Hi guys, just a quickie. Ive got a western saddle that has a latigo strap and a double thickness billet strap. I do the latigo up first using the mens tie method and then hook the billet onto my cinch ( the end with the buckle)
Is there any easier way? ie any conversions available to make it more englishy. Please dont think the worst, i just have a welsh mare who is incredibly broad and flat withered and all saddles move a bit. as a result i have to do girths up tight which am finding really tough with the western. ive got too much roll at the minute to feel safe using it.
many thanks for all help.
fiona

Hiya,

May I suggest doing up the buckle side first then the latigo? That is how you are supposed to do up the cinch as that is how you get it tight.

Although, may I say hat if you are having to get the cinch really tight to stop saddle slipping then the saddle is probably not a great fit.

Good luck with the cinching

hi, thanks for that, i will try it. I am used to doing the final tightening once on board which is why im struggling as i find it virually impossible to tighten the latigo from on top. My mare is really hard to get a saddle that fits as she is so flat backed and round, she literally has no withers so even her pro fitted dressage saddle moves a bit and has to be flocked again. Its really hard because i wanted to try out western without spending a fortune in case neither of us enjoyed the change of style. I bought a second hand saddle which a friend who learnt western properly says is an ok fit, i just dont have the funds yet to get a pro fitted one. so we will persevere and see how we get on!
thanks
fiona

yes, you shouldn't need to touch the off billet really...
once on though, it's not normally difficult to reach down and pull the latigo to tighten it, maybe you could get a friend on the ground to do it for you the first couple of times..