Stirrups

Safety! Safety! It is a mundane statement, but safety must come first when riding your horses, no matter how experienced the rider is or how obedient the horse is. Well, when it comes to safety, the stirrups are a man’s ‘best friend’.

They keep your leg in place while riding and offer you a good grip. Moreover, they encourage a good position too. But what exactly are these? Well, a stirrup is a light frame that holds your foot while riding. You attach them to the saddle by a strap, and you often call it the ‘stirrup leather’. Also, this equipment comes in pairs that you can mount on both sides of the horses. This aids mounting and acts as a support while using a riding animal. By the way, you can use these stirrups in various sectors. Construction is just one of them apart from riding horses. Nevertheless, today in this article, we are going to explore everything you need to know about these stirrups, their types, and a few tips to help you choose the right.

The various types of safety stirrups

The safety stirrups are the kind of invention that changed the face of the world. They have popped up in various forms at many different places all around the world. However, horses have been domesticated much before these braces came in. Well, none of it matters now, as you’ll find several types in the market now. Moreover, each one of them has its particular characteristics, functions and purposes. This is also one of the primary reasons why picking out a perfect one becomes an arduous task. However, there is a solution to this. You need to have product knowledge in abundance. And that’s precisely what you’ll find below – their significant brands and types in detail.

The free jump stirrups

These stirrups are the top of the range and the most sophisticated ones that money can buy. Moreover, it has had a space-age look to them. But, of course, the advanced designs keep in mind your safety. If you are an ardent horse rider, you would know that these resemble the old elasticated sides of the stirrups. To be precise, these braces have an outer arm that is designed to completely snap in case you fall.  Hence, you can place confidence in the product for the fact that your foot will not get caught when you fall. Moreover, it is angled to swing back towards your foot. Above all, the footbed of these stirrups is much wider than any others.

The composite stirrups

If you want to experience the benefits of the ‘iron innovation’ without a hefty price tag, then these stirrups must be your first choice. One of the primary reasons they are popular is because they let you – the riders, enjoy a more affordable wide-tread stirrup. Moreover, they come in lightweight and high-tech polymer. Compositi is one of the best brands that use lightweight yet durable DuPont polymer to design stirrups. While some of these brace models have rubber pads, the models of Compositi feature the same polymer on foot and grippy grooves. This, in turn, helps you have a good grip and prevents your boots from sliding around.

The adjustable stirrups

Indeed, not all stirrups may fit everybody. That’s when these adjustable ones become a handy choice. In other words, these adjustable braces are a great choice for any rider. That’s because they help you put the stirrups in the ideal position for your particular body. For instance, you can place the braces in forward, centred or balanced positions. And if you are a dressage rider, then this equipment is vital for safety. Above all, it comes with a quick adjustable buckle that enables you riders to rapidly and precisely adjust the height of your stirrups to the saddle with very little distraction. Hence, it provides a great advantage to equestrian sports.

The classic English stirrups

These English braces haven’t changed much over the years. For instance, you may find an older saddle in which the English stirrup has an oval bottom. And today, still you find a saddle with the oval bottom stirrup, but covered with rubber pads. These pads have a tread that provides the rider with a good grip while riding. Of course, you’ll find a few more variations of these types. Their improved designs relieve and prevent any ankle and leg pain. This type of braces is known as off-set stirrups. You’ll find another variation to this. In that, you turn the stirrup so that it sits sideways against the horse rather than being flat. With this unique feature, you can pick up the stirrup if you are lost easily.