Attaching a crupper to a western saddle?

I got a crupper so I could ride the steepest of the trails I have access to (it's so steep that the saddle ends up halfway up Lacey's neck, no matter what).

However, I looked at it today and I cannot figure out how to attach it, at all.
I tried attaching it to the rings my saddle has for a flank cinch, but the crupper isn't that long... Help/ideas? I guess I could tie some baling twine though the flank cinch rings in a loop long enough to attach the crupper on each side...

Pictures:

The saddle (I don't have a better picture of the very back, I can get one if it's necessary...):



The crupper:

Leather Single/Double Strap Adjustable Saddle Crupper on eBay!


I had thought I had it all figured out. Apparently not! Haha

Is there any way you could get those straps lengthened (maybe by a saddler)? Either that or have a d-ring installed in the back, but I'm guessing that would be pricey.

Most saddles do not come with crupper rings. You will have to buy one & have it screwed into the back of your saddle.

I would think that adding a back cinch would help as much as a crupper would. Your saddle is designed for one and it would help.

Well that's a huge bummer about the crupper! Lame. There is no way on this earth that I am going to add something to that saddle (it's old enough to be an antique and I don't want to ruin it's worth as one) so poo. :(

Cori- You think a back cinch would help with it sliding forward? If you don't mind explaining, I'd love to understand fully how it would help (I don't doubt you at all though). A back cinch was actually the next "addition" I was going to buy for my saddle so maybe I'll just put that plan into motion a little faster and see if it does help. That would be really nice if it does help!
There is some gorgeous scenery at the top of that steep trail and I'd love to get up there on a regular basis and not have to walk down on my own feet! Haha

A saddle like yours was designed to be used with a back cinch. It helps keep the saddle firmly in place, not just in the front but all around. The back cinch will brace a bit on her belly and keep the saddle from tipping and pulling forward.


This guy has a good video but don't listen to the propaganda about how if you aren't using a rear cinch, you are abusive. I don't ride a rear cinch on Froggy because I don't have one. I am considering switching him to a triangular rigging once I get his new saddle in.

So basically, by fitting the saddle down on Laceys back a little snugger, it will slip a lot less.

He does mention it in the video but it is worth saying twice. Make sure that you have a tie holding the two cinches together. If the back cinch were to slip and become loose and get her around her hips, she is not going to like it...LOL The little tie will prevent that from happening.

A back cinch would help some, yes. It depends on how steep the hills are that you're riding down. If they are super steep, a back cinch wont keep it from sliding over your horse's neck, but it will keep it from popping up really bad in the back. Regardless you would need a crupper in such a case.
Another idea would be to look around for a britching. It's typically used on pack horses, but when I went up to the mountains the other year I had to borrow one from a friend because my crupper broke.
Looked like this

I still think that you could have the 'tug' straps lengthened and it would work...

My question is, is the saddle pictured on the horse that you are wanting to use it with the crupper on?

Thank you Cori! That was informative, I knew about the back cinch kinda holding the saddle down a little better but I hadn't thought about how the saddle tips forward going downhill which makes it slide onto her shoulders worse if it doesn't have a back cinch. I will get one and see.

Thanks lilruffian! They're probably pretty steep in the scheme of things, but they might not be. The hills are certainly not as steep as pictures some members post of them riding their horses but they are steep enough that if you walk down it, you find yourself going faster and faster because of momentum!

Somehow I completely missed your first post. Oops! I wonder if it would work if I just buckled a stirrup hobble on to each "tug strap" (and didn't drastically change anything else) to lengthen the straps... That would be a cheap fix! I'll give it a try tomorrow. :)

Yes. :)