Help!! Stirrups flying off saddle...

Michen

Michen

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 January 2014
Messages
12,789
Visit site
Really not ideal today. Three times (twice on left and once on right) my entire stirrup and leather flew off the saddle middle gallop out hunting. My horse is very strong and I’m lucky he will pull up when needed to a total standstill whilst I go and retrieve said stirrup, mid line on a draghunt.

Saddle was checked weeks ago by saddler. No falls etc since but it did get a total dunking under water last weekend through a stream.

I always ride with the stirrup bar up though understand plenty feel this is not safe (not sure why they have the option to flick them up if deemed unsafe though?) so not only are the leathers pushing this down they are then flying off the bar itself.

Saddle, leathers, stirrups, rider, horse all the same. Tack cleaner the same.

Posted on a hunting group and some are suggesting a broken tree!? Has anyone experienced this without trauma to the saddle!?

A pic to brighten of my very very fit and Shiney horse pre hunt, and covered in mud post hunt! And no, bitting combo didn’t do much to persuade him to steady up ;) but I’m very grateful he will stop when it really counts!

CDEB8EBC-7511-4BDC-B91E-282B8E71602B.jpeg95BB74CF-7776-4312-9B74-68DCC4578F39.jpeg
 
I had a saddle that did that years ago. In my case, the bars had moved so they pointed down and the leathers just went bye-bye. A saddler adjusted them to sit properly horizontal again and the problem was solved.
 
Sorry guys phone being s pains to quote it keeps refreshing.

The stirrup leathers are mid thickness and same as I’ve been using for years. Bars in same place.

This did happen to me four years ago on one meet where I put it down to my shocking lower leg. But it was normal today!!

I haven’t tried to shove them off myself as saddle so caked in mud etc but will have a good look tomorrow. Maybe some stiff new leathers in order?
 
I have an old saddle where they used to fly off when the horse bucked. Definitely didn't have a broken tree and my then YO got a pair of pliers on the bars to tighten them.

No idea why it would happen after your dunking.
 
The only time I've seen it happen is with someone jumping with a very unstable leg that would swing back a lot but if that were the case you'd expect to lose the stirrup at a jump not mid gallop. Could the leathers have stretched thinner if you carried on riding whilst they were sopping wet? Or maybe with the dunking the flocking has squashed a bit so the bars are looser? I'm making this up as I go along but there must be a reason why.

I've always been told to flick the bar up so you don't lose the stirrups when you're storing the saddle and to flick them down before you get on but that doesn't really seem necessary, some saddles don't give you the option.
 
As Otherwise has suggested, I wonder if the saddle getting wet has either compacted the flocking or the leather has become stiffer, and there is now more space between the bars and the saddle?
 
Just to update anyone interested. Saddle taken apart by saddler today, no broken tree. Bars fine. We can’t work it out can only assume wet stirrup leathers squished so buying some new ones and hoping for the best! Bit disconcerting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top