I think you guy's have pretty much nailed it. I ride a Wade saddle and flat bottom stirrup's when riding out most of the time. However, I also ride Oxbow's under certain cercumstance's. IME oxbow's are great for situation's when you want to keep your stirrup's ( riding young horse's or when showing at cutting or reined cowhorse). The caveat is that you really want to be careful of the type of footwear you have on. I ride leather soled boot's with high heel's when riding Oxbow's. When riding flat bottom stirrup's, yoy have more lattitude. Rubber soled boot's ( especially of certain style's) tend to me to lock your foot too securely into the stirrup.
