For a custom fitted cinch: 

1. Saddle your horse as usual.
2.  Make sure your cinch is adjusted with D-rings in the center of his girth floor. 
3. Take a photo as described below, and send it to EMAIL, or send as a Facebook message . The photo should be a side view of your horse saddled after a short warm up ride with the  cinch still tight. Put the stirrup over the saddle seat and take a direct side view photo including the cinch/girth, latigo (or billets) and saddle. If the photographer is a tall person, please make sure the camera is at same height as mid-line of the horse's body.  This photo needs to be taken after a warm up ride, because the saddle will settle into the best position on the horse's back.
4. Have a tape measure handy. As soon as you take the picture, un-cinch your horse and measure the overall length of your current cinch (to outside edge of end buckles) with a tape measure. Many cinches stretch, or have mis-marked sizing. Measure as quickly as possible so there's less time for cinch to rebound. 

With this photo and length measurement, i can help you determine the width and style that would be best for your horse/saddle combination, and which buckles will work on the style chosen. The majority of the time, a particular saddle will use the same width cinch on many horses because of the riggin placement. 
 
Then we can begin the order process. 

Thanks! 
Leslie

A unique buckle option is the USA made cast Bork Bronze Visalia or Heart Buckles.

Do you have a horse that is really rough at the lope or canter? One who is short and choppy at the trot? The kind of horse who will jar your teeth out?

We now have several documented cases of these type of horses becoming comfortable and smooth to ride with the use of a custom fitted mohair cinch! This is an exciting and surprise benefit. Read my blog post about cinch fitting, then send a message if you have questions!

Cinch Making is the tying and weaving of cinches, a Traditional Cowboy Art of handmade quality gear that is both both functional and comfortable for your equine partner.  Copper Canyon Cinches are each hand made, tied and woven with high quality 100% American mohair from the Angora goat.  

Cinch hardware choices consist of of stainless steel, brass, or bronze buckles and rings.  The bronze buckles are custom made by Bork and Sons at their foundry in Washington state, using a manganese bronze alloy that offers great strength and resists corrosion.  In the true essence of our Western Tradition of hand-made gear,  I proudly offer American-made hardware whenever possible. 

I often have cinches in stock from 28" to 36" lengths, but they don't last long!  You may choose from cinches already made up, or order a custom cinch designed and tied to your desire. 


Your Copper Canyon Cinch is a one-of-a-kind due to the variety of cinch styles with varying widths, based on your saddle's riggin, number of strands used in single or double layers, choice of various buckle options, colors and designs. My goal is to produce a unique piece of "wearable art" that will please the rider aesthetically and functionally.  

Custom dyed Mohair will be offered at a higher cost due to the process involved, and i will be offering Alpaca fiber cord due to exquisitely soft feel. ~Leslie

All of us know that cinches come in various lengths. But what length do we need?  
A cross section of your horse's heart girth/barrel shows this part of the body is oval shaped. Generally the widest point is midway between the top of the withers and the chest floor (see diagram). 
Your western cinch buckles should be 2-3 inches above the point of the elbow, yet below the widest point of the heart girth.  This measurement gives you the length of cinch  needed. 
*To simplify measurements for everyone, the Length Measurement should be taken from the outside edge to outside edge of the buckles.  ~Leslie

Because of our above measurement of 1-1/8" off of the center plumb line, we know that we will need to double that number and add it to the width of the cinch at the buckle. 

So 1-1/8" + 1-1/8" = 2-1/4" or 2.25"
then 
2.25" + 3.5" cinch width @ buckle = NEEDS 5.75" wide cinch.

As you can see in this picture, we have changed cinches to a 23 strand hand tied 99% Mohair cinch that is 34" long.  The plumb line now hangs vertical and dissects the center of the riggin Dee and the Cinch Buckle. The center Dee rings are tied in (no leather or nylon webbing material).  This horse never flicked an ear while cinching up, standing pleasantly while being saddled. After initial cinching, but not overly tightened, the saddle never rolled, even while riding up and down steep hills and ponying colts. He moved out much more freely.   ~Leslie