Have any of you ever made stirrup straighteners?

[Yip]

I sure don't want to spend the big bucks these contraptions cost in shops or catalogs.

Have any of you with Western saddles had any luck making your own?

If not - have you tried things that didn't work? I need your goofs too, please.

And really if not - how does one turn brand new leathers? I remember something about a broom handle through both stirrups - but what do you use to soften the leather?

Thanks for any info you have. Even if I don't keep the new saddle, it will sell easier with truned stirrups so I plan to try.

[Kit]

I've never even heard of stirrup straighteners.

Turning leathers is really quite easy. Wet the fenders (I put warm water in a spray bottle and spray the underneath side, some people dunk the whole thing) then turn then and put a broom handle thru the stirrups until the leather is dry.
I have found the higher quality the saddle, the easier they are to turn, and the longer they stay turned.
I have one saddle I need to do about once or twice a year. One saddle I've only needed to do once, and my show saddle came pre-turned and has never needed to be redone.

[Yip]

The pricey things I'm speaking of are like double metal bars or something to that effect.

www.countrysupply.com/products/sku-WPX20.html



The rounded bar on top goes through the bottom of the fender/leather. Then the stirrup itself rests on top of the funny looking bar. The fenders remain straight but the stirrups are automatically facing the correct way for the3 foot - perpendicular to the horse's side..

Thank you for the help with the broomstick method - it's just what I was looking for.

[Kit]

Ahhh, those things. I've seen them, just never had the need to try them. If I got those, it'd would totally mess up my stirrup length. LOL

[janepain at work]

I bought a pair of these from Country Supply and use them on my new Circle Y - because I have major problems with my left knee - I love them! No more pain when I ride! The trick is learning to mount - not a problem when you get used to them.

And it did create havoc trying to get stirrup length correct! Just had to adjust, get on, get off, adjust, etc.!

My thoughts - well worth the money!

I have a Billy Cook saddle that came with factury turned stirrups/fenders - absolutely the nicest saddle I've ever ridden in - no knee pain at all! I actually bought it used off ebay, it was about a year old - got it for half the price of a new one!

[Trailpal]

I got a pair of those - but haven't ridden in them yet. The saddle I got them for goes to my very pg horse whom I'm not riding for now.

I figured they'd screw up the leather length, so here's what I did:
BEFORE putting on the straighteners, I took a piece of binder twine and held the knotted end where the fender leather went thru the tree, and made a knot at the bottom of the stirrup. Now I knew the distance that matched my leg!

THEN I took out the stirrup, put in the straightener, and used my knotted twine to figure out how high to take the fender. I think it worked out to be about 3 holes, but I don't remember.

It should work, I'll find out this weekend when I use my saddle on a friend's horse. Here's some photos of Loverboy modeling the saddle after the straighteners:


BTW, they were less than a year's supply of Ibuprofen! I didn't think they were that expensive - I shopped around online.

[tlcbouv]

DH & I both got new western saddles this spring, from a saddle maker you can wet the stirrups but DO NOT DUNK THE SADDLE, you can twist the tree. I use a softening cleaner I got from the saddle maker that I love, I will get the name for you tomarrow as I can not remember it. We put them on saddle racks and turn out stirrups with a 2x2. Just remember to take the pole out before you try to lift it off the saddle rack.

[Biglars]

I just purchased a pair of the metal straighteners. Once they are put on the appear to be very functional. Once I started riding with them found them very uncomfortable. They keep bumping my ankle and is painful. Quickly took them off, wetted them done and put a broomstick handle to turn them.

[snelson]

I have always used a broom handle and left it to turn the stirrups. Of course it took some time because I never dampened the leather (that would work faster!) On my cheaper saddle I put the handle in from the beginning and every time it was on the rack. My Billy Cook came pre-turned and has not had to be redone and I bought it in 08. I bought the Cashel about 6 months or so ago...it was not preturned. The barn manager uses a length of 4x4 so I used that for about a week when I wasn't riding. Turned them nicely and they have stayed. It is made of good quality leather so it holds it shape. I am sure there is science behind the straighteners and they can explain to you why they are better ( for your joints etc) but so far the method I have used has worked for me. My cheaper saddle would make my knee hurt...I don't have that problem in either of my current saddles.

[snelson]

wow...just noticed this thread is from 2005