This cinch is the only one of its kind on the market. It actually changes the angle and placement of the latigo on the horse to prevent the saddle from being pulled into the shoulder blades, resulting in a free shoulder and better saddle fit.
You might be wondering, how? The shape of the Shoulder Relief Cinch allows for the center of the cinch to sit in the horse's natural girth groove, while the sides are recessed backward and attach to the latigos farther back on the horse's body compared to a regular cinch. This design makes the latigos more perpendicular to the ground and neutralizes froward pressure on the saddle (from the pull of the latigos).
More recently our cinch has been 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 Balance Buckle™ is next level. The flat horizontal portions of the buckle keep the cinch evenly tighten on the horse's body. Since the Shoulder Relief Cinch is a unique shape, it really benefits from this feature.
Additionally, with the distinct shape of the Shoulder Relief Cinch, it is important to have the cinch centered over the horse's sternum. The Balance Buckle™ makes this a cinch ;) It has 2 latigo placements, which allow for fine tuning of the lateral position on the horse's barrel. You can see this in a product video above.
On top of these functions, the shape of the Shoulder Relief Cinch also make it great for elbow comfort. The cutaways in the cinch pull it back away from the horse's elbow.
For the best durability and to prevent any stretching, the Shoulder Relief Cinch is fully backed with nylon webbing from end to end. This gives the resilience of webbing with the look, touch and feel of leather.
Lastly, The Shoulder Relief Cinch uses a removable liner system. You can choose between limestone neoprene, 100% wool felt or 100% wool fleece. They simply peel on and off, so one cinch can be used with many liners. A common practice is to keep 2 liners, so one can be in use while one is being washed.