch should only be tightened to keep the saddle from coming up in the back. the rest of the time, i think, the horse should be allowed to breathe comfortably. if a saddle is cinch soring a horse, there are other methods to pull the cinch back from the front legs. if that's what they mean when they say that the saddle is moving forward. i hope that this makes some kind of sense
liam

[ November 19, 2007, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: liam nomano ]

Totally agree with you Liam. First off, I wouldn't want to saddle a horse with the rear cinch first. If the horse jumps it will be a wreck. I ride with a rancher that uses a double pack saddle cinch on his saddle. He claims it keeps it in place better than the two cinch system that is common. A lot of team ropers use a latigo rather than a billet on the rear cinch but it shouldn't be left real tight for a long time, it does impair breathing,

Don't ya'll get excited. I've just read about this and repeated what I read. I'm really not sure it'll cure the big problem that mule and Draft riders have, most ain't got no withers!
I was lucky that my mule had a fine withers and Emmett Dalton is kinda built up to where there is something for a saddle to hold to. Lots of Draft riders windup doing a balancing act if the saddle gets a little loose. If I had 50 years I might could breed withers onto a horse but I don't have that much patience.

Mike: I used to ride a 3/4 in skirt rigging custom Wade made by a great saddle maker out of Elko, with no rear cinch. If I was riding a tall, good withered horse, it set fine, and I never needed a back cinch, even roping big stock or horses off of it.

However if I pulled a fatbacked potbelly horse for the day's ride, I ended up re-setting my saddle throughout the day because it would not stay put, but I still chose to go without a back cinch. My next saddle will probably be a 5/8 or centerfire because it will be going on a high-withered TB.

I too, lament the disappearance of ranch horses with 1/withers 2/height 3/stamina.

A horse is only as good as its rider. Any horse can have stamina, wet saddle blankets develop stamina. all of those complaints are for people who live around areas where cutting and cutting horses are popular. At least the whithers and the height issue.

[ November 20, 2007, 09:45 PM: Message edited by: rafterMK ]

La Vaquera
They still sell a lot of good solid ranch horses in South Texas. I've had mine about 11 years now.
Of course it'd be a long trip for you.

Gratefully CA is chock full of TB's and warmbloods. I prefer horses long legged and tall, hence my preferences....have rode my share of good short, fatbacked AQHA's - great for sorting in pens, cutting, or corral work, and I rode some in feedlots. I just like something with a lot more height and leg on it when it comes to pulling big circles outside or having to cover a lot of country. You know, that's what makes us such a great country - we all got different ways about doing things - keeps it interesting...

There was a story about a huge QH not to long ago, dang thang was 17 hh.
What I am seeing more of is the tall gaited horses. More and more TWH and TWH/QH crosses. As the population gets farter and farther from Working Cow Horses, the more they want those fast, smooth walking horses.

I agree....

I would have loved to see that 17 h QH.

I know this is an old thread, but I just discovered it and so I am responding anyway. I don't know about where you live, but warmbloods and tall gaited horses are definitely NOT what you see around most of Texas.

Nobody I know is moving away from the Working Cow Horse...in fact, quite the opposite. They are all the rage these days and 'city folk' who never worked cows are getting more and more into the western stock horse events. We're seeing a huge upswing in the Working Cow Horse, sortings, pennings, and cutting competitions. More and more clinics are catering to people who want to learn how to do it. New organizations are being formed left and right. And everywhere from small towns to big cities are putting on events where both experienced riders and beginners can test their skills.

Around the bigger cities there are plenty of Warmbllod type horses. I live near Poteet. South of here you see more smaller types while north of here you see bigger horses. I ride a Draft, there's a whole bunch of people riding drafts or draft cross horses. I'm sure it depends on where you're at.
New middle aged riders need bigger horses. When that market was growing I saw a lot of big horses being bought. Right now I see very many horss for sale but more small horses than big ones. I happen to be looking for a big horse right now.

Totally agree with you Liam. First off, I wouldn't want to saddle a horse with the rear cinch first. If the horse jumps it will be a wreck. I ride with a rancher that uses a double pack saddle cinch on his saddle. He claims it keeps it in place better than the two cinch system that is common. A lot of team ropers use a latigo rather than a billet on the rear cinch but it shouldn't be left real tight for a long time, it does impair breathing,



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