I’m looking for new stirrup leathers - first dressage pair I’ve bought; any recommendations? Thoughts on the wide or single strap leathers? Pros/cons?
I bought my first pair of webbers because my new saddle doesn’t have a keeper for the tail of the leathers. I like them more than I though I would
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This is such a personal preference thing…you will probably end up trying different types of leathers over a period of time before you find what works best for you.
I happen to like narrow, supple half hole leathers for the adjustability and unobtrusiveness. I tried webber once and quite liked them but couldn’t find any in half hole style.
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I absolutely love my Bates webbers. They are nylon lined and the buckle doesn’t go all the way through so it holds well. I did buy them 8+ years ago, so would look to make sure that still applies if ordering again.
If you get webbers at the wrong length for your leg, they are horrible. So if you try some and they hurt, try shorter or longer!
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I’ve recently changed to the LeMieux Vector Pro leathers on both my dressage and jump saddles and really like them the buckle minimizes bulk under the leg, and the inside is kind of a suede so they stay in place and kind of disappear under my leg. I’m hoping they’ll hold up and not stretch too much.
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Thank you for your detailed description!
I have the stability leathers from Total Saddle Fit-- I found them at a consignment store for less than $20 almost brand new. They retail for almost $200 which is a lot but last time I looked them up there were a few places selling them for ~25% discount.
I really like them. The end of the leather with holes in it and the length that is closest to the saddle is a soft lined nylon. The wider part isn’t lined but it is thick enough that it won’t stretch. It’s almost as thick as my (very worn) saddle flap but doesn’t feel bulky at all. I don’t notice the buckle under my thigh although I think you can get them in the monoflap design, too. I swap my left and right leathers occasionally just as part of my tack cleaning routine but I’ve never noticed one stretched more than the other, and I’ve been riding in them almost 5 years. I like them enough that I migrate them to my different saddles for different horses, so they get used multiple times/day most days.
@Jackie_Cochran I see your posts about making riding easier on your body-- I definitely think the TSF leathers do as their advertised as far as adding stability to the leg. I added a pair of wide-tread stirrups to them and I think it makes a big difference in how easily I can find my balance, especially on the young horses or sitting a big spook.
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I LOVE my Kavalkade Supple Stirrups leathers! They along with my MDC irons keep this older DQ very happy!
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