Another stirrup thread Compositi ellipse airpro

Cloball

Cloball

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Has anyone tried these?
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I'll be honest I went on the website to see what colours I could get reflexes in as I wanted blue ones to match my bridle 😅. Plus my current ones were second hand ones to try out. These caught my eye as an upgrade as they have an added safety feature, the tread is wider (by 4mm), and you can change the angle of the hole at the top which might help my errant toes. BUT they are pretty ugly even in a nice blue 😂 and I worry about the longevity, and they are more than 100 quid more expensive than the reflexes I am quite happy with (although they seem about the same price as they other fancier stirrups out there). My foot has been quite sore lately and I do need to talk to a surgeon about it 🤷

I'm tempted but am I being silly.
 
My ankles are not good and I broke one of them abot 20 years ago. I hack in Sprenger safety stirrups. I use the normal straight ones (not the bow balance). I bought them because our RI used them and she told me they would reduce the wear and tear on my elderly joints. I have my own leathers too. My stirrups live in my riding bag with my hat and gloves and I put them on the saddle of any horse I hack. I fit them on the saddle at random, so the holes in the two leathers get equally worn. They asre kept in our house so the springs have not rusted at all.
I need strong stirrups as I dismount using the left stirrup.
And I wanted to use normal shaped stirrups as when I ride at an RS for a lesson, I need to ride in whatever is provided.
I dont want a wide plate or anything sticky as I am scared that my foot might get caught in the stirrup if I fall, as once happened when I was bucked off a RS pony. I put balsom on my leathers, so they are easy to slip on and off the stirrup bars on RS saddles.

As for temptation. I think one should ride in what one feels happy with. And for price. I once bought cheaper look alike to Sprenger (in a larger size) and the springs were much looser, not the same at all.
However, times change. Show jumpers now ride in very expensive, safer stirrups and the H&H website has several reviews of modern more technical stirrups.
 
I don't get on with the sprenger style as my ankles are too wobbly as it is and the extra plantar flexion makes it worse and I have to grip with my toes and knees.

I've done it, I've bought some bright blue ones and will report back about how hideous they are 😅
 
Cloball said:
with the sprenger style as my ankles are too wobbly as it is
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Sprenger are not wobbly. The look alike ones are but not the genuine Sprenger.
As i said, I dismount cavalry style, I stand up with my left foot still in the stirrup and swing my right leg over to join it.

I know about the cheaper ones being wobbly as I once bought a pair to fit my larger winter boots. In the end I bought a second pair of Sprenger. If you live near me, you could always try mine.
 
I actually don't they are ugly, if they'd been a darker blue I might have been tempted myself!

Hope they work for you :) Sprenger's made my ankles worse & currently using a Le Mieux Vector's but would be interested how you get on with these, as I'm not 100% sold on them for longer hacks so could be tempted by something else.
 
Cloball said:
I don't get on with the sprenger style as my ankles are too wobbly as it is and the extra plantar flexion makes it worse and I have to grip with my toes and knees.

I've done it, I've bought some bright blue ones and will report back about how hideous they are 😅
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Skib said:
Sprenger are not wobbly. The look alike ones are but not the genuine Sprenger.
As i said, I dismount cavalry style, I stand up with my left foot still in the stirrup and swing my right leg over to join it.

I know about the cheaper ones being wobbly as I once bought a pair to fit my larger winter boots. In the end I bought a second pair of Sprenger. If you live near me, you could always try mine.
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ecb89 said:
I’m hyper mobile and didn’t realise how much I hated my sprengers until I got techs.
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As I posted on another thread ankles, if healthy, should be mobile in order to help the whole body function correctly. I don't recommend hinged stirrups such as the Sprengers as a general rule, however if you have reduced mobility in the ankles then they may be helpful. They ARE flexible, I found them "swimmy" to ride in an didn't like them at all, but they are contraindicated for the aforementioned reason AND because we rely on our feet for proprioception, critical in any physical activity. If the only contact we have that can give us real feedback on where we are in space (which feeds into entire body biomechanics) then having that base of support on something that's hinged/movable isn't ideal.

To say again, if someone already has some, and have found they help dodgy ankles, then fair enough, they work for you, but they have serious downsides.
 

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Interesting definitely can see this. As I've said before I've noticed a real positive difference with wider threads, I've converted my instructor too. I am interested to see if the angle of the leather hole will make much difference and I'll feel a little safer with the side arm if it works. A lot of technical stirrups don't put the depth of the tread in the specs which has put me off some.
 
I thought the point of the straight Sprengers was that they reduce the impact on ones ankles and presumably knees and hips too.
I was taught to keep my ankles flexible and my toes too, wriggling ones toes inside ones boots (in walk).
I and 85 and I learned to ride before there were these modern wide tread stirrups (except in Icelandic or Western) so, as yet, one has no peer group comparison. I can only report that I was advised to hack in Sprenger straight stirrups to reduce stress on my joints, I bought some and still hack in them 24 years later.
I was also told that it was canter (light seat) which could most stress one's ankles. I therefore resolved not to canter on two consecutive days. Since Covid lockdown I have only ridden once a week, but I usually canter and my Sprenger stirrups and my ankles are both fine.
 
Skib said:
I thought the point of the straight Sprengers was that they reduce the impact on ones ankles and presumably knees and hips too.
I was taught to keep my ankles flexible and my toes too, wriggling ones toes inside ones boots (in walk).
I and 85 and I learned to ride before there were these modern wide tread stirrups (except in Icelandic or Western) so, as yet, one has no peer group comparison. I can only report that I was advised to hack in Sprenger straight stirrups to reduce stress on my joints, I bought some and still hack in them 24 years later.
I was also told that it was canter (light seat) which could most stress one's ankles. I therefore resolved not to canter on two consecutive days. Since Covid lockdown I have only ridden once a week, but I usually canter and my Sprenger stirrups and my ankles are both fine.
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I can only report what I see, and what the biomechanics and tensegrity experts see as correct body function. I'm sorry if my comments don't make logical sense countering what you've been told, but to me it does, it's all about physical forces. If they work for you it's not because they're the best thing for most people, or even people with dodgy ankles, and certainly not the first go-to, too many downsides.

Glad they work for you and in those circumstances if I didn't have anything better for you to try then I'd say keep using them.

The ankles take strain if other joints aren't able to absorb movement and concussion so I'd be looking elsewhere, but obviously the older we get, the more "permanent" conditions and damage we have (and we're horseriders, there's bound to be a fair bit!) then the less "unravelable" it is....though never say never!
 
sbloom said:
I can only report what I see, and what the biomechanics and tensegrity experts see as correct body function. I'm sorry if my comments don't make logical sense countering what you've been told, but to me it does, it's all about physical forces. If they work for you it's not because they're the best thing for most people, or even people with dodgy ankles, and certainly not the first go-to, too many downsides.

Glad they work for you and in those circumstances if I didn't have anything better for you to try then I'd say keep using them.

The ankles take strain if other joints aren't able to absorb movement and concussion so I'd be looking elsewhere, but obviously the older we get, the more "permanent" conditions and damage we have (and we're horseriders, there's bound to be a fair bit!) then the less "unravelable" it is....though never say never!
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I recently got a pair of Safestyle 90 degree Stirrups after seeing your recommendation on here, and I really like them!
 
Nasicus said:
I recently got a pair of Safestyle 90 degree Stirrups after seeing your recommendation on here, and I really like them!
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Excellent! They really don't suit everyone, but they can make quite a difference if they do suit you. Anyone whose foot rolls slightly outwards and lacks contact under the big toe, but doesn't struggle with unstable feet (as the 90 degree eye doesn't work in this case) could well really get on with them. They come in three sizes and a composite lightweight version.
 
sbloom said:
I'm sorry if my comments don't make logical sense countering what you've been told, but to me it does,
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They dont make sense because the stirrups I ride in have kept me safe and comfortable. Your stirrups havent existed long enough for you to be able to make any comparisons with the stirrups used by riders now in the 70s or 80s.
 
I didn't say it to offend, but it's about how the human body works, and about 16 years of watching people ride, alongside my training in saddle fitting and biomechanics. It's nothing to do with "my" stirrups. I'm glad the hinged Sprengers work for you, but they don't help with many ankle issues; stirrups are expensive so I'm just trying to save people making expensive mistakes. The vast majority of my customers are recommended to go buy stirrups that I don't stock, if their own don't suit them. We have so many people saying that X is the wonder solution and I've seen so many customers go out and buy X and it doesn't work for them. Bit like the Fairfax girth that "everyone" raved about and now, 15 years later, there's been a huge turn away from them because the science isn't quite what they said/thought it was.
 
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hey @Cloball I just went to be influenced by you with a pair of these as it's payday and wanted to ask where you ordered your pair from? The Compositi website doesn't (currently??) have an option to ship to a UK address and I don't want to be cheeky, say Ireland, and have to then pay extra 😂

(I have emailed compositi, but just in case I'm missing a UK stockist!)
 
Ooo I think I bought mine through vestride which is a french company so I paid slightly more for shopping but might be cheaper inside the EU?
 
Cloball said:
Ooo I think I bought mine through vestride which is a french company so I paid slightly more for shopping but might be cheaper inside the EU?
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Excellent, thank you! ❤ I saw them on Vestride but had never heard of them before so good to know they're legit!

ETA even with extra shipping, still cheaper on Vestride than direct! At least it was when I noticed paypal trying to shaft me on the exchange rate and paid direct by card 😂

IM SO EXCITED might be here by Monday!!
 
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I'm really hoping you like them now @smolmaus 😅 I found vestride very good with communications as I didn't want the ones with studs in so emailed to check so I'm pretty sure they are legit. I also need a pic of the full matching outfit if you've got the bright orange ones 🤣
 
Cloball said:
I'm really hoping you like them now @smolmaus 😅 I found vestride very good with communications as I didn't want the ones with studs in so emailed to check so I'm pretty sure they are legit. I also need a pic of the full matching outfit if you've got the bright orange ones 🤣
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You know I got the bright orange ones! 😈

I need a new hat silk before I can do the full Everything Orange but it's coming!
 
I think I'm just paranoid, but I don't love the stirrups that are open like that. I feel like I'll catch myself (maybe dismounting) on them or something will get caught. I also think there's something weird about the weight distribution due to only one side being attached, but I'm a bit princess and the pea with some things!

If they work for you, then they work for you. I overthink the strangest of things 😅
 
smolmaus said:
You know I got the bright orange ones! 😈

I need a new hat silk before I can do the full Everything Orange but it's coming!
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I have an orange and royal blue hat silk now 🤣
CanteringCarrot said:
I think I'm just paranoid, but I don't love the stirrups that are open like that. I feel like I'll catch myself (maybe dismounting) on them or something will get caught. I also think there's something weird about the weight distribution due to only one side being attached, but I'm a bit princess and the pea with some things!

If they work for you, then they work for you. I overthink the strangest of things 😅
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I know what you mean and I was fully prepared to hate them. The open bit is very flexible so I don't imagine it getting caught any more than a normal iron but each to their own. I think it's just great how much choice there is now for wonky weirdos like me 😆
 
Cloball said:
I have an orange and royal blue hat silk now 🤣

I know what you mean and I was fully prepared to hate them. The open bit is very flexible so I don't imagine it getting caught any more than a normal iron but each to their own. I think it's just great how much choice there is now for wonky weirdos like me 😆
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Yeah, it's whatever works for you, really. I do like the wider footbed.
 
Cloball said:
@smolmaus did you get your stirrups in the end or did it go Pete Tong?
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I did! Vestride sorted me out, thank you for the rec. Compositi replied that they don't sell direct to the UK anymore (thanks Brexit).

I LOVE THEM, people's reactions have been so funny. I will try and remember to get a picture in the full ensemble next time I have an orange saddle pad in rotation 😂
 
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