Stirrup Safety

Do you have children who ride?  Are you an adult, perhaps a novice or someone returning to riding after a long riding layoff?  Do you have a somewhat spooky or green-broke horse?

Then you probably think about safety when riding!  As a mother of two boys who spent a lot of time horseback, I know balancing fun and safety is a big concern.  As an adult rider who doesn't “bounce” very well anymore and doesn't like long, injury-related riding layoffs, I prefer to stay as safe as possible!

This will sound counter-intuitive, but stay with me a few minutes.  When someone takes a fall from a horse, the best possible outcome is just that – to fall off and quickly separate from the horse.  The undesirable result of a fall is to get hung up in the stirrups.  You can promote that best possible outcome though your choice of footwear and the type of stirrups you use.  Why not stack the odds in your favor?

Like any other sport, bumps and bruises will happen when people ride.  The objective of this article is to offer alternatives so riding is a safe and enjoyable activity for you.  I'll explain footwear and stirrup options to promote safe riding, and I'll also make recommendations based on my own personal experience.  These tips are written with all riders in mind.  Where appropriate, I will highlight issues that especially apply to children as well.  At the end of the article, I'll list  some sources for safety stirrups (although not an all inclusive list). 

Now, on to the good stuff!

FOOTWEAR

Recommendation:

The best type of footwear for riding is a boot with a heel, and a somewhat firm, hard sole.  Western boots, paddock boots, and high English riding boots all work well, although there are other alternatives available as well.  The key is to stick with a heel and firm sole.

Reasoning:

The heel of the boot prevents the rider's foot from sliding all the way through the stirrup.  The hard, smooth sole prevents the rider's foot from sticking to the bottom of the stirrup, or the tread.

Caution:

Avoid riding in crepe soled western boots, especially for children.  Although these are very comfortable boots, the crepe soles have a tendency to grip the stirrup – not what you want in case of an emergency.  NEVER ride in athletic shoes, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, jogging shoes, etc.  These are the most dangerous types of footwear for riding, as they both lack heels and tend to grip the stirrups rather than release them.

STIRRUPS

Recommendation #1:

Using a Western safety stirrup is one very good option.  The western safety stirrups fall into three categories:

        Sides of the stirrups are curved, promoting the stirrups to be released in the event of a fall.

        Tapaderos or caged stirrups, which involve a type of covering over the front of the stirrups.  This barrier prevents the rider's foot from slipping all the way through the stirrup.

        Mechanical breakaway stirrups, which are designed to tilt and release in an emergency.

Reasoning:

These stirrups either encourage the rider's foot to release the stirrup in an emergency, or they prevent the rider's foot from sliding too far into the stirrup.

Caution:

Check the fit of the rider's boot width to the stirrup.  Make sure the stirrup is not too narrow for the boot.  The boot should easily slide in and out of the stirrup (especially if there is a rubber tread on the bottom of the stirrup). There should also be room to pivot the ball of the foot on the tread of the stirrup.  This issue, boot width versus stirrups width, is likely a bigger issue with an adult rider than with a child.

Recommendation #2:

Using conventional Western roper stirrups is a good option.  A roper stirrup has a flat tread, and it is deep from the top of the stirrup to the tread.  This may be the most economical option, but there are some caveats (see Caution below).

Reasoning:

Because the stirrups are so deep, the rider's feet are likely to come loose easily in the event of a fall. 

Caution:

ALWAYS ride in boots with good heels when using these stirrups, to prevent the boots from sliding through the stirrups.  The rider's boot should easily slide in and out of the stirrup (especially if there is a rubber tread on the bottom of the stirrup).

Recommendation #3:

For English riders, there are several good options for safety stirrups.  The stirrups fall into three basic types: 

        Peacock stirrups, which have an elastic band on the outside edge of the stirrup.  The band resembles a very thick rubber band, and the rubber band will come off to release the foot in an emergency.  The rubber band is replaceable, and replacements are easy to find.  These stirrups are very popular for use in children's lessons.

        Jointed stirrup irons have a type of hinge on both sides of the stirrup, just above the stirrup tread.  The joint itself is usually covered with a rubber sleeve.  In the event of a fall, the joints allow the tread of the stirrup to pivot or angle downward to release the foot.

        Curved safety stirrups have one side of the stirrup that is curved.  This allows the rider to easily kick his foot from the stirrup in an emergency.

Reasoning:

All of these stirrups promote releasing the foot from the stirrup.  Peacock stirrups are the best choice for children as they give the quickest release.  Jointed irons or curved safety stirrups are most accepted in the show ring as they are more traditional in appearance.  If you will use safety stirrups while you are showing, check the regulations with your specific organization.

Caution:

Inspect peacock stirrups frequently to make sure elastic bands are in good condition.  Inspect jointed stirrups frequently to make sure joints are functioning properly, and will release when needed.  The rider's boot should easily slide in and out of the stirrup (especially if there is a rubber tread on the bottom of the stirrup).

STIRRUP SOURCES

eBay.com – many types of English safety stirrups.

horse.com – Escape Breakaway Stirrups, mechanical safety stirrups.

sidestepsafetystirrups.com – mechanical safety stirrups.

chickssaddlery.com – Western Safety Aluminum Oxbow Stirrups, tapadero stirrups.

saddleuptack.com – Toe Stoppers to attach to your stirrups, tapadero stirrups.

doversaddlery.com – English safety stirrups, jointed stirrups.

~ Ann Pepon, A Bar D Equestrian

This article has been provided by our sponsor A Bar D Equestrian where trail riders go for saddles. www.saddleupnride.com

Below: The Officers Model by Timberline