Cavalleria Toscana CT Stirrup Cover Cotton Black (9999)

Slide the covers on after you have run the stirrups up, and take them off again before you mount. Use two, even when only one side comes against a wall or against another saddle. Shake the sand and hair out before you put them away, because grit between fabric and leather does the rubbing itself. If the cover has gone dirty or dusty, it may go in the machine: 30 degrees or cooler, gentle programme and inside out. Not in the tumble dryer and not under the iron — let it air-dry flat. Store the covers dry; a damp cover on leather is not a good idea.

Choose this cover if your saddle goes out of the door regularly or is stored with the stirrups run up, and if you want to be able to wash it without guessing: for this item the composition and the washing instruction are settled. That holds for every discipline, from dressage and showjumping to hacking for pleasure. If you would rather have the CT Academy version in brushed cotton, that is the other Cavalleria Toscana item in our range; for that one the brand publishes neither composition nor washing instruction. If the whole saddle needs shelter from dust and damp, a saddle cover is the right item. And if it is about wear in the tread of the stirrup, what you need is a stirrup pad.

Run the stirrup up against the saddle and slide the cover from below over the tread and the two branches. Before you mount, you take it off again. Care: knock the sand and horse hair out and let the cover air-dry when it is damp. Washing may be done at 30 degrees or cooler on a gentle programme and inside out; do not bleach, do not tumble-dry, do not iron and do not dry-clean.

What does a stirrup cover actually do?

It slides over the run-up stirrup, so that the metal does not press directly against the leather of the saddle flap or rub across it.

May the cover go in the washing machine?

Yes. Cavalleria Toscana states: wash at 30 degrees or cooler on a gentle programme and inside out, do not bleach, do not tumble-dry, do not iron and do not dry-clean.

What is the fabric made of?

The main fabric is 65 % cotton and 35 % polyester.

Which stirrup does it fit?

There is one version and the manufacturer gives no dimensions. Over a classic dressage or jumping stirrup it usually goes smoothly; with an extra-wide tread or a differently shaped safety stirrup it can sit tight.

Can I ride with the cover on the stirrup?

No, take it off before you mount.

Do I get one cover or a pair?

The manufacturer does not state the unit of delivery. For two stirrups you need two.

What is the difference with the CT Academy stirrup protector?

That is a different item from the same brand. The CT Academy version is in brushed cotton and has no published composition or washing instruction; this version has both.

Does the cover protect my saddle from dust as well?

Only at the spot where the stirrup touches the saddle flap. For the whole saddle you need a saddle cover.

• Stirrup cover by Cavalleria Toscana, in black.
• Main fabric: 65 % cotton and 35 % polyester.
• Wash at 30 degrees or cooler, inside out, gentle programme.
• Keeps the stirrup metal off the saddle flap in transport and in storage.
• One version; the manufacturer gives no dimensions.
• Not meant to stay on the stirrup while you ride.