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 how important it was that the joint of the thumb bit to the bar should
be regularly cleaned and oiled, so this was rarely undertaken. Unfortunately,
this usually meant that the thumb bit, usually left down, put excessive
pressure onto 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
though, 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
Kay
explains; “I have spent more than 50 years working with saddles and fitting
them to horses and ponies. Having now having retired from actively fitting
saddles, I am focused on sharing what I’ve learnt to help develop knowledge and
understanding of what goes into achieving a correct saddle fit and feel that
video enables me to do that much more effectively than would be possible in a
book. I enjoyed the project immensely and am delighted with early feedback from
those who have already bought the videos.”
Saddle Fitting Know How - For Riders and Trainers is available as two videos for unlimited download or streaming from Kay’s own Vimeo On Demand page for a one-off charge of just £35 per video – less than the cost of a good quality saddlecloth or a lesson from a trainer!
The first video looks at Conformation and Movement of the Horse, Types of Tree and their Influence, Different Panels and the Position of Girth Straps.
The second video explains How to Assess a Saddle for Soundness, Straightness and Safety, Recognising a Good Fit, the Balance of a Saddle, When Saddles Move and finally, Rider Influences.
These two new videos contain a huge amount of information and together they provide over an hour of expert Saddle Fitting Know How. Certain to become a ‘go-to’ resource, one that you’ll view again and again, Saddle Fitting Know How – For Riders and Trainers uses clever graphics alongside clear explanations and insight into many different aspects of achieving and maintaining a correctly fitting saddle.
Find out more and get access to these unrivalled and informative videos at
Your horse will thank you in more ways than one - and your riding will benefit too!
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