Measuring for Cinches
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In this video, Steve Edwards of Queen Valley Mule Ranch explains the correct way to measure your mule for cinches.
It’s important to remember that mules are V-shaped in their shoulders and horses are A-shaped. Mules carry their weight down low, with hour-glassed belly towards the shoulders. The back cinch will be longer because of that shape to the belly.
When measuring, take a rope and place it a whole hand’s distance from the scapula to the rope. That is roughly where your D-ring will sit for your front cinch. Measure the rope from knot to where the rope wraps back around the mule. Afterwards, use your measuring tape to measure the rope length.
This mule is 78”. So, you take that measurement and cut it in half to 39”. With that measurement you take 4” off each side, making the cinch size 31”. Steve then rounded up to a 32” cinch, saying you can use between a 32”-34” cinch for the demonstration mule.
For the back cinches, find where the belly flattens off before moving back up towards the rear. That is where you want to measure for your back cinches. Then follow the same formula. This mule is 92” divided by 2 equals 46. Then take 4” off each side to be right about 38”. So use a 38”- 40” cinch in the back.
You can use a rope or material tape measure to calculate your cinch sizes. That’s how easy it is folks.
