The measurement of a cinch starts at the outside of one ring and reaches to the outside of the ring on its other end. The smallest, or shortest cinches, are 22 inches. Add two inches at a time from there for each larger size, until the maximum length of 38 inches. Most horses use a 30-, 32- or 34-inch cinch.
Things You'll Need
- Saddle
- Twine
- Twisty tie (like from a loaf of bread)
Instructions
Stand your horse on a level surface. Have a partner hold the lead rope, if necessary.
Find the horse's heart girth. This is the narrowest part of the rib cage, and where the cinch goes. It is identifiable as a dip behind the front elbow, at or near the point where the bulge of the stomach meets the chest. This is usually about 4 inches behind the elbow, but can be closer or further back.
Place the saddle on the horse and tie a piece of twine to the saddle rigging (the ring that the cinch attaches to). String the twine underneath the horse, along the heart girth, and up his other side to the opposite cinch ring.
Tie a twisty tie on the twine at the point where it meets the cinch ring, or mark it in some other manner. Remove the saddle, or allow the twine to drop and pick it up from the other side of the horse (the side it is tied to).
Straighten the twine, while still tied to one side of the saddle, and measure its length from the saddle rigging to the marker. Subtract 16 inches from this measurement to determine the proper size cinch for your horse. Round decimals up to the next size.