Stirrup bar came off - any experience with this?

[hillary_again]

Hello, A rider at my barn had her stirrup bar come off the tree while riding a month ago. It did not break - the rivets holding it to the tree sheared off (all 3 of them). She sent it back to the manufacturer, who told her that they have ~1 of these incidents per year. ??

Some info: the saddle is ~ 5 yrs old. This is a dressage saddle and the rider only uses it for flat work. It’s a very well known custom brand: new, this brand sells in the $5k range.

I did search on this on the forum pages, when it happened. I found some threads about cases where this happens as a result of the tree cracking. Per the factory, the tree is NOT cracked or damaged in any way. They apparently confirm that the rivets sheared off.

I am just incredulous about whole event. Does anyone have any experience about this type of failure? I will accept that I might just be uninformed!

[SWatson]

I’ve heard of the bar cracking and I’ve heard of the tree cracking thus causing a problem with the stirrup bars (as they are usually part of the tree itself) but this is the first I’ve heard of the rivets being sheared off - that is a serious issue IMO, and if I were the saddle owner I would be LIVID. That is a materials issue, i.e. quality control.

[DancingArabian]

Had this happen on a treeless saddle. Put my foot in the stirrup to mount and the rivets gave. Sent it to a leathersmith and he not only fixed it but reinforced both sides.

[sheltona01]

I have seen a few of them, however it is typically on old saddles.

[fourfillies]

I friend of mine had this happen to an Antares that was less than a year old. They gave her a loner and replaced the saddle.

[merrygoround]

I have seen it happen with one saddle. A good saddle maker can repair it. That usually entails shipping the saddle. Years ago I found some who repaired a tree . The gentleman, no longer with us, was outstanding at his work.

It would seem that the saddle maker is prepared to fix it for her.

[tinah]

I would be fit to be tied. I’m riding in a saddle older than me that works just fine with the occasional reflocking. And sometimes I gasp get on from the ground. 5k and the piece of crap can’t hold together long enough for my grandchildren to ride in? Y’all get on with your bad selves, I’d rather have working equipment.

[2DogsFarm]

@hillary again

manufacturer told her that they have ~1 of these incidents per year. ??

Sorry, I edited your post a titch, just because I am aghasted the Mfr is aware of the defect & apparently has done nothing to correct it. I don’t know what percentage of their sales 1X a year may be, but really?
At that price point I’d think they would, at the least, have considered replacing the supplier of the defective rivets!
And if they admit to the flaw, why not inform customers of any action to correct?

OP: do us a favor & provide the saddlemaker’s name.
I know it is one brand I’d be avoiding.

And as you asked:
The closest I’ve come to this type of Fail is when a bar failed to remain in the locked position & the leather slipped off.

[hillary_again]

Thanks for all your responses! @2DogsFarm, that is exactly what my response was. I think this is a dressage-centered brand, but I will get the details and post. I was stunned. Majorly scary!

[Jackie_Cochran]

To give you some perspective about how totally unacceptable this is:

Remember the super cheap Borelli (Argentina) saddles of the 1950’s & 1960’s, the ones with the spreading pommel plates? I had one, it was over 20 years old when it was thrown in with my first horse and I rode in it over 2 decades later. The stirrup bars stayed solid, solid, solid even though the pommel arch had spread. I jumped in this saddle.

I have a 47 year old Stubben Siegfried. The stirrup bars are still solid, solid, solid. I jumped in this saddle.

I have a 40 year old Crosby Wide Front. The stirrup bars are still solid, solid, solid. I jumped in this saddle.

In all the above saddles I jumped 3 1/2 feet several times weekly.

If this happened to me with a $5,000.00 saddle that is just 5 years old, if the saddle maker did not repair (for free, manufacturing defect) or replace the saddle, I would be taking pictures and spreading the word all around the World Wide Web.

This is the quality I would expect from a saddle that cost $50.00 new (in today’s dollars), NOT a custom made $5,000.00 saddle. PLEASE give us the brand name and the maker of this saddle.

[Scribbler]

@Jackie Cochran

To give you some perspective about how totally unacceptable this is:

Remember the super cheap Borelli (Argentina) saddles of the 1950’s & 1960’s, the ones with the spreading pommel plates? I had one, it was over 20 years old when it was thrown in with my first horse and I rode in it over 2 decades later. The stirrup bars stayed solid, solid, solid even though the pommel arch had spread. I jumped in this saddle.

I have a 47 year old Stubben Siegfried. The stirrup bars are still solid, solid, solid. I jumped in this saddle.

I.

Slight tangent, first time I’ve heard anyone mention a Borelli!

I bought one circa 1975, got good hard use out of it for 5 years, then hauled it out of my mother’s basement 35 years later and donated it to my friend’s lesson program. My old horse and the horse who wears it now were both 14.2 with low withers. So if the pommels spread we possibly wouldn’t notice.

Is there anything we should be watching for?

I do agree, the Borelli was totally an entry-level saddle for its day, I think it cost $150 new, and really it doesn’t look that bad in the tack room (which also has a few 40 year old Passier and Stubben).

[Jackie_Cochran]

When I got my first horse the NEW Borelli jumping saddles (with knee rolls) went for $89.00 USD with a linen girth, Never-rust stirrups and Argentine stirrup leathers, a beginner’s package deal.

At the same time the type of Borelli I had (old English hunt seat, no knee rolls) cost around $69.00 USD with the same fittings.

These Borelli’s were considered really, really, really cheap saddles, with pretty poor leather. They did improve the spreading pommels after my Borelli was made.

It is really amazing that these saddles were usable after decades of use in the riding schools.

[SWatson]

I’m with you, JC.
I have a Pariani from the 1980’s and my last trainer asked me to sell it to him for his schooling saddles as it was incredibly well-balanced and though it was a pancake (which I actually prefer), it was perfect for jumping/positioning over higher fences. I decided to keep it, and after reading this as well as multiple other stories regarding quality control issues in the current saddlery market, I am relieved I kept it. It’s ugly as hell, but it does its job.

I will say the last custom saddle I had before buying this cheapie was really amazing - it was a County and perhaps it was due to the fitter, but I had an awesome experience. This was in the early 2000’s, though.

If I had to purchase a “new” saddle now, I’d be stumped. Between the price inflation as well as workmanship issues, it would make my head spin. I think I’d just look for an old Crosby PDN and have done with it.

[x]

I saw rivets shear and a stirrup bar come off, but it was on an older made in England saddle…

[NancyM]

Amazing. Crappy workmanship in “new” and “expensive” saddles. Who’da thought???

I wonder how much you have to pay for a “new” saddle these days in order to get one that doesn’t fall apart within a few years of light use?

I have a Courbette Stylist, bought new in 1979. It’s a pancake type saddle, just what I like. I have jumped some big courses in it, up to 5’ at one point. Since I am old now, I don’t usually jump that size any more, at least, not often any more (but occasionally). I had the billets replaced a couple years ago. It’s had a LOT of use.

I have a Crosby Olympic, it was probably built around 1985, I bought it used a few years ago, for $400 complete. It hadn’t had a lot of use, and had been in storage for about 25 years. It has very small knee rolls, but a flat seat. Fits my wider built horses, though officially it’s a medium. Typical Crosby.

I have a Passier Century, which I just bought last fall. It was built in 1992 I think. I paid $200 for it, stripped. It has a bit of a deeper seat, and no padding in the flaps, very nice. In pristine condition.

Amazingly, none of these saddles have fallen apart, nor has had a stirrup bar fall off.

A well built saddle should last at least 50 years, if not longer. Don’t ride in crappy built saddles, your life depends on the quality of your saddle. Don’t get sucked in by marketing, or by what is “in style” at the moment.

I’d send this saddle back to the maker and tell them to cram it up their arse, sideways. Or, if you have no conscience, have the company fix it for you or replace it for free, and sell it to someone else at an anonymous tack sale, someone who thinks they are getting a “great deal”. And go looking for a saddle that is built to stand the test of time.

[SWatson]

LOVE old Passier saddles!

Why did the pancake go out of “style”?

[halt]

i had this happen on an older (~15 y/o) Kieffer - the tree is unaffected, but the stirrup bar broke… apparently it cost more to replace the stirrup bar than it would to replace the saddle

what kind of saddle was yours? i’d consider a brand new saddle that broke like that to have a major defect… and i would not trust their word the tree was unaffected if they have a history of trees breaking at the same time…

[Scarlaw]

Hi all - guess what…just had EXACTLY this issue happen to me yesterday. Custom Icon Flight dressage saddle, immaculately cared for and ridden only by me since new for the last 4.5 years. On the wrong horse, it could have been disastrous.

Needless to say, I am absolutely choked and sending it back to Custom this week, with the hopes that they will do the right thing. Like all of you, I’ve been riding for 25 years and never even heard of this much less seen it.

I will I’ll post a follow up when I get more info - right now, I’m putting my faith that they will stand behind their product. Fingers crossed!

At the same time - please let us know what happened with your friend’s saddle - if it was the same company, there could be a flaw in those rivets.

[hut-ho78]

I would like to know the brand and model as well. I have a TexTan circa 1987 General Purpose, a Stubben Romanus Dressage saddle circa 1991, a Stubben Genesis Dressage saddle circa 2008, all of which have no problems with the tree or stirrup bars. I also have a used Schleese circa 2008 purchased about 3 years ago that had a problem with the tree that Schleese replaced no charge except shipping. Finally, I have a Dover Circuit Premier DX Dressage saddle recently purchased.

I am very concerned to hear of stirrup bars breaking.