How to Connect the Latigo to the Belly Cinch

Saddling your horse properly is a quintessential skill for all equestrians. Unless you prefer riding bareback, you will need to know how to properly secure your saddle to your horse's back. Most English saddles use a series of billets and buckles to affix the girth, but Western saddles use a long piece of latigo and a belly strap. Some modern western saddles have holes in the latigo and a buckle on the near side of the belly strap, but these buckles are prone to breaking under the stress of a ride. Being able to tie a proper cinch knot could save your ride and is useful to know.

Instructions

    • 1

      Place your saddle on your horse's back, centered on the saddle blanket. The tree of the saddle should be directly over the withers.

    • 2

      Standing on the left side of your horse, reach under its belly and pull the belly strap across. The belly strap should be lying flat against the horse's heart girth and should not be twisted or caught.

    • 3

      Thread the latigo strap through the large ring on the end of the belly strap. Pull the belly strap snug with the latigo.

    • 4

      Bring the latigo up to the ring on the saddle. Thread the end through the ring toward the saddle.

    • 5

      Bring the latigo back down through the large ring on the end of the belly strap. Do not worry about getting the belly strap tight. You will finish tightening it after the cinch knot is tied.

    • 6

      Bring the latigo end back up through the the ring on the saddle. Thread it through toward the saddle just as you did in step four. Take the end of the latigo out from under the ring on the left side and bring across the front of the latigo strap.

    • 7

      Insert the end of the latigo on the right side of the saddle ring. This time start on the saddle side and thread it outward. This creates a horizontal loop across the vertical layers of latigo.

    • 8

      Thread the end of the latigo down through the horizontal loop you just created. It is similar to tying a man's tie.

    • 9

      Cinch the belly strap tight by grasping the inner layer of the latigo and pulling it up with your right hand. Adjust the knot for slack with your left hand.