The Ins and Outs of Stirrup Leathers
Stirrup leathers attach the stirrups to both the English and Western saddles and adjustable in length to fit the rider’s leg.
English Stirrup Leathers
Three types of English stirrup leathers available, traditional leather, lined or synthetic.
Traditional English Stirrup Leathers are made of leather strap and typically last a long time. One drawback to traditional leathers is they may stretch unevenly over time causing two different length leathers.
Nylon-lined stirrup leathers have a nylon inner core covered by soft leather. Although nylon help to inhibit stretch it prohibits you from punching holes or altering the length of the strap. Typically, the leather covering on a nylon-lined stirrup leather doesn’t wear as well as a traditional leather due to its thinner thickness.
English stirrup leathers can also be made from synthetic leather. Synthetic leathers are easy to maintain and clean and are very durable. Synthetic leathers may be used on leather saddles but have been known to overly wear the saddle leather or scratch it.
Standard English stirrup leathers are available with holes spaced at one-inch or half-inch intervals and are generally available in three widths, 1 inch, 7/8 inch and 3/4 inch. Which you choose is based on your preference.
The buckles on English stirrup leathers are a key feature as the buckle lays under the rider’s thigh. Traditional stirrup leather buckles are made of stainless steel and come in curved or flat. The curved design tends to fit into the stirrup bar area with less bulk and are the preferred design by some riders.