Safety stirrups - incorrect use of!

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Nagling

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Everywhere I go there is always someone riding with safety stirrups fitted the wrong way and this morning I opened my horse and hound to see a corteflex advert with Guy Williams of all people with his bent irons the wrong way round! It really worries me and I never know whether to tactfully say something to younger riders when I see it or not. I've seen the same child at a few local hunter trials and at a hunt meet with her bent irons on wrong but both in different ways! Sorry bit of a rant but I always ride with safety stirrups (my father had very nasty dragging when he was younger) and I think its great other people wear them but what is the point if they're not fitted correctly. Do you say something if you see something that could potentially be dangerous? Maybe I'm just getting pedantic!
Have a good day everyone :)
 
Having seen more than one person dragged with them when fitted the correct way round I think I'd question the definition "safety" stirrups.
 
I think that as they are safety stirrups and won't do the job if fitted wrongly it would be kind to have a quiet word if possible. Do it in a kind non-judgemental way and you won't go far wrong. They may not know how to fit them, or they may just have had a brain fart that day (like the day when my DH went for a hack with the horse's reins crossed under her neck - oops :o ), in which case they will be embarrassed but grateful (though may not seem it if flustered and embarrassed). They may believe that they are right and not be interested, in which case, you have tried, leave them to it.
 
Kat said:
I think that as they are safety stirrups and won't do the job if fitted wrongly it would be kind to have a quiet word if possible. Do it in a kind non-judgemental way and you won't go far wrong. They may not know how to fit them, or they may just have had a brain fart that day (like the day when my DH went for a hack with the horse's reins crossed under her neck - oops :o ), in which case they will be embarrassed but grateful (though may not seem it if flustered and embarrassed). They may believe that they are right and not be interested, in which case, you have tried, leave them to it.
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I agree with this - i bought my daughter some years ago and her instructor pointed out they were wrong way round.
Id be upset if someone noticed and didnt bother to tell us - people buy them for a reason
 
I dont get how folk would think that they would work the wrong way round though..........do they not run the mental pic through their head?

But I also have had my foot caught twice in safety stirrups that were correctly fitted
 
With a child doing something dangerous potentially without knowing then I'd try to approach the parent first. Adults case-by-case...
 
What a bad photo to use in an advert. They are supposed to have the bend on the outside, bending forwards. Guy Williams' in the ad are bent backwards so are definitely the opposite of 'saftey' stirrups!
 
It's not just the bent edge of the stirrups that are a concern though. If the stirrup isn't attatched to the leather the right way the stirrup leather twists the wrong way and in the event of a fall it 'closes' on the foot instead of turning open and freeing the foot.
 
I've ridden around with the bend on the inside before! I concluded it must have happened when they'd been taken off to travel a youngster in a saddle but no idea how long they'd been wrong for! When you ride a lot of horses in the same day it's surprising how something very obvious can go unnoticed - suspect that's what may have happened in the case the OP quoted. Sometimes your brain just doesn't process things when you've got a lot on your mind.

No it doesn't make it right and yes I should check every horse's tack very carefully before I get on.
 
Ok, I see it now, on the advert on page nine the bend is on the outside going backwards, obviously wrong! On page 4 is a picture of him on Titus with them as I have usually seen them used, bend forward.

Now I am less confused!
 
I prefer the old fashioned with elastic safety although I think there were weight?? restrictions on them although used mine with my size 6 feet and 12 stone frame for many years. I prefer to know the elastic gives and I fall cleanly. They are well balanced that if I had lost the elastic out I often hadnt even realised.

I would tell someone if they were back to front etc
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
Having seen more than one person dragged with them when fitted the correct way round I think I'd question the definition "safety" stirrups.
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I've never heard anyone say this before...this happened to me and luckily my boot came off after a few strides. I binned these irons immediately and now use Sprenger irons.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I will definatly have a quiet word with people in the future. I said something to someone years ago and they were really offended by being told.

Brandy - yes thats exactly how they should be used. It amazes me the different combinations people manage to do though!

I use the peacock elastic ones when riding youngsters and the bent irons just to be a bit smarter for showing but I also think you could still get stuck with these but at least the chance is less than ordinary stirrups.

I also use the sprenger ones as got them after a knee op and they were so comfortable but I still worry about getting caught in these too. There are lots of copies of these though that aren't actual safety ones just have a bit of flex
 
jessykai said:
If I had mine on the wrong way then I would want someone to tell me!
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This.

But having plain iron knife edge stirrups atm, they're not 'safety' stirrups. Have seen a fair few people be dragged or had their foot caught/stuck in supposed safety stirrups.
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
Having seen more than one person dragged with them when fitted the correct way round I think I'd question the definition "safety" stirrups.
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Agreed. If I was going to use safety stirrups I'd use peacock irons. I'm probably just old fashioned though :o

I think it would probably be ok to say something op, as long as it was tactfully. I've previously told someone their chaps were on the wrong way round and they seemed quite pleased I mentioned it. Zips on the inside. :eek:
 
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