My niece requested aluminum stirrups for her birthday. I told my sister I would get them for her, but I've NEVER EVER had any experience with them. Not even any of my friends. Are there any pro's and con's?I just want to make sure she isn't going to cause any damage..on anything..I doubt that they would though. I mean from what I've read they only weigh about 2lbs. WOW I started babbling in that last sentence..Thanks in advance.
The aluminium stirrups are the lightest stirrups that you will find. i have used them for years on the trail and i love them . They will not bump against the horse and spook him any more than leather stirrups will...i don't know where the poster got that idea from. if you are getting them trail, they come with the soft inner cushion which really helps on the all day riding. i can't see any cons about the aluminium stirrups. pro...light weight, sturdy, will stand up to normal wear and tear. safe, comfortable. reasonably priced. etc etc.
Well, they'd be a nice touch to a saddle that has some silver conchos. I'm not sure if they'll rust or not, but they'd be a lot easier to manage if they got wet as opposed to leather. They might get dented. But, the leather ones get worn out! I'm not sure... if she asked for them, then I'd say go ahead! If they weren't good quality, then I'm sure no one would be selling them.
Pro: they can be lighter (check em first, to be sure they are) Cons: when you are carrying your saddle, they might hit each other or hit the buckles and make a cow bell sound. Other than that, what kind of damage are you thinking that they'll make? I used to use leather bound stirrups and got the crooked stirrups now...they're alluminum and I have not had any trouble with them at all.
Check the weight carefully-- sometimes aluminum stirrups can actually weigh more than regular stirrups. Check the size-- stirrups are actually different sizes. You need the size that is the width of your niece's boot, plus one inch. You can go a little bigger than that, but going smaller can be a safety issue. Avoid stirrups that have a narrow 'neck', since that can also pinch and catch your niece's foot. I'm not sure what your niece wants them for-- if she is going to compete in barrels, then weight might be less important than durability. Also, this part is just my personal opinion, but if she is going to be showing western pleasure, then give the shiny stirrups a pass. Any little foot movement will result in a twinkling that the judge can easily see and dislike.
