What is saddle billet?

A billet strap is a piece of leather or nylon located on either side of a saddle and used to hold the cinch in place. English saddles commonly have billet straps on both sides whereas a western saddle will have a single “off-billet” strap on the off side and a latigo strap on the near side.

What are the billets on a dressage saddle?

Dressage saddles come with either short or long billets. The billets, located under the leg flaps of the saddle, are the straps the girth attaches to. The differences in a saddle with short billets and one with long billets are subtle; neither length is necessarily considered better than the other.

Why do English saddles have three billets?

Balance or rear billets help stabilize the rear of the saddle. If a saddle is the right shape for the horse but lifts a bit in the rear, the rear or balance billet will help keep the saddle from popping up.

Whats the difference between a latigo and a billet?

And most saddles have a latigo (the long leather or nylon strap) on the on-side and an off billet (a shorter strap with holes in it) on the off-side.

How do you attach a billet to a saddle?

ALL ABOUT BILLETS FOR YOUR ENGLISH SADDLE

Where is the billet on a Western saddle?

The "off billet" is the leather strap attached to the front D-ring on the right side of the rigging on your horse's Western saddle. Its purpose is to support the girth, which wraps around the horse's barrel. The right side of the girth buckles to the off billet.

What does a latigo on a saddle do?

First, a little terminology: A latigo is the long piece of leather or nylon that allows you to tighten the cinch on a western saddle.

Why are there 3 girth straps on a saddle?

The 1st & 4th girthing can sometimes help with lateral stability on rounder horses. The 1st & & 3rd girthing options are sometimes good for ponies and horses with no withers and high Spring ribs, these can help prevent a saddle slipping forwards.

What is the back of the saddle called?

Cantle: The back of the saddle that gently curves upwards for backward seat support. Twist: The “twist” is the part of the saddle tree that sits just below the pommel in front of the “seat” of the saddle (circled in the image). This is a part of the saddle that determines how the saddle sits between the rider's legs.

What is a billet on a bridle?

Where the bit attached to the reins and cheek pieces they are referred to as the billets. These can be either hook stud billets or buckle billets. The hook stud billet always does up toward the horse and the buckle billet always does up away from the horse. The reins and cheek pieces should have matching billets.

What does a point billet do?

If your saddle slides forward, it could mean that you need a point billet attached to the tree. A point billet holds the head of the tree (aka, the gullet plate) in place. This keeps the front of the tree from lifting off the back, which in turn keeps the saddle from sliding forward.

How do I stop my saddle from sliding forward?

Try a non-slip pad, such as the EQuest Grip Pad. A non-slip pad sticks to your horse and your saddle, holding better as the horse's back gets warmer. It works best when used directly against the horse and the saddle with no other pad.

What is a flank billet?

By Al Dunning | April 16, 2020. Facebook Pinterest Twitter. The back, or flank, cinch is more than a decorative accessory for a Western saddle. It's a safety piece that stabilizes the saddle by attaching with aid of rear billets and a leather hobble strap to the front cinch.

What are the parts of a Western saddle called?

What is a half breed off billet?

The half-breed off billet is a specialized version of a standard off billet. Unlike traditional off billets, the half-breed off billet is much for durable and provides extra strength. It is about 6 feet long and wraps around the cinch, the dee rings, and is fastened to the cinch buckle tongue in a reverse direction.

What are the straps on a saddle called?

A girth, sometimes called a cinch (Western riding), is a piece of equipment used to keep the saddle in place on a horse or other animal. It passes under the barrel of the equine, usually attached to the saddle on both sides by two or three leather straps called billets.

What is a half breed saddle?

The half breed saddle is a modern development on traditional saddle types that delivers a highly comfortable, stable, and safe riding. The rider is seated in a 'balanced' seat, with the shoulder, hips, and ankles in a straight line.

How do you attach a saddle girth?

How long should a saddle last?

"For an amateur rider, we suggest a saddle change every 15,000-20,000km (9,300-12,400 miles). This doesn't mean the saddle is not usable after this distance, but the performance of the padding and the shell will start to deteriorate."