A Blevins Buckle is an extremely dangerous and frequently difficult to adjust stirrup buckle, often mistakenly touted as a "quick-release" buckle. Comprised of two interlocking metal slides, if the parts of a Blevins Buckle are loose enough to adjust easily, the buckle tends to fall apart when in use, leaving the rider without a stirrup. If, on the other hand, the buckle parts bind enough to stay together, the buckle often becomes difficult or impossible to adjust, many times leaving the rider with no choice but to ride with improperly adjusted stirrups.

Photo by Bob Lemen. All rights reserved.