Safety stirrups

I have heard both good and bad things about the bent leg ones and the peacock ones, more bad things about the peacock ones really, mainly the elastic not snapping. I would love some spreiger ones but they are sooooo expensive!
 
Spreigner if you have the right foot size (they don't come smaller than 4.75) and can afford them. Otherwise the bent ones. I've known far too many children get caught in peacocks - even properly fitted ones.

But the most important thing is to get a stirrup the right size. No safety stirrup is going to save you if it is too big or too small. This can mean having more than one size. We have smaller stirrups to compete in as the competition boots are thinner with a narrower foot than the everyday boot. I haven't yet had to get a larger stirrup for winter but judging by the size of some of the clod hopping insulated boots my daughter wants I may need to.
 
If you are happy with your existing stirrups and they fit your boots then another alternative is a pair of Barnes buckles. They fit between the iron and leather and are designed to come apart if you fall. I use a pair on my standard fillis irons - don't notice they are there.
 
how do you get the right size, is it something like 1.25cm space each side of the foot?

Thank you, will have a look there!
 
get the bent metal ones - the peacock ones are really annoying as they always break when your out riding !
Ive fallen off before with the peacock ones and the rubber didnt even break when i needed it too !
 
I don't have safety stirrups because I like the flexible stirrups, they are easier on my knees (which are sadly getting old and creaky!) but I have the safety clips which attach to the top of the stirrups and snap off if you fall and get your foot stuck in the stirrup which means you cannot get dragged, one of my biggest fears with riding.
 
oooo just notice you suggested the Barnes buckles, anyone else had experience of them are they good or not?
 
Um, does anyone remember the things that came out a few years ago: they were a sort of metal clip thing that you put on the top of your stirrup iron, then your leathers went around that, and it was a sort of thingey that clipped together, but apparently would come undone in the event of a fall. They were very highly acclaimed by the Big Names of the time, sorry can't remember what they were called - have a pair out in the tackroom, will have a look.

Does anyone know the gadgets I mean? I don't ever recall anything about them since their launch; presumably they weren't a howling success or everyone would have them by now.
 
It's a Barnes Buckle. They are popular amongst treeless users.

http://www.barnesbuckle.co.uk/

I used to use bent leg irons until I ended up doing the dangle of shame after a large buck. My instructor had to unhook me.

I like the Safestyle ones and the Flex ride with cages.(scroll down).

http://www.bettersaddles.co.uk/acatalog/Stirrups.html

There are some plastic ones that endurance riders use in Aus that a section comes away when you fall - but I can't remember the name of them...
 
Thats ok :)

can you use barnes buckles with tree-ed saddles too? if so its either the barnes buckles or the bent leg irons...hmmmmm
 
Yes, any saddle.

Just that treeless users used them alot when the first treeless came out as they had a ring or square rather than a stirrup bar.

It just became part of the purchase - saddle, pad and barnes buckle!

My best mate is a fan of Kwik-outs

Found the plastic ones

http://www.smartrideruk.com/
 
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Sprenger all the way.

Years ago I was dragged by a stirrup (was badly hurt) and don't for a second think £100 is too much to spend on them. You can bend Sprengers in half, you could never be dragged by one. I recently upgraded mine to bow balance ones and got a very good price on ebay for my system IV's. They still looked immaculate. I've tried various copies and they don't compare.
 
I have the Barnes buckles, they are good; they have snapped once when my horse tipped up at a seemingly straight forward jump and I went out the side. I would recommend them to everyone, anything that can prevent you getting trapped must be a great thing for riders!!
 
I've got Barnes Buckles too! They're brilliant, as I found a few months after I got Barney and he spooked at something, and took off up the hill in a series of huge bucks, depositing me over his shoulder as he turned round and headed for home! I was left sitting on the floor (very cross!) with my stirrup iron on the ground beside me.
 
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