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Stability Stirrup leathers?

I would love to know if people are using and enjoying the Stability stirrup leathers from Total Saddle fit? Pros/cons? Do they do what they say they do? I must be in some algorithm circle bc they keep popping up on my facebook feed as an ad. :wink: Are they worth the $140? Thanks!!!

following. Iā€™d like to know too.

I have them on trial right now. First of all TSF has the best customer service and they offer a generous trial period. I like them so far-I do think they keep your leg quieter but arent a miracle fix. My major hesitation and reason why I am likely going to return them is that the wide part makes it so you can only make your irons so short. Right now I am one hole from not being able to make them any shorter and I donā€™t ride super short. I am only 5ā€™6 with a decently long leg for my height so I donā€™t think these will work for someone shorter than me.

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Thereā€™s a thread over in H/J that talks about some of the other brands (and TSF) too if you want to compare: https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/fā€¦irrup-leathers

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Thank you! I am new to the forums so am stumbling around a bit. Didnā€™t meant to have a repeat post, thank you for pointing me in the right direction!

No worries! Not everyone reads every forum so it would be easy to miss if you werenā€™t looking there.

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I bought some from TSF last fall. Like Jersey Fresh noted, I do think they help with stability/quieter leg position, but within reason. If someone is loose in the tack with a swinging leg and weak core, itā€™s not going to completely fix that. And if you already have a super solid leg, you might not notice that much of a difference. But I do like them and think they can be a nice tool.

I also ran into issues with the sizing. I got them for my dressage saddle but because I am barely 5ā€™1, I ordered the 48ā€Ā black jump leathers. However, I was close to the longest hole on those leathers and barely had any leftover to tuck into the keeper. Someone taller than me could not have used my saddle with those leathers. I used them twice to make sure I really liked the concept and then I shipped back to exchange for 54ā€Ā dressage leathers, which have worked well. TSF does have awesome customer service!

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I am rehabbing a weak knee, and I LOVE mine. That being saidā€¦ Gary Mundy made mine for under $100.

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How do I contact Gary Mundy? He made a pair of leathers for me years ago and the stretched almost immediately. Anyone else have that issue with them?

Iā€™ve had the Stability leathers for about a month now. I like them a lot. They seem well made. I was most interested in them because my lower leg, even with a half chap on, sometimes gets pinched by a regular leather. That problem has ceased with the Stability leathers. I think they do make the leg slightly more stable, but as someone above said, itā€™s not a miracle fix.

I needed new leathers anyway, and Iā€™m happy to have replaced them with the Stability leathers.

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The email I have for Gary is gleather@rtccom.net. He doesnā€™t make nylon-lined leathers so you will get some stretch, although I didnā€™t find it that bad. I think I might have had to go up a hole after a month or so of use.

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I have two pair! The first pair I bought (54") was fine on my jump saddle until I actually wanted to jump and then I was one hole from the top. So I moved those to the dressage saddle and bought a pair of 48" leathers. Now Iā€™m on hole 4 and the left over cannot reach the keeper. Oh well. My reason for wanting them was also being pinched by the narrower leathers. No more pinching. I do feel the are more stable and smoother/flatter under your leg. Now my complaint. The wide part is fine, but the narrow part seems to be covered in some weird ā€œpleatherā€ material. It peels off in ā€œflakesā€ from the leather leaving a lighter colored area exposed. Hard to see from a distance and it is hidden under your leg, but still at $140, you think they would use some quality leather. Iā€™ve attached a photo for you. These leathers were purchased in March of 2019 and I ride 3-4 days per week. Also, in the photo, that narrow piece is located under the wide piece - but it has happened the entire length of the narrow piece.

leathers.jpg

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Love 'em. I have two pairs - one for my jump saddle, one for my dressage. Echoing what everyone else said, theyā€™re not a miracle worker, but theyā€™re close to being a game-changer. that said, I do have a solid lower leg, but the added stability of these leathers is noticeable. Unlike hoofhearted, I do not have any issues with the leather dye wearing off, and I ride 4-5 times a week. Maybe you got a bad set? TSF is great about allowing you to return them in 30 days, and they pay for return shipping, so totally worth it to me.

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I bought the Ovation knock off versions. The leather quality is pretty mid-grade. i deep oiled them and put them on my trail riding saddle. I donā€™t really notice a difference in leg stability, but Iā€™m glad I paid $44 instead of $140. (Edited to add: I googled them up after I posted this and it looks like the MSRP is $109 so I got a pretty good deal on eBay.)

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My early ā€œgranola rootsā€Ā prevent me from using nylon lined stirrup ā€œleathersā€Ā. I do love my two pair of ā€œPlavinā€Ā from Millbrook. No more shin rubs. I do change the sides the leathers hang on the first day of the monthā€¦this also gives me a few minutes to check my saddle ā€”billets, flocking cracks.

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Has anyone found if they help out with bruising on your legs? Iā€™d always get horrific bruises and the occasioanl rub on my shins after jumping or galloping with conventional leathers.

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They really helped my legs!

I got a new saddle years ago, it came with nylon cored calf skin stirrup leathers. I ended up hating those leathers. I still have a lump on each shin bone where they crossed my leg, this is gradually, gradually, shrinking. Those leathers twisted so darn easily, I could not just put my foot in them without looking, first I had to make sure that a random breeze had not caused those darn leathers to twist. They would HURT after 15 minutes or so where they crossed my leg even when they were not all twisted up.

Once I bought the Millbrook stability leathers that were long enough for my leg, I could comfortably wrap the leathers across the front of my shin bones. Because my lower leg can LEAN on my leathers comfortably my lower leg is much more secure and stable. The pain has gone away and stayed away. I feel so much more comfortable using the Millbrook stability leathers.

I will never buy a pair of nylon cored stirrups again.

Yes, absolutely theyā€™ve helped by not producing rubs on my shins. I have found that to be the biggest benefit of the Stability leathers.

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I too get the bruise on my shins when XC or doing fitness days. What is the best way to measure for length? I ride with pretty short stirrups when jumping so want to get it rightā€¦

and what other versions are out there? Iā€™m just finding out about these via this thread.

Iā€™ve been looking into these to help with the rubs I get on my shins as well, but I want something that wonā€™t rub my calfskin saddle. Iā€™ve been looking at the CWD and Devoucoux versions, but Iā€™ve also heard the TSF seem to be pretty soft? Henry James seemed to make a lovely pair in calfskin, but it looks like they donā€™t carry them any longer. Gary Mundy wonā€™t make them (or anything) in calf and I just worry about my saddle.