Sunday, January 1, 2017

Fatty McFatterson

I've needed a back cinch for my saddle, but haven't put much effort into finding one. I love my lightweight saddle, but it is so light that when I longe Skeeter in it, the back end flops all around. Mom and Bill were able to find one that was reasonably priced and picked it up for me. I have a synthetic Wintec saddle and they were able to find a nylon back cinch by Formay that would work with my saddle.

I was ... confused ... when I unpacked the cinch, because I couldn't figure out how to attach it to the saddle. I'm used to the leather billets that you feed through the D-ring and hold in place with the tongue of the buckle. That was not at all how these attached. Bill had tried to explain it to me a couple of days ago, but I wasn't able to visualize it. I had to go to Google University to figure out how to get the dang thing on. I took pictures in case anyone else runs into the same problem.


I mean, really? WTH?

Ah, unhook the billet from the cinch and feed it through the D-ring

Slip it through the belt keeper

And tighten it up

Then re-attach the cinch with the buckle.

Do the same to the near side and it's finally on!

Except ... oops ... someone has enjoyed her free feed too much.
I do not believe that Skeeter was very excited about me calling her Fatty McFatterson, but if the cinch fits - or doesn't in this case ...

After I turned her back out in the pen, I took a leather punch to the straps and will hope that it fits her better next time. It looks like we both need to join Julie Goodnight's 5-Pound Challenge and maybe start Couch to 5K.

5 comments:

Linda said...

What kind of saddle is that? Is it light? I'm looking for a saddle for my granddaughter, that she can lift without my help.

GunDiva said...

Linda, it's a Wintec Western Saddle. I bought it on Amazon - here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A6XFRO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I paid $349.98 including shipping, but it is about $50 cheaper on Amazon now. It weighs less than 10# and has been really comfortable so far. The longest I've ridden in it is just a shade over 2 hours, but it is much more comfortable than some saddles I've ridden in *cough, cough, livery saddles, cough*

GunDiva said...

I just looked at the Amazon site, it says the shipping weight is 19#, but the saddle weighs much less once you get it out of all the packing and the box :)

Mrs Shoes said...

The first western saddle I ever bought was a synth wintek in black with a fuschia skirt & stirrup flaps... boy, did I get some side-eyes. But, it was a GREAT saddle &, though I've moved on to other seats, that wintek is still going strong, having been passed from me to my SIL & now to a 16 year old girl who shares it with her younger brothers. I can't say enough good about it - lightweight enough for the kids to handle on their own, it has worn like iron with just an occasional damp wipe (unlike Mr Shoes' roper which weighs close to 40 lbs & requires endless cleaning, conditioning, & oiling to stay supple & pretty), & it still looks good after all these years.

I would've needed GU to figure how that to set that strap too! Thanks, now if I see one like that again I won't be completely stumped.

Mrs Shoes said...

P.S. That old wintek that I had has literally thousands of miles on it. When it was mine, I regularly rode up to 8 or 9 hours in a day & my horses never once had a gall or came up sore under it - I would say that's about the best value a gal could ask for.