When to use a Back Cinch

This is for all who ride in a western saddle. The majority of the trail rides I go on are made up mostly of people in western saddles. Every one of those riders have a different looking rig, but the biggest variation amongst the riders comes in regards to a back cinch.
Some saddles have D rings for back cinches others don't. Some have D rings but no billets , others have the billets but no back cinch. If they do have a back cinch some have it loose others have it tight, some with keeper and some without.
So who needs a back cinch and how should it be worn. I believe the only time you need a back cinch is when roping, barrel racing or cutting. The back cinch is essential in roping because it keeps the saddle from catapulting you out of the saddle when you tie on to a steer and prevents the saddle bars from pushing into the horses shoulder after you have dallied. Basically the back cinch comes up and hits the horse in the under belly limiting how far the saddle can move from the force of the steer.
When barrel racing and cutting the horse changes direction very quickly a back cinch can prevent the rider from being knocked in the butt by the saddle if they are left behind the motion of the quick turning horse.
If you do use a back cinch always use a keeper. This is a strap that attaches the front of the back cinch the the back of the girth. This strap keeps the back cinch from sliding back towards the flanks and acting as a bucking strap.
A back cinch should be snug but not tight like a girth, it is there to keep the saddle from slipping so it has to fit snug enough to do just that. A word of caution to those who ride the trails and bush with a loose cinch; I have seen on more than one occasion where some branches have been caught up in a loose hanging cinch, needless to say a rodeo ensued.
thanks
Steve Wawryk
Horselife