# Endurance saddle- center fire rigging



## phantomhorse13

I think that may depend on what kind of saddle you have.

The saddles that I am familiar with with center-fire rigging don't give you an option of how many times to loop through, they have billets that attach right to the girth buckles.

Could you maybe take some pictures of your saddle and the cinch?


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## Newby32

Big Horn Cordura Endurance Saddle 121 And 122 - Scruggsfarm.com

I'm not sure if I posted this link correctly, but this is the saddle. I have endurance stirrups and it's black, but other than that...this is it.


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## Newby32

Also, if you click beneath the saddle, you can get a bigger picture. This post is in the wrong forum. I meant to post it under "tack". (sorry)


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## Celeste

I would actually love to see how it is supposed to work as well as pictures of other people's saddles. I am most likely doing it wrong.........


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## Celeste

Your Complete Guide to Saddle Rigging

This might help..........


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## Celeste

I got this saddle for Christmas. It is really comfortable, but I am wondering. 

Is this









supposed to be rigged up like this?


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## Newby32

Celeste- That's exactly what I'm wondering. How many times did it go through the first ring before the second ring was looped through? Mine is long enough to through the first one twice, then the 2nd and still have some left.
From your picture, it looks like it went through once on each loop.

I will check out your link too. Thanks! Below is a picture of my saddle on my horse, but rigged incorrectly. The problem is that once we are riding for a while, it slips to the left. If it was cinched down on the back loop, I think it would hold better in place. Most people at my barn don't have saddles like this and have no idea how it's supposed to be rigged up.


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## Celeste

It looks like we have similar riggings. Do you think that your saddle is a bit too far forward? It seems to be higher in the front. Or does it just look that way? Hopefully somebody will know what they are doing here because I don't ........


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## tinyliny

the chest strap looks tightish. And I agree that it looks too far forward.


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## Newby32

It does look tight in this picture. His hair is super duper thick (he's a curly horse) and it makes it appear tight. I always make sure that I can fit my fingers in some. 

I think it looks too far forward also. This is the problem I've posted about the "cinch placement" before. If I put it farther back, then the cinch is no where near his "armpit". Do you think that for this type of saddle, it's ok to have the cinch placed further back? I've only used typical western saddles and this one has been a bit tricky for me to figure out.


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## Celeste

I noticed that the cinch was in what looked right as well. 
Either the saddle is too far forward, or he needs a pad to lift the back up. I have one horse that has to have a saddle lifter in the back with an English saddle. I am wishing that some of these endurance experts would look at this thread..........


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## Newby32

Me too. There are a couple that usually respond to anything about endurance, but I think it didn't help that I posted in the wrong section.


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## Celeste

I just called Circle Y and they said that my saddle does not use a back cinch but is meant to use one cinch. It is exactly like yours as far as rigging, so I guess that is what we need. Here are the instructions.

Circle Y Saddles - Western Saddles, Trail Riding Saddles, Barrel Sadles, Roping Saddles


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## Celeste

Here it is in case the other didn't work:


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## Newby32

Thanks!!!


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## trailhorserider

Newby32 said:


> It does look tight in this picture. His hair is super duper thick (he's a curly horse) and it makes it appear tight. I always make sure that I can fit my fingers in some.
> 
> I think it looks too far forward also. This is the problem I've posted about the "cinch placement" before. If I put it farther back, then the cinch is no where near his "armpit". Do you think that for this type of saddle, it's ok to have the cinch placed further back? I've only used typical western saddles and this one has been a bit tricky for me to figure out.


Hi all!

I'm not an endurance rider, but Newby, I think I used to have the exact same saddle. (Mine was a Bighorn.)

Anyway, the cinch on this saddle should NOT be in the armpit. That is fine for full-rigged, normal western saddles, but the rigging on an endurance saddle is supposed to put the cinch farther back to avoid galling. In other words, by design the cinch should be farther back, so that if you did a long endurance ride it would not rub the horse under the arm. 

What I would do is sit the saddle on the horse a little forward and then slide it back until it hits the sweet spot behind the shoulder. That area behind the withers (which is hollow on a thinner horse) should be where the saddle tree naturally lays. Slide it into that position (hopefully you can feel it slide into the right spot) and then cinch up with the cinch hanging straight down from that position. It will be farther back because it is designed to be. 

I'm not much help with how many times the strap goes around the front ring, etc. I don't remember and even if I did, I'm not sure I ever had it right either. :lol:

For simplicities sake, you can even ignore that back ring and only use the front. If you are only pleasure riding, that would be fine as many people don't ride with a back cinch. And that would actually allow your cinch to be farther forward as well.

It will take some experimentation to find out what works for you and your horse. I have found that with some horses (chubby ones like mine) that if you try to use the cinch ring farther back it will start creeping up under the arm pit and taking the saddle forward as it goes. Then the tree will be riding up on the shoulders, which is not what you want (actually, it would look exactly like your picture). But don't worry about that at the moment. Slide the saddle back into the sweet spot, cinch the horse up with the cinch hanging in whatever position it wants to be in, and don't try to force it under the armpit, and see how it goes. 

You can try it with the endurance type rigging that a photo was posted of, or just for normal riding, just use that front cinch ring and ignore the back one. That might work even better for you.


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## Newby32

It loops twice through the first and once through the back. This is exactly what I was trying to figure out. I'm going to try placing the saddle back just a bit and give it a go. Thanks again!


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## Newby32

trailhorserider said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I'm not an endurance rider, but Newby, I think I used to have the exact same saddle. (Mine was a Bighorn.)
> 
> Anyway, the cinch on this saddle should NOT be in the armpit. That is fine for full-rigged, normal western saddles, but the rigging on an endurance saddle is supposed to put the cinch farther back to avoid galling. In other words, by design the cinch should be farther back, so that if you did a long endurance ride it would not rub the horse under the arm.
> 
> What I would do is sit the saddle on the horse a little forward and then slide it back until it hits the sweet spot behind the shoulder. That area behind the withers (which is hollow on a thinner horse) should be where the saddle tree naturally lays. Slide it into that position (hopefully you can feel it slide into the right spot) and then cinch up with the cinch hanging straight down from that position. It will be farther back because it is designed to be.
> 
> I'm not much help with how many times the strap goes around the front ring, etc. I don't remember and even if I did, I'm not sure I ever had it right either. :lol:
> 
> For simplicities sake, you can even ignore that back ring and only use the front. If you are only pleasure riding, that would be fine as many people don't ride with a back cinch. And that would actually allow your cinch to be farther forward as well.
> 
> It will take some experimentation to find out what works for you and your horse. I have found that with some horses (chubby ones like mine) that if you try to use the cinch ring farther back it will start creeping up under the arm pit and taking the saddle forward as it goes. Then the tree will be riding up on the shoulders, which is not what you want (actually, it would look exactly like your picture). But don't worry about that at the moment. Slide the saddle back into the sweet spot, cinch the horse up with the cinch hanging in whatever position it wants to be in, and don't try to force it under the armpit, and see how it goes.
> 
> You can try it with the endurance type rigging that a photo was posted of, or just for normal riding, just use that front cinch ring and ignore the back one. That might work even better for you.


Yep. Mine is a big horn too. I am so glad to know that it sits farther back. It's going to fit great if that's the case. I've been trying to use this saddle like everyone else rigs theirs up and I guess mine will be looking different as it is a very different saddle. I appreciate the help so much!!!!


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## Celeste

I rode Friday. When I was cinching up, I stared at that back ring, thought about looping through it, but decided to not try it. For short, easy trail rides, it doesn't seem to matter. Though my saddle is a western type saddle, it has the exact same rigging as yours. I'm glad I at least know how it works.


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## Newby32

I did 6 miles on Wednesday with it rigged the correct way. It seemed a bit better, but I felt I couldn't get it quite tight enough. 
Yesterday, I had the whole family with so I couldn't ride, but I worked on mounting. (He avoids the mount by backing up). I had a successful mount and decided to try once more. I put my leg in the stir-up and started to get on, when the whole saddle slipped off to the side! Oops! 
The cinch is made of a tough synthetic material, and it's tricky to pull it tight when it's through the 2nd D ring. I don't mind cinching without the back ring looped, but I also want it to fit right. Below is a picture. Remember that he is a curly horse with super long hair. It looks tight, but I promise that it's not (as evident by the whole thing slipping off!)  Better luck next time I hope.


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## Celeste

Was it hard to do it that way?
BTW, I try to use a mounting block because my horse is overly sensitive to a slow mount and I am not as quick as I should be. It does keep the saddle from slipping. It could also allow me to mount when it is not tight enough and set me up for a problem....................


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## Newby32

It wasn't hard to do it that way, but it's just hard to get it cinched snug enough. I barely have enough left to do a Texas T. I'm still experimenting, so hopefully we'll get it right.

I prefer to use a mounting block too. I'm tall, but it's still tricky for me to get on him. I have no problems at all with shorter horses, but he is kind of tall at 15.1. Plus, it doesn't help that he moves around! My trouble with the block is that he moves his hind quarters out so that I can't reach the stir-up. Every time he does this! I either have to be super quick or have someone stand at his head while I get on. It's very annoying due to the fact that out on the trail, we like to get off and walk a bit when we are doing long rides. It's not exactly convenient for someone to "help" me mount when they have their own horse to contend with! 
I've been trying a new trick of giving him a tiny bit of granola right before I get on. He's busy for that split second that I need. I'm hoping that he'll equate mounting as a good experience and eventually I can go to just praise. I'm not sure if it is a good habit to get into, but I know that treats are very effective with dog training. I used to have to give my dog a treat when he would go in his crate and after very little time, I could just say "crate" and he runs in. I guess I was hoping that this would work similarly.


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## Saddlebag

Unless you are riding in the mtns or steep hills the breast collar isn't necessary. Your saddle is high. Because of the way your are doing it up it will pull your saddle forward because of her tummy. The cinch will find the path of least resistance. Dig your fingers in and find the edge of the shoulderblade. The front of the fars will be within 1/4" of the conchos. Make sure the bars are behind your fingers. The skirts can ride on top of the blades but not the bars. This will move the saddle back. Rock it side to side a little until it seems to lock on.


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## Newby32

Saddlebag said:


> Unless you are riding in the mtns or steep hills the breast collar isn't necessary. Your saddle is high. Because of the way your are doing it up it will pull your saddle forward because of her tummy. The cinch will find the path of least resistance. Dig your fingers in and find the edge of the shoulderblade. The front of the fars will be within 1/4" of the conchos. Make sure the bars are behind your fingers. The skirts can ride on top of the blades but not the bars. This will move the saddle back. Rock it side to side a little until it seems to lock on.


We ride in the mountains and it gets pretty steep. The breast collar that I was using, no longer fits because I moved the saddle back in order to do the double rigging. Now, I need to find a bigger one.  

I think I tend to put it farther forward because as soon as he begins to move, it slides back. It always slides back and never forward. Using the 2nd ring, did seem to help with the sliding. It settles into position while we are walking to the mounting area, but begins the slide back as soon as we get moving on the hills. The ride I did the other day, I started with it farther back and it seemed to stay there better.


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