Fitting dressage stirrup leathers -help!

[Wannabedressagequeen]

I seem to be experiencing an episode of complete muppetry….. I have just purchased a new saddle for my daughter's flat-backed Connie. Her usual stirrup leather feel bulky to her underneath her leg and I wondered if dressage leathers would help. I purchased some but cannot work out how they fit! They are like the below...I can get the top loop onto the bar on the saddle but the bottom part will not fit through the top of the stirrup to loop around....maybe I am missing something obvious!

 

[Shady]

I don't think you're missing something OP. Some stirrups, especially some of the composite ones are too narrow. I had the same problem with a pair ages ago . I ended up filing the hole bigger just to use them whilst I waited for a new pair of stirrups to arrive.

 

[eggs]

Not muppetry. The small top loop does indeed got over the stirrup bar and then the stirrups attach to the larger bottom loop and you use that to make them the correct length. Sounds a though the eyelet on your stirrups is not wide enough.

 

[Nasicus]

Does the little loop midway come off over the top? If so, can you thread your stirrups on using the less bulky top loop, then put the midway loop back on. That's how I put my stirrups on this style of leather, no way I could get the bottom part with the metal T bar through the stirrup hole lol

Edit:

Did a crappy diagram to go with my crappy explanation :>

 

[cauda equina]

Not crappy at all! Spot on

 

[oldie48]

When the stirrups are on I have the T bar on the outside, otherwise you can't alter the length very easily and mine have a Keeper that I can run down over the T bar. when you get off, run the stirrups right up and secure the T bar below so they cant slide down. Don't know if any of that makes sense to anyone else though"

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I put the metal t bar through the stirrup top, that is how I put mine on, went on with a wiggle, never tried it your way

 

[Dave's Mam]

Bit of neatsfoot oil & a hoofpick got mine through a tight stirrup.

 

[Dave's Mam]

When the stirrups are on I have the T bar on the outside, otherwise you can't alter the length very easily and mine have a Keeper that I can run down over the T bar. when you get off, run the stirrups right up and secure the T bar below so they cant slide down. Don't know if any of that makes sense to anyone else though"

Oh, I never thought of that! I get off to adjust length!