whats the perfect length for your stirrups??

[sallypops]

i'm not sure if my stirrups are the right length, i usually ride short, and i like i'm riding short yet when i am schooling and canterin my feet still slip through my stirrups, like i have them way to long??
however my position could maybe do with some work too

so what is the correct length for your stirrups

 

[jesterfaerie]

I may be wrong but if you sit with no stirrups and let your legs fall into position the stirrups should be level with your ankle.

 

[kimky]

yeh i agree with 'snakebite' but it depends on what you are doing e.g hacking, jumping, eventing, et... like for eventing you tend to have your stirrups shorter so you can take your weight of your horses back.

 

[sallypops]

just for general hacking and schooling, i think it's to do with my position as well tho

 

[jen1]

I was always taught as a kid that you put your fingers on the stirrup bar and put the stirrup leather along the underside of your arm to your arm pit and the stirrup itself would hang down under your arm by your side. Does that make any sense at all? Anyway this should then be the correct length for your stirrups! Can't say I have used that method recently though!
Suppose it wouldn't work if you have long orang-outang type arms!!

 

[JenHunt]

two ways i was taught....

1, make a fist with your hand, put the knuckles on the stirrup bar (or buckle) and the underside of the stirrup tread should be up in your armpit.

2, when mounted, let your legs hang as if you were riding without stirrups. the tread should be on your ankle bone.

if you look at dressage riders then their stirrups are only that length, its just that the tendons around their hip joints are more flexible, giving them a deeper seat and looking like they have longer legs than the average rider.

event riders take this principle for the dressage, but then put them up one or two holes for jumping so that they can be in balance, but out of the saddle.

 

[Cop-Pop]

For schooling I have mine long enough so when I put my feet in the stirrups I can have my heels down easily and for jumping they go up 3 or 4 holes depending on which horse I'm riding.

 

[Pennyhp]

If you are loosing your stirrups when you are schooling or cantering then I think your problem lies not with the length of stirrup but with a weak seat.
It sounds like you are gripping up with your legs, hence your stirrups are feeling loose.

Doing some work without your stirrups and some seat deapening exerscises will help and when your seat is more secure then you shouldn't loose your stirrups whatever their length.