The Long and Short of Stirrup Bars

There are lots of different ideas about stirrup bars - which are the bars on the saddle from which the stirrup leathers are attached. Master Saddler and Master Saddle Fitter Kay Hastilow explains more ...

For many years, the most common type of bars in use were the ones with a ‘thumb bit’ at the end (pictured), which could be ‘closed’ or ‘up’, or left down so that they continued a straight line beyond the main body of the bar. Opinions were many and varied as to which was correct, so let me run through the options.

Originally, the thumb bit was designed to be ‘closed’ or ‘up’. This was in the days when the bar laid across the leather of the flap, which had no recess for the bar and leather to sit in. The bulk of the leather and buckle could be felt through the skirts of the saddle. It was expected that the bars would be regularly cleaned and oiled, so that the thumb bit would drop down and release the leather in the case of a fall. Then came the recess for the bar, which greatly improved the comfort for the rider, but not necessarily the horse, especially as the manufacturers often turned the bars in so that there was even less bulk under the rider’s leg. Few people knew of the importance of the joint of the thumb bit to the bar being regularly cleaned and oiled, so this was rarely undertaken. Unfortunately, this usually meant that the thumb bit, usually left down put excessive pressure to a small area of the horse’s back. Small sore areas would eventually end up as white patches, and these were commonly seen when saddle fitting in days past. 

Happily, our manufacturers, led by our knowledgeable and growing army of SMS qualified saddle fitters, now turn the bars out, so that the pressure is largely removed from the horse’s sides. However, they are still recessed and this necessitates the thumb bits being down for safety, as the stirrup leather is fractionally slower to slide off in the event of a fall. Just occasionally, the bar might be turned out too much and the leather will keep coming off whilst you are riding- a very unpleasant experience. This can be corrected by a bench saddler (a craft saddler who makes and repairs saddlery). 

Often now, you will see hook bars used instead. To my mind, these are a great improvement on the bars with the thumb bit. The leathers come off easily if the rider falls, but the shape holds the leather in place whilst riding and jumping. The ends of the hooks on some designs are very slightly turned out, and, although the rider is not affected by this, there is little chance of this end causing any discomfort to the horse.

Do bear in mind that the bulk of the stirrup leather is now probably the main pressure point against the horse’s sides, so whilst choosing quality and safety in your leathers, please avoid very thick leathers purely for the horse’s comfort.

Find out more about this and much more from Kay Hastilow’s series of expert videos on

http://www.khsaddlery.co.uk/educational.html