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Single Strap (dark color, near left)
Double Strap (light color, far left)
It is said that what goes up must come down, but if you’re riding downhill your saddle is the last thing you want to be sliding down! A crupper is a strap buckled to the back of a saddle and looped under the horse’s tail to prevent the saddle from slipping forward. A crupper can also be used in conjunction with a horse’s harness. Available in single or double strap versions.
Western Center Fire Rigging
Endurance saddles are usually equipped with center fire or 5/8 position rigging. The 7/8 rigging that is on most western style trail saddles won’t work for endurance riding because endurance horses need the full range of their elbows, without a cinch too near them. You can use center fire rigging like this to convert a conventional western trail saddle to an endurance saddle. (Keep in mind that center fire rigging requires a rather wide cinch — like 6-8 inches — to keep everything in place.)
English Center Fire Rigging
You get a total of four straps, two for each side, to allow you to use an english or dressage girth with your western saddle for “center fire” style endurance riding girth placement.
(Center fire or 5/8 position rigging is most often found on endurance saddles. The 7/8 rigging that is on most trail saddles won’t work for endurance riding because endurance horses need the full range of their elbows, without a cinch too near them. You can use center fire rigging like this to convert a conventional western trail saddle to an endurance saddle that uses an english or dressage girth.)
Breeching/Britching
Breeching (or “britching”) is a strap around the haunches of a draft, pack or riding animal. Both under saddle and in harness, breeching engages when an animal slows down or travels downhill and is used to brake or stabilize a load. Example picture borrowed from Wikipedia.