Although horse surcingles can be categorized into several different varieites, all surcingles buckle around the horses barrel, with the top part resting just behind the withers and the bottom settling just behind the elbows of the horse.
Some of the different kinds of horse surcingles include:
Driving Horse Surcingles - Driving Surcingles are a part of horse or pony harness. They work to support and hold the other parts of the harness in place. The Driving surcingle can be freed from the full harness to be used seperately for training (as shown).
Training Horse Surcingles - Surcingles are often sold as standalone items. Training Surcingles are used to help teach young horses to accept the pressure of a girth and when young horses are started on the ground before being mounted the first time, surcingles are used to stabilize driving lines or anchor side reins. Training surcingles range from around $30 to over $300 depending on material and design.
Vaulting Surcingles - Vaulting Surcingles are a more specialized type of surcingle.
More expensive than a training surcingle, vaulting surcingles include handles along the strap and are designed to evenly distribute weight on the horse's back even when the rider is mounting or dismounting. Vaulting surcingles range from $200 to $600.
Blanket Surcingles - Blanket surcingles are a plain surcingle, usually made of a single strap of elastic, used to temporarily secure coolers and blankets. They fasten with a specialized surcingle buckle. "Blanket Surcingle" can also be used to describe the straps attached to horse blankets and sheets that buckle in approximately the same area of the belly that a training surcingle does.
