All Tied Up
Article and photos by Jennifer Dennison

Made of 100 percent yak or mohair and with large rings,
Jennifer’s cinches breathe on a horse and help prevent soreness.

Living nine months of the year in a remote cow camp in Idaho is not how most women envision spending the first year of married life, but four years ago Jennifer Whiteley willingly left her job as a high-school agriculture teacher to do so with her husband, Travis, who worked for J.R. Simplot Company at the time.  During the day, Jennifer kept busy helping her husband work cattle, but she sought something to keep her busy at night so she began tying cinches. She took a board and placed two screws on each end to serve as her “loom.” Her hobby quickly evolved into a side business, as she began tying cinches not only for her and her husband, but also for other buckaroos on the outfit.

Today, Travis is foreman of the Lamoille, Nevada, division of Maggie Creek Cattle Company. Jennifer helps her husband during the day, and in the evenings, the 30-year-old mother of two young children and two stepdaughters continues to weave together beautiful strands of yak or mohair into functional cinches.  The materials, colors and design of Jennifer’s cinches make them stand out from store-bought models.

Comfortable for a Horse
Raised on a  ranch in Mountain City, Nevada, Jennifer has seen her share of cinchy horses, so sought to make a cinch that would be durable yet comfortable for a horse. She uses pure yak and mohair, and high-quality hardware to craft her cinches.  “I find that 100 percent yak or mohair breathes better than a synthetic blend, and is better for your horse,” she says. “I also use double-bar cinch buckles that lie flat against the horse and cover a larger surface area than small D-rings.” Instead of sewing the small D-rings for a breast collar and rear-cinch hobble to attach, Jennifer weaves  the rings to the cinch. This reduces  bulk and allows the rings to lie flat so they don’t rub the horse. Jennifer also sets the rings about four strands toward the inside so they don’t end up between the cinch and the horse.  

Color
The tack artist also dyes her own yarn, using acid dyes with vinegar.  She “cooks” the yarn in a pot of water on her kitchen stove until the water is clear. Then she runs the strands through the spin cycle on her washing machine to remove most of the water, and then allows the yarn to drip-dry.  “I enjoy being able to choose my own colors and trying different dying techniques to create a totally unique cinch,” she says. “I get a lot of satisfaction from the finished product. I also like that it’s a one-person craft.  It’s something I can do completely by myself, and I can set it aside as needed without affecting the cinch.”
Jennifer’s cinches come in a variety of color combinations- you can choose, or she can. She also customizes cinches with a brand or initials.

To order a cinch, call Jennifer directly at (775) 934-3207
or email jenniferwhiteley@rocketmail.com

Article and photos by Jennifer Dennison
A version of this article appeared in the November 2009 issue of Western Horseman Magazine.