Dangers of grippy stirrups

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Muddywellies

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I posted on here the other day but came at it from the wrong angle so I'll try again.
I keep seeing adverts for the new Le Mieux stirrups and after struggling a bit with my current boot/stirrup combo, I've been considering a new pair of stirrups. Everyone raves about flex on, and the new LM stirrups look interesting. But I've heard the odd comment that grippy stirrups are dangerous. I can definitely see how that can be. The entire world seem to have this new style of stirrup with small spikes on the tread, but I'm nervous that your foot might get jammed in. Any thoughts?
 
Most of the stirrups with grippy treads have a safety arm so I'm not too worried about feet getting stuck. I think it's worse if you have an unstable lower leg/foot, and you have stirrups with slippy treads - I feel like you have a much greater risk of getting your foot stuck if it slips through the iron.
 
I had a pair of flex ons but actually got rid of them after a local rider had an awful xc accident where the spikes gripped too well, and her foot didn't come loose. The instructor who saw it happen was adamant that it wouldn't have happened with regular stirrups.
 
I share your concern Muddywellies. I have some Venice tech stirrups with very grippy foot plates. However, I have had a couple of falls whilst using them where my horse has done a fast spin and dropped shoulder and both times my feet were straight out of the stirrups so I feel like I’ve done a test drive there.
 
[deleted user] said:
I had a pair of flex ons but actually got rid of them after a local rider had an awful xc accident where the spikes gripped too well, and her foot didn't come loose. The instructor who saw it happen was adamant that it wouldn't have happened with regular stirrups.
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This is my exact worry ?
 
This is timely. I got my foot stuck in an Acavallo "safety" stirrup two days ago. I think the spiked metal treads were part of the reason. I'm just about to get rid of them and swap to the double bent leg irons I hack out with.
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Having had my foot caught in a regular metal stirrup and dragged along, it was only due to it being slippy metal i managed to wriggle free, if it had had rubber or spikes i probably would have been stuck.

Its hard to choose, the pad being grippy has obvious advantages, until your boot is sideways in it when you come off.
i like the sound of cages.
 
ycbm said:
This is timely. I got my foot stuck in an Acavallo "safety" stirrup two days ago. I think the spiked metal treads were part of the reason. I'm just about to get rid of them and swap to the double bent leg irons I hack out with.
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These are what I have, and the exact same happens to me. Part of me thinks I need more grippy stirrups, and part of me thinks I need less grippy stirrups.
 
PurBee said:
I just found these magnetic stirrups - really novel idea. How do you think they’d perform?
you have a magnetic insole for your riding boot and the stirrup is magnetised to stop slippage, with the outside of the stirrup being free to fall off and not get foot stuck!

https://equipepper.com/2020/09/17/ophena-magnetic-safety-stirrups/

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They aren't BD legal so a non starter for me. I don't think they are allowed at BS or BE either (tho can't be too sure about that)
 
just a FYI, magnetic stirrups are specifically mentioned as not permitted under BD rules, not sure about other bodies.
 
PurBee said:
I just found these magnetic stirrups - really novel idea. How do you think they’d perform?
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Someone on a FB group I'm a member of uses these; I think she has MS so has quite limited use of one side of her body. It sounded it had taken her a while to get used to them but now finds that they really help her in situations where she would otherwise lose that stirrup. So it sounds quite useful for anyone who has limited movement in their foot / ankle / leg.
 
dreamcometrue said:
I share your concern Muddywellies. I have some Venice tech stirrups with very grippy foot plates. However, I have had a couple of falls whilst using them where my horse has done a fast spin and dropped shoulder and both times my feet were straight out of the stirrups so I feel like I’ve done a test drive there.
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I have these and similarly I have fallen off and not got stuck. If I remember correctly though I think you are only supposed to ride in riding boots rather than yard boots or the equivalent. I think they acknowledge that with a shoe with excessive tread you could get stuck.
 
RHM said:
I have these and similarly I have fallen off and not got stuck. If I remember correctly though I think you are only supposed to ride in riding boots rather than yard boots or the equivalent. I think they acknowledge that with a shoe with excessive tread you could get stuck.
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My boots are MH Sovereign so should be safe. But with spikes in stirrups, at the wrong angle (all it takes is a buck) I could imagine them getting stuck.
 
Flex-ons come with an alternative tread, which doesn't have the spikes on. When I bought mine the retailer said that they were generally for lighter riders and I'm only 5ft tall and 8st. They swapped them over for me then and there, and gave me the ones with spikes in case I ever wanted to use them (I haven't). They are very easy to change, just a couple of small screws to undo and do up again
 
I've been very wary of grippy stirrups.
Have always used bog standard rubber treads with either peacocks (kids) or bent irons (me).
Various safety stirrups I've seen recently have bits that would stick out if they came undone, so I'd be interested to find something that isn't grippy, and if the safety bit comes into play, doesn't have anything sharp or sticky outy to cause a potential injury.
 
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