We target approximately 8 inches from the tip of the buckle to the bottom of the saddle rigging. The most important element of fit is to be sure the buckle sits higher than your horse's elbow. Watch this video for more clarity:
- Description
- Customer Reviews
Freedom to Move
The StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch actually changes the angle and placement of the latigos on the horse to prevent the saddle from being pulled into the shoulder blades, resulting in a free shoulder and better movement. The center of the cinch sits in the horse's natural girth groove, while the buckles are set farther back to keep the saddle in a safer position away from the rotating shoulder blades.
Let 'em Breathe
The one-of-a-kind patented (US Patent No. D843,666) triangular center elastic feature allows the StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch to expand with the 1.5 cm chest expansion that horses experience while breathing. The design also allows it to stretch in a more anatomically friendly way to contour better to a horse’s barrel and provide even pressure over the sternum.
A Better Buckle
The cinch is outfitted with the patent-pending Balance Buckle. It is the strongest buckle on the market, made of 304 stainless steel - most other cinch buckles are plated iron. Functionally, the flat horizontal portions of the buckle keep the cinch evenly tightened on the horse's body. Since the Shoulder Relief Cinch is a unique shape, it really benefits from this feature.
For a deeper understanding of the Balance Buckle scroll toward the bottom of this page.
Elbow Comfort
The contoured shape of the StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch makes it great for elbow comfort. The cutaways in the cinch pull it back away from the horse's elbow for additional range of motion.
Neoprene & Wool Fleece Liners
The StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch also features a removable liner system to allow for easy cleaning of the liner, as well as the flexibility of swapping between limestone neoprene and wool fleece liners.
Money Back Promise
If you don't LOVE your StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch, send it back used for a full refund within 90 days.
FAQs
What size Shoulder Relief Cinch do I need?
What type of saddle will a Shoulder Relief Cinch work with?
The Shoulder Relief Cinch is designed for a Western saddle, but will work well with all saddles that use a single latigo style cinching system. In many cases trail style saddles will also use this type of cinch.
If your saddle is English (or uses an English style 2 billet system) checkout our most popular English girth here:
Will this cinch help a sensitive "cinchy" horse?
In many cases, yes. We've had hundreds of customer reports of Shoulder Relief Cinches improving their horse's attitude while cinching up the saddle.
Which liner should I get and what's the difference between each material?
The StretchTec Shoulder Relief Cinch is offered with 2 liner choices:
1. Limestone (Natural) Neoprene
2. 100% Wool Fleece
Most riders order what their horse is already used to riding with.
Neoprene is the most popular liner material, as it's the lowest maintenance and easily handles every climate condition. Additionally, it lasts a very long time. However, a very small percentage of horses do not respond well to neoprene and can see minor skin irritation.
Wool fleece is the best option for sensitive horses. It's the softest material we offer and carries the breathability and moisture wicking benefits that wool is known for. It requires more cleaning than neoprene and will need to be left out to dry between rides.
NEXT LEVEL COMFORT & MOVEMENT
STRETCHING CENTER
Triangular center elastic allows soft even contact while stretching with the 1.5 cm expansion of the diaphragm.
SHOULDER FREEDOM
Offset from center to buckles redirects the billet line to keep the saddle off the shoulders.
BALANCE BUCKLE
304 stainless steel make this the strongest buckle on the market, with endless fit capabilities.
ELBOW COMFORT
Peak pressure in regular girths/cinches is at the elbow. The cutback sides move the cinch away from horse’s elbow to alleviate this pressure.
Why the Balance Buckle?
The Shoulder Relief Cinch has a unique shape, and a unique buckle makes it perform even better. We custom designed the Balance Buckle™ to give even pressure distribution and symmetrical placement on the horse's body. Here's how it works:
FIXES THIS...
The flat horizontal bars on the Balance Buckle™ keep the latigo and off-billet centered, with an even pull over the surface of the cinch. It prevents the sloppy unstable pull of a traditional cinch buckle, which is a huge complement to the function of the Shoulder Relief Cinch.
CENTERS CINCH ON STERNUM
The 2 off-billet attachment positions allows for fine tuning of the cinch over the horse's sternum. This is a feature unique to the Shoulder Relief Cinch because is performs at its best when it is symmetrically centered over the sternum.
Example: If the cinch is slightly to the right of the sternum centerline, you would move the off-billet from the bottom to the top position on the buckle to allow the cinch slightly more length to center over the sternum.
STRONGEST BUCKLE EVER MADE
Many brands claim they use "stainless steel" buckles, but that is not true - they are wire buckles with a thin stainless plating. The Balance Buckle™ is made of 100% 304 stainless steel. It is the ONLY buckle on the market made of this material (and costs 4x more to manufacture than a regular cinch buckle), and is by far the strongest buckle on the market.
In Its Natural Habitat
