# How to tie a western cinch.



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Most western cinches have the same belt buckle type attachment as an english saddle these days. I remember back when I first started riding, you had to do a Windsor type knot to hold them. I don't do the knot anymore, just run the excess through the keeper. Some do the knot. Its very similar to a mans tie, if that helps 
Here is a good video the way I do it 





Here is the traditional way (the way I leaned)


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## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

Thankyou!!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I use 2nd way too. You can do any adjustment that way (unlike using holes).


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I have always done it the second way, but when I had people coming out to look at my horse dunny they told me I was doing it wrong and that I should do it with the holes. I find the second way easier, and you can sorta (thought its still a pain) adjust your girth once mounted.


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## stacieandtheboys (Jan 6, 2009)

I had a lady look at me like I had two heads the other day because I tied the cinch. I thought that I had been doing it wrong all of these years after the look she gave me and redid the cinch stating she didn't want the cinch to come undone. So I looked it up online and then saw this post. So glad to know I am not crazy or wrong and that there are two ways to do it.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I like tightening the saddle from both sides. Sort of like the way an english saddle is cinched only mine is western. I put latigos on both sides instead of a latigo on the near side and a off billet on the off side. 
I go from side to side tightening and counting the holes so I'm on the same hole on both sides. I think its easier on the horse, but that is just a personal opinion. 
I always did the tie off method before I started doing it this way. 
I believe either way is proper. Back when I first started riding there were no holes nor buckle stay pin,so you had no choice. That was 40 years ago though :lol: we've come a long way.


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## MyTWH14 (Jun 20, 2009)

Just an interesting tidbit. I used to be a parachute rigger in the Air Force (still in the AF, but not a rigger anymore) and we had to learn to tie many different knots when we were rigging heavy loads to be dropped from aircraft. We used the exact same knot as in the second video and it was called the girth hitch knot. That was one of the easiest knots to learn as I had been tying my western cinches like that since I learned how to ride. 

So for everyone who got told that they were tying their cinch/girth wrong in using the second method you can turn around and ask them why it's known as the girth hitch knot if it's not used to tie a girth (or cinch)


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