Total Saddle Fit - Shoulder Relief Cinch - Western Cinch;

The Shoulder Relief Cinch actually changes the position and angle of the latigos to prevent the saddle tree from interfering with the shoulder. The center of the cinch is set forward to sit in the horse's natural girth groove (heart girth). While the sides of the cinch are cut back to meet the latigos 2 inches behind where the horse's natural girth groove lies. This brings the latigos from angling forward, to becoming perpendicular to the ground (in the case of a forward girth groove horse), which reduces the saddle's tendency to be pulled forward into the shoulders. With horses that have shoulder interference without angled billets, it simply moves the billets back to keep the saddle farther away from the shoulders. The secondary benefit to this shape, is that it is cutback at the elbows. This gives more room for elbow movement as well, and prevents galls in the elbow area.