Please don't get tired of me always asking and never contributing....
I've never used a saddle with center fire rigging. I didn't know how
to hook it up at first so made an offside billet strap (?) and did
it up like a regular western type. Was way too roly poly on my horse,
couldn't seem to get it tight enough. Through trial and error have
come up with a way that seems to suit but still not sure if it's the
correct way. Is there a correct way? Or is the 'correct way' whatever
works? So far have gone through every one of my current fleece pads and
one double weave blanket one at a time, and the only one that I like
is the double weave because the saddle doesn't slip.
If anyone can make heads or tails of the following description could
you tell me if I'm doing anything drastically wrong?
1.) Replaced all thick leather straps with strong, flat nylon ones.
Have one on each side, do both sides the same.
2.) I only undo the one side unless I need to change girths. I pull
the girth from under Dare's belly, thread nylon cinch strap thru
the cinch ring, then up and thru the cinch strap ring, down and
thru the cinch ring again, then up to the back cinch ring.
I only have enough nylon left to 'do up' the back cinch ring with
a common western style knot. Well, it's not *really* a knot but
I'm on my 16th hour of work without any fresh air and I can't
think of what it's called. Instead of using the holes in the
cinch strap you can do this instead. Well maybe tomorrow I'll
remember.
Oh yeah, my (or rather, Dare's) saddles takes a western girth.
Thanks and hope I'm not being too dumb here...
Cathy Caber in PA and D.Dare the patient.
cmc3@psuadmin.psu.edu