Parts of an English Saddle: Stirrup Bar and Stirrup Leathers

This photograph shows a black dressage stirrup leather attached to the stirrup bar of an english saddle. This page describes these pieces of saddle parts, but for instructions on how to attach an english stirrup leather to an english saddle, click on the words.

This photo shows what is concealed under the “skirt” of an english saddle. When mounted, the skirt is the piece of leather directly under the upper thigh of the rider. The most important piece of equipment concealed by the skirt is the stirrup bar. The stirrup bar is a solid piece of metal securely attached to an english saddle’s tree and is the piece to which the stirrup leathers attach. Good saddles have a stirrup bar recessed into the saddle so when the buckle of the leather rests on the bar, there is no lump created under the rider’s leg.