Stirrup preference

[ChestnutArabianMare]

What kind of stirrups do you prefer on your western saddles? I bought a used Simco off eBay that came with rawhide covered plastic stirrups that have some wear and I’d like to replace them soon. It’s a medium oil saddle, and it would be great if the stirrup could at least sort of match the saddle.

They’ll be used for mostly trail riding, but also possible showing, so I would prefer something that looks a little more traditional. I have used aluminum stirrups in the past and find them very uncomfortable (I have a bad ankle).

[TheHunterKid90]

I’m all about wooden stirrups! Don Orrell and Nettles are 2 of my favorites…super comfy. Figure out whether you like a wide bottom or a narrower one…everyone’s preferences are different!

[Bluey]

I like the weight of the heavier aluminum stirrups with a wider bottom we have today.
When you have very short legs and so as long fenders as reasonable, heavier stirrups stay in their place better without needing to work hard at it trying to put much weight on them.

Most of my stirrups have been plain wood leather covered ones.
That is what used to come with most better saddles decades ago.

[beau159]

I barrel race so I exclusively ride in aluminum stirrups with a pad on the bottom, like these.

[cutter99]

My ranch cutter saddles have aluminum oxbow stirrups on them, which I love for working cattle, but find them not quite as comfortable when we are trail riding for longer periods. I bought a Circle Y trail saddle that has rawhide covered bell stirrups on it, which are comfortable. I have a pair of wide flat bottom wooden stirrups I will put on a saddle when my husband rides, and they are also comfortable.

I have been trail riding lately in Ariat Terrain boots, and I don’t like to ride in a more narrow stirrup when I wear them because I have a fear of hanging up a foot in the stirrup.

I would love love a pair of Nettles with my initials branded in them, but may have to wait for a major life event for them!

@Bluey Do you have a picture of your wider aluminum stirrup?

[bugsynskeeter]

Nettles.

[goodhors]

Bluey, do you find the aluminum stirrups leave “tarnish” on your horses sides? I have seen aluminum leave marks on horses before, wondered if the stirrups now are sealed or not, to prevent rub-off. No one ever mentions tarnish, so I wondered of th problem had been fixed in modern times. Or if you only learn about it AFTER horse is wearing tarnish, like in the old times of aluminum bits.

I have a pair of engraved with crystal sparkles, aluminum stirrups left from DD and her 4-H games riding. I thought to use them trail riding, they could double as a signal device if I get lost! Ha ha l hand sewed leather over the stirrup inside, so it would not leave tarnish on the horse while she rode him. Only the engraved side is uncovered, not goung to be touching the horse at all. Nice to hear about the added weight. I will look out for that while saddling or unsaddling. Bad enough to have a leather covered stirrup slip to clunk you!

[Bluey]

@goodhors

Bluey, do you find the aluminum stirrups leave “tarnish” on your horses sides? I have seen aluminum leave marks on horses before, wondered if the stirrups now are sealed or not, to prevent rub-off. No one ever mentions tarnish, so I wondered of th problem had been fixed in modern times. Or if you only learn about it AFTER horse is wearing tarnish, like in the old times of aluminum bits.

I have a pair of engraved with crystal sparkles, aluminum stirrups left from DD and her 4-H games riding. I thought to use them trail riding, they could double as a signal device if I get lost! Ha ha l hand sewed leather over the stirrup inside, so it would not leave tarnish on the horse while she rode him. Only the engraved side is uncovered, not goung to be touching the horse at all. Nice to hear about the added weight. I will look out for that while saddling or unsaddling. Bad enough to have a leather covered stirrup slip to clunk you!

If your stirrups leave tarnish, how about wrapping some vetrap on them where they may hit your horse, or any sort of tape, to keep them from touching your horse?

[goodhors]

Mine don’t leave tarnish because they are leather covered against the horse. I just wondered about other folks aluminium stirrups tarnishing their horses in these modern times.

[beau159]

@goodhors

do you find the aluminum stirrups leave “tarnish” on your horses sides?

Nope. Never noticed anything.

Of course, one of my horses is a dark grey but the other is a red roan and there are no marks on him.

[goodhors]

@beau159

Nope. Never noticed anything.

Of course, one of my horses is a dark grey but the other is a red roan and there are no marks on him.

Thanks for the information. Glad they got that fixed since “the old days.”

[Montanas_Girl]

@Bluey

I like the weight of the heavier aluminum stirrups with a wider bottom we have today.
When you have very short legs and so as long fenders as reasonable, heavier stirrups stay in their place better without needing to work hard at it trying to put much weight on them.

Ditto Bluey’s preference for heavy stirrups to keep them from flopping around for those of us with short legs. Most of mine have been leather-covered wood, not aluminum, but I do like the look of the wider ones shown on this thread.

I also second @cutter99 when it comes to oxbows not being very comfortable. I also tend to ride in Ariat Terrains, and I like to know that I can easily get my foot out of the stirrup in an emergency. I have pretty small feet (7.5), but I still feel a little claustrophobic in oxbows. I also like a wider, flatter foot bed than the curved oxbows provide.