A potential question, changed to "opinions" on stirrup pads

[crosscreeksh]

I’ve been replacing some of “ALL” my tack lost in the barn fire last January. Found a great saddle, bought leathers, but I have always ridden in the “old fashioned” Stainless steel irons that take the ribbed black pads. Can’t find them, so bought Fillis irons with the white pads.

The problem is that my new paddock boots have VERY rough, ribbed rubber-ish soles and paired with the rough stirrups pose a serious safety issue. Like… I can’t get my foot out without reaching down with my hand and pulling!! Sooo. I bought rubber spray on coating and covered the tread of the stirrups…FIVE coats and they are still sharp as Pyranna teeth.

So this evening I took my Dremmel grinder and knocked the tops off the sharp teeth of the rubber pads. They still have bumps, but not as sharp!! Anybody else have this issue??? Alternative solutions???

I also took the Dremmel to my soot covered “old” stirrups and they polished up nicely. I bought new black rubber inserts for those, so I have a backup plan.

Surely I’m not the only one with this issue!!

[WNT]

I honestly cannot say I have run into that issue. That said, I ride in Ariats which do not really have an aggressive tread. I’ve known some people that will wrap the pads in the stirrup with a few spins of vetwrap for cushion/different grip.

[TC3200]

Prussian or “hunt” irons are still sold to saddleseat crowd. Try National Bridle Shop or Winner’s Circle or get used ones from Tack Solutions by Leslie.

Fillis stirrup pads vary widely in the amount of grip. Most of the pads I have here are pretty flat and not all that grippy. There’s certainly nothing about them that would interlock with boot treads. Regular pads sell for $5 or so now. Used to be half that 8 years ago, lol. Look at some regular pads in some tackshop.

[IPEsq]

I have never found the white pads to be very grippy, but if the boot tread is a lot of the problem, what about the sandpaper pads?

[crosscreeksh]

“Regular” pads don’t fit Fillis irons…I tried!! The foot part of the metal is too wide. I’m happy with my grinding. Just enough to remove the interlocking with the boots!! Also “reclaimed”, polished some of the older, fire, “cooked” stirrups and put new black pads in them. I’m happy!! Thanks.