CK,

That is how I measure also. I would go with a 34 inch. I like the mohair cinches made by either Twenty X, Classic Equine, and the one I have is made by Weaver. It is their new smart cinch, that has the double roller so the cinch slides easily as you tighten it and creates less pinching.

My gelding I have was over weight at one time and then lost a bunch of weight when I got him and the result was extra skin around his heart girth. I, at the time was using a 36 inch cinch and it was giving him small sore were it was rubbing wrong cause it was to big, it was also one of those rayon/poly rope cinches. Once I changed (he wears a 32) size and material he has not had a problem since. The nice thing about mohair is that it stretches and give with the horse. I do clean my cinch every so often as recommended by the maker. The worst is when they are shedding their winter coats, After every ride I clean off the hair. I also like the roping cinches because it covers a larger area and is more comfortable. My mother in laws horse was real cinchy when she got her and at the time she was using a cinch that was too small (size 30) and was straight cinch. We measured her (size 35)and we bought her a 36in and we changed to a roper style and now she stands perfectly still when saddled..

Some horses do fine with the neoprene and some don't. I think it just depends on the horse and how they are built body wise. I also have found that Because of my horses body style I have to make sure I always use a back cinch. I realized this the few times I have used my austrialian saddle that does not have a back cinch.

Hope this helps and good luck.