# Attaching the girth to the saddle?



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Pssst, don't call it a girth. Western folks call it a cinch. :wink:

As far as how to attach it, I have no clue. All that loopty-loop stuff the Western people do confoozles me!


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## SarahandDallas (May 28, 2013)

Hehe,everyone I know calls it a girth even though everyone I know rides western! Guess it's just a habit now


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## skipsangelheir (Feb 9, 2013)

The round end goes on the right side of the saddle. Then to thread it you take the latigo through the top buckle, go back through the saddle then through the bottom one.thenbtighten
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## skipsangelheir (Feb 9, 2013)

Oops lol. Tighten it then you're done!! Stupid phone.
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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Sounds like you've got it right.


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## SarahandDallas (May 28, 2013)

Thanks! Wasn't quite sure,and now I'm mad at my cats because I had some tack in the living room and they picked my reins and a little bit of the synthetic stuff on the latigo for the belly straps. It's staying in my room until next time we head to the barn xD


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

looks to me that the square ended buckle would go on the right side, as the billet on the saddle on that side does not usually require the same sort of 'doing up' as the latigo (the proper name for the billet on a western saddle) on the left side, and the right side does not get adjusted once you have it set to the proper hole on the billet, and the cinch is even with the centre of it at the centre of the horse's underside.

the left side latigo will be run through the round ring of the girth (cinch), going from the side of the ring that is facing the horse, then back up to the ring on the saddle, then back down through the cinch ring one more time then back up to the saddle, then looped around horizontally once (front of saddle to back) then up through the ring again and back down on the inside of the horizontal loop you created. some left hand latigos on western saddles have holes for the buckle 'pin' on the cinch to go through, some don't. i have had to remove the 'pin' from the left side of a western cinch before as my saddle did not have holes in the left side latigo.

hope that helped and was not too confusing!


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

If that's a smart cinch by weaver, one end should have a sort of roller on it. That's the end that goes on the near or horses left side. The round end should go on the off billet or horses right side.
The roller is suppose to make it easier to pull the latigo through.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have the exact same cinch. If you buy the smart cinch by Weaver, it comes with instructions & pictures & everything.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

waresbear said:


> I have the exact same cinch. If you buy the smart cinch by Weaver, it comes with instructions & pictures & everything.


Mine didn't. I feel cheated! 

Feel glad you got the new and improved buckle. The old one always runs off the roller and makes it twice as hard :/
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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Awwww, here ya go!


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

EdmontonHorseGal said:


> looks to me that the square ended buckle would go on the right side, as the billet on the saddle on that side does not usually require the same sort of 'doing up' as the latigo (the proper name for the billet on a western saddle) on the left side, and the right side does not get adjusted once you have it set to the proper hole on the billet, and the cinch is even with the centre of it at the centre of the horse's underside.
> 
> the left side latigo will be run through the round ring of the girth (cinch), going from the side of the ring that is facing the horse, then back up to the ring on the saddle, then back down through the cinch ring one more time then back up to the saddle, then looped around horizontally once (front of saddle to back) then up through the ring again and back down on the inside of the horizontal loop you created. some left hand latigos on western saddles have holes for the buckle 'pin' on the cinch to go through, some don't. i have had to remove the 'pin' from the left side of a western cinch before as my saddle did not have holes in the left side latigo.
> 
> hope that helped and was not too confusing!


With a Smart Cinch, it's completely opposite. The round end on this saddle goes on the off side billet (right side). 

The square end is a roller. It helps tighten the cinch without having to reef on it. Go through the square end, up through the rigging, back down through the spot below the square roller and tighten. 

I'm partial to a Smart Cinch for kids because they don't have to yank and yank. It helps my daughter tighten her cinch enough, without pulling as hard as she does without the roller. That being said, it can be easy to over do the cinch too fast. Since it rolls and makes it easier to tighten the cinch, it's easy to tighten it too tight at first. Something to be cautious of.


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