Looking for the perfect saddle stirrups is like looking for a needle in a hay stack. Find out about the variety of Austrian saddle stirrups available in the market and the factors that should help you decide which one you need.
The manufacturing of saddles in general is an age old practice in Austria. Over the years the country has managed to develop its expertise in the field and is now recognized as the world leader in the production of saddles. Austrian saddle stirrups are particularly noted for their quality and diversity in terms of the models that they have to offer. As a result they have become the bench mark of quality when measuring the worth of a saddle stirrup.
Which stirrup do you need?
Many people are unaware about how to decide which stirrup they need. In fact most people just go with the stirrups attached to their saddles without knowing what real difference it makes. The basic distinction in saddle stirrups comes in the aspect of function. Your choice of a particular saddle stirrup will depend upon your purpose. Hence if you are a team roper you will ideally want to go for a Western stirrup. Alternatively a dressage rider would opt for English stirrup irons.
To start off with you should look at the particular horse riding activity that you are involved in. You will be able to find many different styles within one category of riding as well. For example English saddles are available with flexible stirrups, standard stainless steel irons, brass irons and even offset-eye stirrups. Your decision should be based on the qualitative features of the product.
Major concerns when choosing saddle stirrups
Safety is one of the major concerns for riders. Hence you should opt for a saddle stirrup that offers you utmost safety. There are different kinds of safety features for young and amateur riders as well as professionals that you can choose from.
Joint comfort is another important factor that you ought to take into consideration when making the choice. This is because you want to be comfortable when you are riding. An uncomfortable riding position will effect your skills hence it is imperative to have something that complements your position on the horse.
For some people tradition too plays an important role in determining the kind of saddle stirrup they will buy. Last but not least you also have to consider the price range of the different kinds of saddle stirrups. Are you willing and able to pay the price for the added feature? This is something that your pocket will decide. In the end you would want to settle for something that looks right as well as feels right and falls within your budget.
Making the right choice can be a difficult task given the fact that Austrian saddle stirrups are available in a wide range of varieties. The good thing is that they are divided according to different categories. In this way your search is narrowed down as you will be looking into the category of your concern only. For example the two major divisions are English and Western stirrups. There are however many options that fall under the umbrellas of these two categories as well.
