Length is measured by the length from the outside of the ring on one end to the outside of the ring on the other end.Ī general rule of thumb is that the cinch should buckle about 12″ below the rigging plate, but more recent studies have shown that a shorter cinch with longer leather between the rigging plate and the buckle may be beneficial to give a horse more breathing room. Although they feel soft to the rider’s touch (perhaps accounting for their popularity), most neoprene equipment cannot breathe, creates heat and moisture, and causes chafing very quickly.Ĭinch Measurement: Cinches come in different widths and lengths. Neoprene cinches are surrounded by controversy. Most inexpensive “sheepskin” covers are really synthetic and completely destroy any water and heat sink that is necessary to keep your horse cool. Real Sheepskin also attracts mice and rats who will chew it to pieces in a short time. Sheepskin covered cinches also seem to create a lot of heat and are very poor for pleasure riding or trail riding because they collect burrs and stickers. When a horse is wearing a piece of equipment that allows his skin to become wet or hot, sores and galls will result. Nylon cinches are not desirable because they will not absorb any moisture or transfer any heat. My next cinch will be an Alpaca cinch for this summer in Texas. Softer and more comfortable? Alpaca fibers are softer, and they don’t have the “oil” from the goat’s hair that mohair retains. No more “stretch” than mohair, as good or better water-wicking capabilities. The jury is out for some, but others swear by them. They have similar attributes to Mohair with other advantages. New Alpaca cinches are still being tried by many horse enthusiasts who have used mohair for years. They are easy to clean and they will last a long time. Mohair (usually the cinch of choice) actually gets stronger when it is wet, and mohair can absorb and “wick away” up to 3 times its weight in water. Cotton is good at absorbing water, but loses strength when wet. The best materials transfer heat and sweat away from the horses’s skin. Cinch: The wide “belt” that attaches (by way of heavy leather straps) to either side of the western saddle and goes around the horse’s chest to hold the saddle in place.Ĭinch Materials: Most cinches are made of Mohair, Synthetics, or Neoprene.
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