for outrider

[floppy]

i hope you find this when you get back from your trip.

I am so happy to see that i saddle up the horse correctly when riding western. Question is :
Is it absolutely necessary to have a flank cinch?
Most of the people i know that ride western have one but i dont!

anyway you have done a great job with the western way stuff :) i congratulate you and all your budding little helpers!

and on an end note: the haflinger i ride is now being trained properly western so this saturday i have my first western lesson :)

[Shadowfox]

I guess it would depend on the western saddle. If your saddle is designed to be used with a flank cinch, then use it. Taking the flank cinch off will cause the saddle to flop around. Western saddles have different types of "rigging" for different uses. This is the position of the ring where you attach the cinch. Full rigging refers to all the way up front, then 7/8, 3/4, and centerfire. If you are moving quickly with lots of turns and stops, then a rear cinch will keep the saddle in place on the horse. Some horses are shaped weird and need the rear cinch to keep the saddle in place. The rear cinch should touch your horses belly underneath him, but not suffocate him.

Western saddles have as many different types, rigging, and trees as english saddles do, and not all western saddles fit all horses.

Go here for a more detailed explanation.
http://www.equisearch.com/western/articles/2001/06/16/saddle_speak/

[floppy]

Thanks alot for that :)
I have taken another look at the saddle today and realised it
doesnt have a second ehm..cinch..it just has one at the front and not at the rear.
The saddle however doesnt really move around and I believe it will be a long time before my darling fat horse will be doing lots of turns...you should see the energy in her walking forwards stopping and walking backwards, a baby could fall asleep in the motion.

[Outrider]

Floppy, the rear cinch is not necessarily a requirement, but I would agree with ShadowFox, that if you have one, use it. It becomes more of a necessity if you are doing a lot of speed work such as western reining or cutting, or doing a lot of steep hill climbing. For normal flat trail riding, you don't really need it. Make sure you keep it fairly snug if you do use it, to ensure the horse doesn't put a foot through it. Happy Trails!

[floppy]

thanks outrider, when you talk about steep hills do you mean REALLY steep or hilly areas?
there i s only one REALLY steep hill i ride up or down its not very long, but it is a shortcut to alot of paths

[Outrider]

I mean if you do a lot of REALLY steep hills. But with only one on your usual routes, not sure if you really need a flank cinch. It will keep the saddle from riding up off the back, but if you are sitting correctly when you go down hill, it won't matter. Uphill, it can help, but again, if you only have the one hill, I wouldn't call it a necessity. A breast collar would be more of a necessity for that one hill than a flank cinch. Happy Trails!

[floppy]

thanks outrider :)

[Outrider]

You're welcome! Anything to promote western riding over across the pond! You're in Germany aren't you? Have a great western ride! Just don't go off half cinched! lol Happy Trails!

[floppy]

yup im in germany :)
There are alot of western riders here!