Tell me about stirrup leathers

[soloequestrian]

Went to buy some t-bar stirrup leathers to discover that there are now other options as well, for instance the extra-wide ones. What do people recommend as the best these days? I'd prefer not to have a loose end of the leather - horse is very ticklish and if I put the end through the holder thing on the saddle I have to use a square saddle cloth or she gets irritated by being tapped!

 

[sbloom]

The wide ones can help stabilise the leg but watch out for bulk - anything that is doubled and strengthened with nylon is bulky, and this can make the leg go forwards (can be useful if your leg normally goes back from the hip!). Conway buckles are my preference to T bars, they're slightly more asjustable and rated for jumping, and you have more than one way to set the length, having the buckle higher or lower, and the flappy end shorter or longer. T bars can be more straightforward.

If your leg already has a tendency to go forward (ie hip to knee) then the thinner the stirrup leather the better.

What you should use it entirely down to your particular circumstances - your hip conformation on your saddle on your horse

 

[mustardsmum]

I was a bit blown away by the variety and frankly, poor quality, of some leathers when I went to buy yesterday. Some weretwisted and holes punched badly. One shop told me it was the way they were packaged and they would straighten when I used them?! One leather was actually curved!! Nearly bought some Shires ones before realising they were actually synthetic, which I just personally prefer proper leather. But they seemed ok just a bit thick and not as flexible as leather. Momentarily looked at the Le Mieux wide leathers, before giving my head a wobble and realising the extra thick bit really wouldn’t make that much difference and really just gave them a wide area to put a bit of branding… I like the idea of wider leathers but wasn’t sure if they actually would work or even if they would lie correctly on my saddle. Then there’s the question of do I actually want my leg that stable? I sometimes need to swing it out the way of trees/gateways or if something happens. It’s a bit like being trapped if there’s less movement. My security, I decided, comes from my position, my seat and balance. After a lifetime riding in normal leathers I felt I could save some pennies here. But if it’s helps you that’s fine! I mainly hack long distances and do the odd dressage test so maybe if I was jumping a lot or if my legs swung about a lot, I would find more benefits from wide leathers. I ended up buying the normal Vector Le Mieux leathers, which are nice soft leather, not too bulky and seem well made. I do find the leathers with the nylon core def don’t stretch like plain leathers but other than that, I notice little other difference.

 

[soloequestrian]

Yes, I like a nylon core now, it seems safer if they don't stretch!
Anyone actually used the wide leathers? I think I saw some with a ring part way down too but that seems a bit odd....

 

[rextherobber]

I find the nylon core ones really difficult to adjust the length off, once you're on board, that may just be my saddle though?

 

[Landcruiser]

I have the Bates T bar, they are great, lovely quality and easy to adjust. I also have some Shadow Horse stability wide leathers, but I found these a bit bulky under the thigh.

 

[sbloom]

I find the nylon core ones really difficult to adjust the length off, once you're on board, that may just be my saddle though?

If your stirrups bars have too much flocking behind them, or haven't been correctly pulled out (by the maker, can be done retrospectively by a saddler) then the thick leathers can be almost impossible to move with your weight on the saddle.

 

[rextherobber]

If your stirrups bars have too much flocking behind them, or haven't been correctly pulled out (by the maker, can be done retrospectively by a saddler) then the thick leathers can be almost impossible to move with your weight on the saddle.

Thank you