Set back stirrup bars

[shelby]

What are peoples thoughts on set back stirrup bars

The Fhoenix and the Isabell are two of the well known saddles that have them. What others have them?

Do people agree with the theory that they put you in a balanced position and thats why they are like that or does the 'cant open my hips enough and feel like Im tipping forward' thing negate this?

 

[Joyscarer]

Yes I certainly agree that the placement of stirup bars has a lot do do with poor position.

I Used to have a wintec vsd and my position was so much better on that because I didn't have to think about keeping my legs back under me as they naturally fell there.

 

[Yann]

They do make it easier to sit in a correct position. However they're not so good if you like hacking, fast work and jumping, many people seem to struggle with them for that.

 

[Wally]

I foudn, wjhen teaching that many folk had got so use to a chair seat, forced there by badly designed saddles, that when they got into a saddle with set back bars they flet they were tipping forwards.

If you have a rider who is not used to them combined with a horse on his forehand it can make for a very unsafe feeling ride.

With a rider who is able to open up at the hips and drop the leg down, on a well schooled balanced horse it can make a hige difference.

BUT, it sometimes takes a while to re educate your muscle groups.

 

[Iron Maiden]

Hmmm it depends...

I've ridden in a Fhoenix and it felt great, my leg position felt really good and it was dead comfy. On the strength of this I bought a Heather Moffett Easisit, but it didn't suit me, the stirrups felt like they were set too far back so it tipped me forward & I felt as though I couldn't use my legs. Now I have a Thorowgood Heather Moffett dressage saddle, which I really like - it doesn't pull my legs are far back as the Easisit, it's dead comfy and my RI reckons it does help my position/seat.

So IME set back stirrups can work well, but I would advise you to try before you buy