Riding a horse is one of the best feelings in the world…unless you fall off. There are a lot of reasons you could fall off a horse, but one of the most common reasons people fall off a horse is because they simply did not cinch the girth tight enough. Cinching up is an important part of tacking a horse up Western style.
Steps
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Ensure you've completed everything up until mounting up . You should have brushed your horse down, and placed the saddle pad on its’ back, making sure it lines up with the middle of the shoulder. Swing the saddle up onto your horse’s back, and make sure it is straight. Let the cinch down from the saddle horn, and make sure the middle part with the 2 rings lines up with the middle of the horse’s belly. The cinch should pass a couple of inches behind the horse’s forelegs. If the horse has been ridden multiple times before, there may be a line of sweat where the cinch normally is that you can line up to.
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Walk to the other side of the horse, and bring down the tie strap. It will loop through the cinch. Have a friend or riding partner hand you the cinch from the other side. Grab it, and pull the billet strap through the cinch from the back, looping it through the saddle D-ring at the top, and then again down through the cinch buckle. Continue until the holes in the tie strap start to align with the cinch buckle. Tug on it until there is no space to put two fingers between the girth and the body.Advertisement
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Push the end of the tie strap behind the loops you just made. Push the end of the tie over the loops, and back again, creating a loop. DO NOT pull tight. When the end of the tie strap comes out from behind the loops after the second loop, thread the tie strap through the loop you created and pull tight. This is called the western knot. This secures the tie strap from coming out and loosening.
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Before you mount up, check your girth one more time just in case your horse held its breath while cinching up and loosened it. You may have to redo the cinching entirely. Then mount up, and go forth and ride!Advertisement
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Tips
- If you are concerned that tightening the girth strap too much will hurt your horse, remember that horses are very tough creatures. It’s like putting on a seatbelt to them; an annoyance but nothing painful.Thanks
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Warnings
- Pay attention to your horse at all times while tacking up. Make sure they know you are there, by occasionally patting them or talking to them while tacking up. Most horses are patient about tacking up, but some horses can be ornery and difficult to deal with. If you have a horse that is flipping its head constantly, backing up or moving forward repeatedly, or laying its ears back these could be signs your horse is displeased. Ask a friend or trainer to be around in case you need additional assistance with your horse.Thanks
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