How to Tie a Hamley Twist on a Stirrup

Hamley Saddlery of Pendleton, Oregon, invented the Hamley twist. It is a method of twisting the stirrup straps and then binding them in that twist to alter the direction of the stirrup. Normally, stirrups lie flat against the horse's flank, meaning you must maneuver your foot in an uncomfortable way to slip it into the stirrup. The Hamley twist makes that process much easier for the rider. With some practice, it is easy to learn how to bind your stirrups in the Hamley twist.

• 1

  Twist one side of the leather straps holding the stirrup to the saddle. Picture it as a belt, looped over on itself, just as your stirrup strap is looped around the stirrup. Take one of the loops of the stirrup strap and twist the top of it so the front side of that twist is touching the back side of the other loop.

• 2

  Check the shape of the twist to ensure that if bound in that exact spot, it would be at right angles to the saddle and the horse's body, meaning it would be easier to slide a foot into the stirrup when mounting the horse.

• 3

  Hold the twist in place, and with your other hand, place the end of one of the 24-inch long leather straps against the twisted stirrup straps at the topmost part. Twist the strap around the stirrup straps and over its own end to secure the end in place.

• 4

  Dab some leather glue on the 24-inch piece of leather strap between the end and the doubled-over stirrup strap to help secure it.

• 5

  Tie the strap of leather tightly around and around the twisted stirrup straps so it forms a cylinder casing around it from the topmost part to the bottom, about 1 inch from the stirrup strap itself, and holds the twist in place.

• 6

  Secure the end by threading it through itself in a knot and tucking the end underneath the leather strap casing just created. Apply leather glue underneath the casing onto the end of the leather strap to secure it there. Repeat the procedure on the second stirrup using the remaining 24-inch long leather strap.