Saddle Parts

May 2, 2008

• Western Saddle Marks

  Most manufacturers and saddle makers will place their mark on their saddles. (…)

November 12, 2007

• Flank Cinch: How Tight?

  This question comes up a lot. Just how tight should a flank cinch be? Tighter than many people think. (…)

September 30, 2007

• What's a Roper Cinch?

  Ever wondered what a roper cinch was and what it was for? Let's clear things up. 

  A roper cinch is wider in the center than at the ends. (…)

August 28, 2007

• Saddle Tooling Coverage

  A carving and stamping design can cover any portion of a saddle. When ordering a saddle from a custom saddle maker you'll be able to choose the tooling coverage you want. (…)

August 17, 2007

• Clean Your Cinch!

  Cinches are one saddle part that should be inspected and cleaned regularly. Dirt, hair, and sweat all build up on a cinch and can cause cinch galls on your horse. (…)

August 12, 2007

• Ever Heard of a Mochilla Saddle?

  A mochilla is a leather saddle tree covering with slits to allow the fork and the cantle to protrude. (…)

June 13, 2007

• The Misunderstood Flank Cinch

  The flank cinch (aka back or rear cinch) is a saddle part that many folks pay little attention to and often couldn't tell you why they use. (…)

June 9, 2007

• Avoiding Girth Galls

  Girth galls are ugly, painful sores caused by the cinch (girth) being placed in the wrong position or by a worn, damaged, or twisted cinch.  Galls are a man-made problem and an injury that is definitely avoidable. (…)

June 6, 2007

• Check Your Tack

  There's more to saddle care then just keeping it clean and tidy. You need to regularly check your saddle thoroughly for worn and damaged parts. (…)

April 15, 2007

• Cinches: Definitely Not One Size Fits All

  One of my pet peeves in western riding is seeing people riding with the wrong size cinch for their horse. Whether it's too big, or too small, it's bad news. (…)

March 2, 2007

• Winter Riding: Stirrups and Boots

  We've finally gotten some snow here in very dry southwest Montana, so I enjoyed a great ride yesterday. There's nothing like taking your horse for a ride in nice, new powdery snow. (…)

February 19, 2007

• Ever Wondered What a Monel Stirrup Is?

  If you've shopped for saddles, you've probably heard of Monel stirrups. Have you ever wondered what the heck a Monel is? Is it a brand name? (…)

December 6, 2006

• Lots and Lots of Saddle Strings

  Saddle strings are about the handiest darn things I can think of. I don't think you can have too many or that they can be too long. (…)

November 30, 2006

• The ABC's of Western Saddle Rigging

  Western saddle rigging has baffled many. Full? Double? 7/8th? Argh. The good news is that it's really not that difficult to understand. And it's well worth your time. (…)

October 19, 2006

• It all Starts With The Saddle Tree

  Everything begins with the saddle tree. It's the foundation for the saddle; the frame upon which everything else is built. (…)

October 2, 2006

• Saddle Replacement Parts: When they have to go, they have to go

  Whether due to wear or personal preference, there are a number of parts on a western saddle that you'll probably replace at some point during your saddle's life. (…)

September 18, 2006

• Off Billet: The Western Saddle Part That Few Can Name

  You may know it better as "that piece on the other side of the saddle that you connect the cinch to." The off billet plays an important role, but many folks never know it's name. (…)