What about these stirrups?

seaecho · 01-26-2008, 03:41 PM

I have recently gotten a dressage saddle (Wintec) and am having trouble getting used to the stirrup irons, after having ridden Western all my life. The stirrups feel so NARROW and strange! I am used to Western stirrups, and I guess they make me feel more secure. I put my Abetta Endurance stirrups on, and those work great, but I was wondering about these stirrups that Dover has. Does anyone have these? Do you think they'd help me, and also look English at the same time? I don't want to order them and then not like the way they feel.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product...cd2=1201390394

Heavenly Jumper · 01-26-2008, 04:57 PM

If you plan on showing...you're going to have to learn to be secure with the standard iron.

Those wide ones you posted are lightweight and will move around a lot on you too...I doubt they'd help you feel secure.

Is your foot just slipping out of them or what?

seaecho · 01-26-2008, 06:49 PM

Sorry -- I wasn't being specific enough. No, I don't plan on any showing. I am strictly a trail rider. Yes, my foot has been slipping out of the irons. But the worst thing is that I also feel like there's nothing THERE to support my feet. I put too much weight in my feet for one thing, and am working hard to correct that. So that probably has a lot to do with it. I thought maybe a wider stirrup would help me feel more secure, like the endurance or Western stirrup does. Forgot to mention also that the irons that I bought with my saddle are Herm Sprenger. So they are very heavy. If light weight irons would make things even worse, I don't even want to go there! So maybe I should stick with the endurance stirrups, since they are working for me. . . . I'd love any other suggestions. Thank you!

kellidahorsegirl · 01-26-2008, 06:52 PM

The stirrups you posted would work just fine. I have cheese grater pads in my stirrups on my jumping saddle and love them. Those that you posted also have a wider footbed for your foot (lengthwise) to sit on which will match the feeling of a western stirrup a little better. BUT in English riding, the wider footbed isn't always that great cuz you put most of your weight on the back edge (facing the horse's tail). But I don't think it makes much difference if its too wide

Oh and pertaining to light weight stirrups. If you have your weight sunk into your heels properly, weight won't really matter.

horseyfrk145 · 01-26-2008, 06:53 PM

you can try them if nothing else - they should be fine for trail. they're not really expensive either

AtomicPenny · 01-26-2008, 09:13 PM

I always ride with my super heavy fillis irons. I think they provide more support and a sense of security because they don't bounce around on you as much, if you lose a stirrup, it's going to be right down where you left it, so quick and easy. So I think an english stirrup with some heft to it will give you the closest feel to a western stirrup, becuase things don't move around on you. The fact that english stirrups are narrower forces you to relax your ankle and sink your weight into your heels, which I think is usually where the biggest distress for western-english comes in. You need to really focus on redistributing your weight and grip

Karen

01-26-2008, 03:41 PM	#1
seaecho Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 492	What about these stirrups? I have recently gotten a dressage saddle (Wintec) and am having trouble getting used to the stirrup irons, after having ridden Western all my life. The stirrups feel so NARROW and strange! I am used to Western stirrups, and I guess they make me feel more secure. I put my Abetta Endurance stirrups on, and those work great, but I was wondering about these stirrups that Dover has. Does anyone have these? Do you think they'd help me, and also look English at the same time? I don't want to order them and then not like the way they feel. http://www.doversaddlery.com/product...cd2=1201390394

01-26-2008, 04:57 PM	#2
Heavenly Jumper Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Yokosuka, Japan Posts: 15,468 Images: 1323 Blog Entries: 273	If you plan on showing...you're going to have to learn to be secure with the standard iron. Those wide ones you posted are lightweight and will move around a lot on you too...I doubt they'd help you feel secure. Is your foot just slipping out of them or what? __________________ OMG I'm actually IN JAPAN! like, right now! .'~'. epi tan e epi tas .'~'. I've been SNOWBALLED X10!I have been NOEL’ed and Blessed In His Name

01-26-2008, 06:52 PM	#4
kellidahorsegirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 5,205 Images: 5 Blog Entries: 18	The stirrups you posted would work just fine. I have cheese grater pads in my stirrups on my jumping saddle and love them. Those that you posted also have a wider footbed for your foot (lengthwise) to sit on which will match the feeling of a western stirrup a little better. BUT in English riding, the wider footbed isn't always that great cuz you put most of your weight on the back edge (facing the horse's tail). But I don't think it makes much difference if its too wide Oh and pertaining to light weight stirrups. If you have your weight sunk into your heels properly, weight won't really matter. __________________ Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. I Love the Backyardigans www.sporthorseartconnection.com

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01-26-2008, 06:49 PM	#3
seaecho Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 492	Sorry -- I wasn't being specific enough. No, I don't plan on any showing. I am strictly a trail rider. Yes, my foot has been slipping out of the irons. But the worst thing is that I also feel like there's nothing THERE to support my feet. I put too much weight in my feet for one thing, and am working hard to correct that. So that probably has a lot to do with it. I thought maybe a wider stirrup would help me feel more secure, like the endurance or Western stirrup does. Forgot to mention also that the irons that I bought with my saddle are Herm Sprenger. So they are very heavy. If light weight irons would make things even worse, I don't even want to go there! So maybe I should stick with the endurance stirrups, since they are working for me. . . . I'd love any other suggestions. Thank you!

01-26-2008, 09:13 PM	#6
AtomicPenny Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Loudon, NH Posts: 603 Images: 69	I always ride with my super heavy fillis irons. I think they provide more support and a sense of security because they don't bounce around on you as much, if you lose a stirrup, it's going to be right down where you left it, so quick and easy. So I think an english stirrup with some heft to it will give you the closest feel to a western stirrup, becuase things don't move around on you. The fact that english stirrups are narrower forces you to relax your ankle and sink your weight into your heels, which I think is usually where the biggest distress for western-english comes in. You need to really focus on redistributing your weight and grip Karen