How to Fit a Cinch
- 1). Walk the horse to a flat area. Have someone stand at the horse's head and hold the halter to help keep the horse calm while you work around it. The person at the horse's head can speak to the horse in a calm voice, pet it and reward it with treats while you are working.
- 2). Place the saddle that you normally use on the horse. Examine the saddle to make sure it is on the middle of the horse's back and that it fits the width of the horse's back and lies flat. If the saddle bunches upward or cannot lie flat down, it is the wrong size for the horse.
- 3). Grasp the long horse lead or the cloth. Hold one end against the left side of the horse next to where you would normally place the end of the cinch. Pass the horse lead or the piece of cloth under the horse's belly to a person standing on the opposite side of the horse. The material should rest where the cinch would normally go, a few inches behind the horse's front legs.
- 4). Check the horse's belly to see if the horse has puffed itself out by holding its breath, or sucked its stomach in. Place a free hand on the horse's belly and rub it a few times. This will cause the horse to stop playing breathing games.
- 5). Mark both ends of the cloth or the lead rope where they contact the saddle. Remove the cloth or rope and remove the saddle.
- 6). Place the long lead rope or cloth flat on the ground or on a table. Measure the length that you marked off. Divide the measurement in half and subtract 3 inches. Round up the number if it is an odd number. This will give you the correct size of cinch needed.
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