Bad knees and helpful western stirrups?

[craz4crtrs]

[QUOTE=craz4crtrs;7167389]
I just put my Walls lite twisted stirrups on my new saddle today. Will let you know what I think after a couple of rides. I called Walls direct and I even got my initials on them in pretty letters. :)[/QUOTE]

The results are in…the SA Walls Twister stirrups are just plain wonderful. They stay straight, no torquing of my feet or ankles, no knee pain. I need to drop them down another notch, back to riding with a longer leg.

So highly recommend them.

http://www.sawalls.net/pages/browse.php?cat=42

I looked for the Twisters without the rubber pads, just leather, but didn’t find them. So, I called Walls direct. They had them in stock, customized them with my initials and had them in less than a week. Very pretty.

The “right” and “left” markers were confusing, opposite than I expected. When I first put them on they were twisted too much and then swapped sides and perfect.

Let me know if you can’t see this.
https://sphotos-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1237098_10151636426036262_529157925_n.jpg

[Pocket_Pony]

Did you get the 2" or 3"? Glad you like them so well!

[craz4crtrs]

These are the 3 inch SA Walls Lite Twister stirrups without rubber pads.

https://sphotos-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/7670_10201156913378142_1106475786_n.jpg

[Trakehner]

[QUOTE=rhinestone_cowgirl;7136583]
I love the crooked/angled stirrups. I can trail ride for hours with those (although the ones I have are quite heavy).[/QUOTE]

I have a set of the Crooked Stirrups on my mule’s western saddle…they work great and are aluminum and not heavy at all. They really are more comfortable on the knees.

[DressageFancy]

[QUOTE=pAin’t_Misbehavin’;7135135]
I’ve been told that the fenders are what gets to your knees in a western saddle more so than the stirrups. I guess because if the fenders are a stiff leather it puts more stress on the knee trying to keep the stirrups turned the right way? I’ve always heard that’s the reason for putting a broomstick through your stirrups - to train the leather to bend that way.

Me, I ride in a synthetic saddle so my stirrups will turn whichever way I point them. If your aunt doesn’t already have a saddle, I recommend synthetic! Flexible fenders and they only weigh about as much as an english saddle.:yes:[/QUOTE]

Yes, the synthetic fenders were what let me continue riding before my knee replacement. Even if she already has a leather saddle she can replace the fenders (only) with synthetic ones.

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=craz4crtrs;7136533]
I have never cared for the EZ stirrups and tried the metal stirrup turners. They dug into my leg.

For foot and knee fatigue I think the angled stirrups are great. I have a borrowed saddle that had heavy and I mean heavy Crooked Stirrups on it and my feet and knees aren’t torqued anymore. I will buy an angled pair of lighter stirrups when my saddle comes it. Walls stirrups are pretty cool, too.

http://www.crookedstirrups.com/

http://www.sawalls.net/pages/home.php[/QUOTE]

Reviving this thread to see if anyone has tried both of these and has an opinion on which they like better? Got my new saddle (love it) but don’t like the laced bell stirrups. I knew I’d want to replace the stirrups but don’t know which to go with. FWIW my dressage saddle has double-offset stirrups that I like.

[hank]

Last summer I bought some Nettles stirrups with their Leveler product. You will have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands…

[spaceagejuliet]

Several suggestions:

1 Condition your fenders and store your saddle with a broomstick stuck into both stirrups. This will make sense when you do it, it twists the stirrups to point the way they need to when you ride, so it takes the pressure off your knees.

2 Cashell stirrup cushions. These worked wonders for me.

3 If you aren’t going to do #1, then get those EZ turn stirrup swivels that allow your stirrup to angle the correct way.