Riding school standards?

[mariew]

If everything else is great then I'd just continue with my own stirrups and not worry too much. I've never given threads on stirrups a second thought tbh. Or buy cages you can fit onto the stirrups but I have no idea if one size fits all.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

A neighbour's daughter about the age of your daughter came off her her own pony only not completely off because the safety stirrup (like the one in your link) didn't release. The pony continued at speed up the field and she was only saved from serious injury/worse by her foot coming out of her jodhpur boot.

Are these 'safety' stirrups actually tested? I'd be interested in test results by weight of rider and whether eg a 7yo child is too light for the stirrups to release.

That's terrible right, now I'm going to try some of those stirrups without the outer band or just the safety stirrups without the rubber. No chance of getting stuck then. But if you have any stirrup suggestions for a small child, then please tell me!

 

[Red-1]

When I learned to ride, the school had metal stirrups with no tread. The tread was as much to stop the metal striking cold in winter as anything.

Nowadays, I have the Sprenger safety stirrups. I can attest to their worth from when my horse came down on a lichen covered road, my foot was momentarily caught but the whole stirrup deformed to allow my foot to pull free.

 

[Red-1]

That's terrible right, now I'm going to try some of those stirrups without the outer band or just the safety stirrups without the rubber. No chance of getting stuck then. But if you have any stirrup suggestions for a small child, then please tell me!

It would still be possible to get caught, I once was caught top to bottom of a stirrup, there was no pressure on the side at all and I was still stuck. There once was a device called a Barnes Buckle, went between the stirrup and leather, and the whole stirrup would come away if twisted beyond the normal range of movement. It worked wonderfully when new, but released unexpectedly once it was a bit older. I think I may not be the only person to experience this as they stopped making them at the time I was looking to replace mine.

I don't think there is a fail safe device.

 

[Kaylum]

When I was teaching our customers did 10 minutes bareback at the end of the lesson. They made cracking riders. Not allowed to do that any more. But allowed to jump a course with no seat and terrible hands. It doesn't teach a person to sit and feel the horse. We had a lot more fun 30 years ago. We also taught our customers how to school the ponies so they were also improving. Doing gymkhana games and synchronised riding was also a favourite but all anyone wants to do these days is dressage and jumping.

Our tack was cleaned as part of the helpers jobs. So done at least twice a week. Bits where always washed after use Along with poo picking, cleaning grooming kits and general yard duties. The kids loved it and would get a free ride in return.

Tack was quite expensive then as it was all well made English leather. So lasted forever. Stirrups were heavier so if you lost one it would drop back into place the lightweight ones tend to dangle behind and they arent weighted. All ponies were in good well made tack and saddles.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

It would still be possible to get caught, I once was caught top to bottom of a stirrup, there was no pressure on the side at all and I was still stuck. There once was a device called a Barnes Buckle, went between the stirrup and leather, and the whole stirrup would come away if twisted beyond the normal range of movement. It worked wonderfully when new, but released unexpectedly once it was a bit older. I think I may not be the only person to experience this as they stopped making them at the time I was looking to replace mine.

I don't think there is a fail safe device.

Maybe I'll start teaching her stirrup-less at home , they don't do that much no stirrups at the RS, but I'd like to teach her to at least canter with a little less grip

 

[MuddyMonster]

That's terrible right, now I'm going to try some of those stirrups without the outer band or just the safety stirrups without the rubber. No chance of getting stuck then. But if you have any stirrup suggestions for a small child, then please tell me!

Caged stirrups, as the foot can't physically go any more forwards than the cage on the front.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Caged stirrups, as the foot can't physically go any more forwards than the cage on the front.

That's a good idea, I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner! I'm going to order them straight away x