# Cinch help



## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

You should buy a matching strap with your girth. If you know how to do the tie I would do that. You could also go with using the holes, but your saddle isn't as likely to be as tight. 

I personally attach my second strap to the saddle, and then I use the tying method just through the loop on my girth. This site shows it the same way I would do it. 

Tie a Western Cinch - How to Tie a Western Cinch


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

The folded over strap on the right is the off billet. Use it to center the cinch under the horse. The left side will be your cinch strap. It will be a long strap of leather or webbing(yuck). These come with or without holes that fit into the buckle on the cinch. You run that through the cinch ring and back through the saddle D ring a couple times for strength. Then you can either tie or simply buckle it. I used to tie, now I buckle as long as I have a hole handy. When you buckle be sure you snug up the looseness so it doesn't slip off the buckle. Dunno if that happens but............... I don't wanna find out. lol And of course always check for snuggness one last time before you mount. Clear as mud?


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I know I'll get hooted at for this, but I remove the off billet and attach long cinch straps (latigos) to both sides. That way I am attaching the saddle much the same way an english saddle is done. I cinch from both sides evenly. I will start on one side then go to the other and make them even all the way up to tight. 
As far as attaching them to the saddle. I've found different ones have different hole patterns. You just use a thin piece of leather that should come with the latigo. I'll see if I can find an illustration. 
If you have 2 sets of rings, one in front one in back you probably have a saddle that takes a rear cinch. I prefer a saddle without one and you don't have to use it if you don't want to. If its a ring right beside another ring, its a saddle with a full and a 3/4 rig. There is a web site that explains it better, I'll post a link. Your Complete Guide to Saddle Rigging
ETA- Well I can't find a good photo of the attachement so I'll do my best to discribe it. Some have 3 holes some 2 for the thin leather lacing to go through. With the side of the saddle facing you, run the short end of the latigo behind the ring. Line up the holes. Run the lacing through from the back side and tie off. Thats it. Easy huh?! 
I got a photo of my saddle, it should look something like this-


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