Types of Western Saddle Cinches
Woolback and Wool Blend Felt: Weaver Leather®, T3 and Dura-Tech® offer premium wool blend and woolback equine girths that are designed for a snug yet comfortable fit. Wool is a naturally moisture wicking material that will keep your horse comfortable underneath the saddle. Cinch buckles, cinch cushions or neoprene cushioning (depending on the model) provide optimal fit. These girths include stainless steel hardware, and certain styles have features like a memory foam insert, polypropylene webbing and roller buckle.
Alpaca and Mohair: Alpaca and mohair fibers are naturally soft and elastic, for superior comfort and ease of movement. They both are very strong, breathable, water resistant and resilient, and they release heat while wicking away moisture. Alpaca and mohair are both non-allergenic, for horses with sensitive skin. You can choose from 100 percent alpaca, 100 percent mohair or a blend of the two, from companies like Professional's Choice and Classic Equine. Depending on the style, other features include non-rusting stainless steel buckles and rings, custom roller buckles, leather reinforcements and a contoured design.
Synthetic Fleece: Classic Equine®, Toklat® and Dura-Tech offer synthetic fleece cinches and girths. Soft and flexible, they contour to the horse's shape and evenly distribute pressure to keep them comfortable. This synthetic fleece wicks away moisture and eliminates chafing and pinching. Features of the various models include ballistic nylon top, treated fleece that resists bacterial growth, custom stainless steel roller buckles, stainless steel or nickel plated hardware and the ability to machine wash. These synthetic fleece girths are recommended for horses that are allergic to neoprene.
Neoprene: We have various neoprene equine girths from Professional's Choice®, Classic Equine®, Weaver Leather® and Dura-Tech®. They're designed to be well-ventilated, non-chafing and non-slipping without the need to over-tighten. Limestone-based neoprene is self-lubricating, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. It doesn't harbor bacteria and the neoprene layer peels away, so it can be easily cleaned. Depending on the style, features include custom designed roller buckle for better leverage, stainless steel buckles and center training rings, heavy-duty nylon web, leather girth and rugged hook and loop.