# Good, reasonably priced, western cinch?



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Today I got the latest addition to my saddle collection (haha) and it brought to my attention the fact that I need to get another cinch. 
I already have one for the saddle my lesson kids use but I'm thinking that trading cinches after every ride is going to get old rather quickly.

Anyway, I'm thinking that I should probably get a neoprene cinch because Lacey can get cinchy and with how roly-poly she is, I'd prefer to not have to cinch the living daylights out of her to keep the saddle on...

I've found that western saddles seem to "stick" to her best with string cinches but I'm concerned about quality due to my low price range... If I could find one of reasonable quality for a low price, I'd be game.

Anyway, I'm considering this neoprene cinch:

Yellow 30" Air Comfort Neoprene Girth Horse Tack | eBay

Does anyone have any feelings about it/used one those before?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

A neoprene cinch will add to her roly poly. I'd stick with string girths. They have grip and are much cooler than neoprene. Some horses get sore from neoprene.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Thanks! Good to know! I always thought neoprene added grip, but when I really think about it, that doesn't really make sense...

Is there a brand/type of string cinch you'd recommend or do you think pretty much any string cinch will last for an acceptably long time?


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

I second passing on neoprene. They do not dissipate heat and cause quite a bit of friction. A lady I ride with sometimes found that out the hard way when her horse got a couple really bad saddle sores after a particularly long ride. I told her about the cinch I use. 

I really like string cinches, and in the future, when I have more loose money, I am going to get some natural fiber string cinches, but for now, I really like the felt "smart cinches" by weaver. Much less sweat after a ride, and no rubbing. The only issue I have had, is that they are a bit wide for my taste. I haven't had any problems with rubbing as of yet, but it does worry me that it is a bit further into Thelma's armpit than I like...albeit, she is a dainty girl. My lady friend got one and absolutely loves it. She hasn't had any issues with saddle sores again and noticed that he isn't as sweaty under the girth either.

A pic of Thelma and the smart cinch in the middle of an all day ride:

So, if you have the cash, go with natural fiber string cinches, if not, get the felt smart cinch.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

You can get a lower quality string cinch for ~$20, give or take. Those are normally made from rayon instead of a natural fiber like mohair or alpaca, but they are still functional. The place where most people run into galling a horse with a string cinch is that they let it get dirty and sweaty and stiff. That's when it will really gall a horse. In the summer time especially, I will power wash my cinches about once a week. Sometimes more often, depending on whether I have to ride through deep mud or not.

27 Strand White Roper Cinch | NRS - National Roper Supply - Western Wear, tack, team ropes, horse tack, team roping ropes, bits...

And even though I am not a fan of smart cinches at all....
Straight Smart Cinch Weaver Leather (Equine - Supplies Tack - Saddle Accessories - Cinches)

Though, honestly, I've noticed that the cinch is more secure with roper types. The added contact area just gives more stability to the saddle (plus it spreads the pressure over a larger area on horses that you have to cinch tighter :wink.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Grayshell- One of the horses at camp had a "Smart Cinch" like that and it got so so so gross when that mare would sweat. We would go out of our way to not be the one to tack/untack her because of that nasty, smelly, cinch... So I'm a little put off them. LOL!
Also, is that saddle on Thelma a...older Simco, I think? I'm pretty sure that's basically the twin to the saddle I rode Lacey in all last summer at camp! Too funny!

Thanks for the suggestions, both of you! I really appreciate it! 
Before I checked back here (silly me!) I ended up buying a "100% cotton" string cinch for $15 and free shipping, I figure it'd be hard to beat that! haha 
It does have those roller things on the ends (I'm not a fan of those either) but maybe it'll help me cinch Lacey up more smoothly... We'll see, I guess!
I wish I had known that about roper cinches! Darn. Maybe next time because I sure do need as much saddle stability as possible with little Miss Ima Wide Wide Horse. :lol:

I do try to keep my cinches pretty clean (during the summer I wash them about once every two weeks, more if they get nasty looking) so hopefully I won't have issues with galling. 
Actually, the only times Lacey's ever gotten galled by a cinch were when she was wearing a felt one (hate those!) for not even 3 hours and when I first got her the fleece one I have now. I need to cycle the fleece one out at some point (because it still does like to gall her if she's ridden in it too much), maybe when I get a roper style string cinch! :lol:

Thanks again!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

something like this? mohair/rayon blend. Classic brand is well reviewed.
Classic Equine Blended Mohair Straight Cinch and Western Cinches | EQUESTRIAN COLLECTIONS.COM


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Mohair is my first choice because of it's hygroscopic properties ie it will wick sweat and move it which helps keep the area cooler plus it provides nice grip.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I do not like neoprene. If I were you I would walk away from it. When the horse sweats it becomes slick and will begin to slide a bit. Also some horses are allergic to it and it can rub the hair off of them and will create a sore. Not all horses are that sensitive to it but I've knew of one besides Gidget that had problems with it too.

I would stick to mohair(kinda pricey) or fleece. I have fleece or felt and they are very comfortable for them  No getting skin stuck inbetween the strings!..ouch!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I guess you already bought a cinch, but I really love mohair. Like Smrobs says, you need to wash them when they get dirty, but I think it's that way with every cinch. I had a friend who used a neoprene cinch and it stunk to high heaven because she didn't wash it.

What I like to do is when the cinch is getting dirty, take it off after a ride and stick it in a bucket of water and rinse it out. Hang it to dry and it's usually ready to go in a day or two (depending on the humidity). 

Anyway, I love mohair. Very soft and has never galled my horses.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

THR, that is one good thing about living in an area where the humidity is very low. I can wash a cinch in the morning and it will be dry and ready to go by that afternoon in the summer. Pads are ready to use again the following day after a wash LOL.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Gidget, thanks for the tips! I actually have a neoprene cinch for Lacey to use with her Aussie saddle (the saddle came with it) and it seems to work pretty well. However, Aussie saddles are quite a bit different than western ones! :lol:
And, when she gets really sweaty in the Aussie saddle, the girth squeaks against her skin/hair. She doesn't seem to mind but it bothers me SO much, so icky!
Anyway, glad to know that neoprene isn't the end all of cinches.

Thanks THR! I'd love to try a mohair cinch one day! They sound luxurious. 
The one I ordered came in the mail a few days ago and I haven't gotten the chance to ride in it yet, but in looking at it, I'm very impressed with the quality I got for $14! It's not cheap feeling at all, very soft, and very thick. It is just cotton so nothing fancy, but it's the softest string cinch I've ever felt (haven't seen many, haha). 

Smrobs, I wish we had that kind of humidity here (maybe...)! On a boiling hot summer day, if you put something directly in the sun, it might (if you're lucky) be dry in a day. Otherwise, you're looking at two-three days of drying time (one time I forgot about this and washed my saddle pad when I needed to use it the next day, I was mad haha). 
In the winter you can forget about anything drying off, ever. For instance, on Monday I rode Lacey and her girth, the neoprene one, got kinda foamy and gross. I didn't want to take it all the way to my house to hose off so I figured I'd let it dry and brush it off on Tuesday. Wrong. It was still wet and foamy today. I ended up taking it home to hose off and bringing it into the house to dry.
Anyway, I wish it was drier here! lol!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

smrobs said:


> THR, that is one good thing about living in an area where the humidity is very low. I can wash a cinch in the morning and it will be dry and ready to go by that afternoon in the summer. Pads are ready to use again the following day after a wash LOL.


That's pretty well the way it is here too. Except during monsoon season in late summer. And all winter. In winter I have to worry about things freezing! But luckily cinches and blankets stay cleaner in the winter too.


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