AmyMay
Situation normal
It was a Wow
Saddle caused my accident?
- Thread starter Jade75
- Start date
It was a Wow
Jade75
Member
I’d love to know how it is rude to end up busy, obviously when I posted I didn’t know this would happen!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Because people are giving up their time to respond, especially when more information is required to answer with a minimal OP. I even posted a picture for you to try and be helpful and we get left wondering whether the OP will ever come back. It's generally not a big deal to type thanks for the replies I will respond as soon as I can as unexpectedly busy is it?
Jade75
Member
As I said, I were busy. I didn’t have time to say a thing else I would have. If you have the time to sit and eyeball the horse and hound forum then that’s absolutely fine, I did not. Calling me rude is hardly helpful, as that is the only notification I got that I’d had any responses and that came through straight away, the others didn’t come through at all.
Jade75
Member
Thank you for all the helpful responses I’ve had, as explained above I had no time to breathe yesterday let alone respond. I’ve taken the opinions on board and will be looking into replacement bars as the left seem slacker than the right set.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Ah well as you can now see you have lost of responses trying to help you.
It would be interesting to know your responses to Wheels' questions.
It would be interesting to know your responses to Wheels' questions.
Jade75
Member
If you take all this time you have free to read my previous responses then you will see the info
ester
Not slacking multitasking
You haven't responded to what you asked WOW to do? That was the post I was refering too, I wouldn't ask you about things you have already addressed. Companies responses are really useful for others that's all, have you asked if they would replace the stirrup bar that side for you? I certainly think I'd be asking for one of their fitters to look at it if you are still concerned which it sounds like you are.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
How old is the saddle? Are the bars metal or plastic? Did you buy it from new?
If you didn't buy it from new in the last few months, I doubt if you would have a leg to stand on with WOW, as so much could have happened meanwhile to make the bars sit differently from each other. I agree that it is concerning that they are not the same, is it filled with the same amount of air each side?
I'm sorry about your accident, it sounds like a bad one.
If you didn't buy it from new in the last few months, I doubt if you would have a leg to stand on with WOW, as so much could have happened meanwhile to make the bars sit differently from each other. I agree that it is concerning that they are not the same, is it filled with the same amount of air each side?
I'm sorry about your accident, it sounds like a bad one.
Shay
Well-Known Member
Another element could be what you clean the leathers / saddle with? I've very limited experience with synthetic saddles but when DD was in 128s I softened new leathers with neatsfoot oil the day before a major BS show and she lost the leather part way through the jump off. She still finished with one stirrup dangling from her foot but I've never been forgiven. I genuinely cannot remember if she placed...
And to echo others stirrup bars should be dead straight or with a very slight curve only. OP's slightly unusual accident aside the fall out (no pun untended) from the leather not pulling free is far higher.
And to echo others stirrup bars should be dead straight or with a very slight curve only. OP's slightly unusual accident aside the fall out (no pun untended) from the leather not pulling free is far higher.
Jade75
Member
The saddle is made to measure my loan horse so not sure on age but it’s not new, the bars are metal and the saddle is fine it’s just the bars. I just wanted to know if they stocked the bars for me to be able to swap the left one, it’s very noticeably different from the right when it comes to tightness between saddle and stirrup bars.
It were bad I’m not sure how it happened logics of it wise, but the girl I rode out with said not horse or rider error it were all fine then the stirrup went flying and I followed it🤷ðŸ½â€â™€ï¸ Thank god he stopped dead but he’s a 17hh Ex eventer so it’s a long drop! Thank you!
Jade75
Member
I clean it all with the Carr Day and Martin glycerin bar and never had an issue before now! I have also used horseman’s one step previously so may swap back to that, it does look and feel like it’s a dodgy stirrup bar on the left but til now I’d never seen a dead straight bar before, how bizarre! Thank you x
Mrs Jingle
Well-Known Member
Just a thought - but I was wondering if it was the left stirrup bar that has given you the problem and that you say is much looser than the other one? I have sometimes found a stirrup leather much easier to get on and off the left bar than the right, on several different makes of saddle.
My theory is that a lot more pressure is put on that bar and the area surrounding it as it is the side we mount from 99.9 per cent of the time and that must in turn eventually make that left bar and the leather under it etc. not such a tight fit as it would have been when the saddle was new. Probably yet another one of my balmy musings but seems entirely possible to me ?
My theory is that a lot more pressure is put on that bar and the area surrounding it as it is the side we mount from 99.9 per cent of the time and that must in turn eventually make that left bar and the leather under it etc. not such a tight fit as it would have been when the saddle was new. Probably yet another one of my balmy musings but seems entirely possible to me ?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
I was sort of wondering the same MrsJ, in that it wouldn't take much movement/shift to make a relatively big difference to angle of a flat bar.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
What do you mean, if they 'stock' bars for you to be able to swap one? You can't just buy one and put it in yourself, it will need sending back to WOW for it to be done, probably. I wouldn't expect most saddlers to touch it, they aren't made anything like any other saddle. But there is no saddle that you can just change an open stirrup bar on for yourself.
Wheels
Well-Known Member
OP you will need to send the seat back to Wow for them to look at it and decide whether they can change the stirrup bar if it needs to be done. You can do this direct or via your wow saddle fitter. As it's got metal stirrup bars I would think it's at least 3 years old and so will be out of warranty. It could have been knocked at some point I suppose and no longer align but I dont think it is a design flaw personally.
Are you using wow stirrup leathers?
Wow advise using effax lederbalsam btw
Are you using wow stirrup leathers?
Wow advise using effax lederbalsam btw
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
That sounds like the weirdest accident - you were just riding along and the stirrup leather moved backwards and pulled you with it? How on earth could that happen? What pace were you in?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
OP said she was cantering
Pearlsasinger
Up in the clouds
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Wheels I have heard of people insisting on metal bars because they don't trust the plastic ones. It's possible it could be newer, but as you point out, probably out of warranty.
The plastic ones are thick and an absolute barsteward to get the leather on. The language coming from my tack room at times 🤣
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criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
A hinged straight bar (as shown below) is what I would think of as standard but my saddles have been fairly traditional. Some seem tighter that others, some leathers fit tighter too, I bought some T bar leathers that were so difficult to get on, it made me a bit nervous. The ones that have been really quite loose have never come off unless something weird happened.
Sounds like a nasty accident, as you said the horse may have put in a buck but you're not really sure what happened, so it's difficult to say whether they slid off too easily. However coming off and your foot getting stuck can get very bad very quickly and I think I'd always rather they came off too easily than otherwise.
Hopefully a Wow specialist will be able to say if there is a problem with the bars.
Attachments
Mrs Jingle
Well-Known Member
I have to say my memory of a similar accident, if indeed this is what happened with Op's horse, galloping flat out along a bridle way - horse threw in a humongous buck, I can remember very little other than finding myself rather dazed sitting facing the direction we had come from with my stirrup leather and iron about 6 feet away and my very excited horse just a blob in the distance in a cloud of dust. Fortunately I was only bruised and shocked and nothing as serious as OP's skull fracture.
But I could almost guarantee if that leather and iron had not come away I would just be a distant memory in a few close friends and family's history. He would have flung me around like a broken rag doll for a good mile or so as I dangled upside down from the saddle. OP I think you were extremely lucky that leather came away from the saddle, I hope you are fully recovered or will be very soon.
But I could almost guarantee if that leather and iron had not come away I would just be a distant memory in a few close friends and family's history. He would have flung me around like a broken rag doll for a good mile or so as I dangled upside down from the saddle. OP I think you were extremely lucky that leather came away from the saddle, I hope you are fully recovered or will be very soon.
maya2008
Well-Known Member
I agree about needing to send the saddle back to the manufacturer for tighter fitting bars on that side if necessary.
However... for your own safety, have you considered having some lessons without stirrups? Being able to stay on when you've lost one is really useful - it doesn't necessarily take the leather coming off the bar to lose a stirrup.
I hope you're ok soon!
However... for your own safety, have you considered having some lessons without stirrups? Being able to stay on when you've lost one is really useful - it doesn't necessarily take the leather coming off the bar to lose a stirrup.
I hope you're ok soon!
Tihamandturkey
Well-Known Member
Bars should always be straight to avoid dragging accidents surely?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
see pic I posted earlier, wow also have a curved bar on them.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Bates bars were curved last time I bought one.
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Jade75
Member
Thank you guys! The bottom bar seems to put you in a strange position to ride in, several on the yard have tried and tested this while I were out of action and have hated the saddle without any prompt from me! It is the left bar that is an issue rather than the shape - sorry I didn’t make that clear but it really is far too easy to pull it off the saddle on the left side, right side I can understand from a safety point of view. This horse can go like shit off a shovel, for no better term. The girl I were with said the stirrup went and she can only assume the speed meant my balance were rumbled and I fairly quickly followed. The saddle is very flat though there’s not much support from it, it’s hard to describe but once you’re going you’re off sort of thing? He’s very bouncy when excited so I don’t think anybody would have been able to stay on. Fractured skull and covered in gravel burn has taught me that left bar is definitely not right and needs something doing, if they were straight but maybe tilted upwards slightly as a photo above I’d prefer that, but this left bar is not tight enough to the saddle IMO. Thank you for your help! It’s really hard to try get my head round an accident I remember nothing about!
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
The photo angle of the one I posted makes them look more angled up. Google stirrup bars and look at images and you'll see plenty of straight ones, many of which do not point up. Lots of different curved ones too. Not sure I'd trust a curved one to release but I've seen stirrups not come off. Luckily the horses stood still for someone to catch hold of the rein and untangle the rider.
It must be frustrating not to remember but even when you do sometimes things happen so fast you're on the ground before you realise what happened.
It must be frustrating not to remember but even when you do sometimes things happen so fast you're on the ground before you realise what happened.
Jade75
Member
This is very true!
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
I would never use a saddle where the bars were not straight.
Tbh even of the bar is a bit loose, the very fact your leg was so far back that the stirrup slid off indicates that the stirrup needed to come off.
If you had been dragged you likely would have far worse than a skull fracture.
If you cannot stay on a quick horse without stirrups then i would suggest some lunge lessons to sort your seat out.
A flat seat should not be detrimental to your balance. i ride in show saddles everyday, they have flat seats and no knee rolls if your seat is good even one taking off at 400mph or whipping round on a 6pence with no notice shouldn’t unseat you.
Tbh even of the bar is a bit loose, the very fact your leg was so far back that the stirrup slid off indicates that the stirrup needed to come off.
If you had been dragged you likely would have far worse than a skull fracture.
If you cannot stay on a quick horse without stirrups then i would suggest some lunge lessons to sort your seat out.
A flat seat should not be detrimental to your balance. i ride in show saddles everyday, they have flat seats and no knee rolls if your seat is good even one taking off at 400mph or whipping round on a 6pence with no notice shouldn’t unseat you.