A training surcingle is used for encouraging your horse to bend, flex and maintain a proper frame while you are lunging him. A surcingle is a round strap buckled around the girth and wither your horse. It has multiple D-rings and normally gives additional control and position training during ground work. It's useful for riders in the process of teaching a young horse what's expected of him, or of reminding an older horse of proper behavior under saddle. A surcingle functions only if it's correctly used, so get one fitted properly before you attempt to use it.
Step 1
Groom your horse's girth and back area completely so dirt and debris do not become trapped under the surcingle and cause sores while you are working your horse.
Step 2
Undo the buckles on one side of the surcingle and place the surcingle on your horse's back near the end of the withers. The top section of the surcingle needs to go in roughly the same location as the pommel of your saddle goes. The underside of the surcingle needs to fit like a regular girth.
Step 3
Buckle your surcingle around the horse. Make sure to get the buckles on either side as even as possible. This means that if you are on the third set of holes on one side, you need to be on the third set of holes on the opposite side as well. If you can not get the buckles completely even, make sure there is no more than one set of holes difference between where they are placed. Make sure to get the surcingle snug, similar to fastening a girth, so that it cannot slip out of place while you are using it. You do not want your surcingle to slide or move while in use.
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Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
