Thanks Richard. Yes I agree that this would have only had a leather belt originally, as the back of the cantle doesn't have a place to attach chains.

If I do put chains on it I am going to have to make sure they don't rub against the cantle. If that becomes an issue I'll just use a leather belt.

Yeah, modern leather D's are too short and too narrow to work on this, so one would have to be made.

BTW: I really like that brass cantle you have!