Opinion article peacock stirrups

[trubandloki]

@dmveventer

I don’t think peacock stirrups are the worst issue facing our sport or anything, but it’s also an incredibly easy issue to avoid by using one of the other safety stirrup designs that don’t have that flaw.

There are limited models of other safety stirrups that come in children’s sizes.

Other safety stirrup models are not lacking in various faults too. I find randomly breaking while riding to be a bigger problem than this peacock stirrups thing.

All of the other safety stirrups cost quite a bit more than a set of peacock stirrups do.

I can say, back in the dark ages, pretty much all the lesson barns had peacock stirrups on every lesson saddle. I do not know of any kid who was injured by them. (except when someone would be silly and snag a rubber band off one and shoot it at someone else.)

[endlessclimb]

Meanwhile, those magnetic stirrups that could double as a gutting hook show up on my facebook all the time…

[dmveventer]

The child size thing is fair. I’d expect that the market would fill that gap if there’s a move away from peacock stirrups, like when the helmet rules went into effect and the helmet options grew substantially.

The s-curve stirrups are the same price as peacocks, and you can get a basic pair of quick-release stirrup for about $100 which isn’t too much more considering the cheapest peacock stirrups at Dover/Smartpak are $70. I don’t know what you’re referring to by randomly breaking while riding, I’ve never heard of that issue with any of the safety stirrups I’m familiar with. I have seen peacock stirrups get bent out of shape with no outside arm to keep them in place so they don’t really have an advantage there anyway.

I also know plenty of people have used them without injury but I’ve also seen a few kids get caught on them, luckily avoiding anything worse. Just because something doesn’t happen often doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying to prevent if possible, especially when kids are involved.

[MHM]

I recall somebody years ago who had the magnetic stirrups and would dismount onto the mounting block, and then reach up while she was still standing on her right foot to remove her left foot from the stirrup.

That looked pretty darn dangerous to me. Luckily, her horse was a saint who stood like a rock every time. But that would only need to go wrong once.

[trubandloki]

@dmveventer

The s-curve stirrups are the same price as peacocks, and you can get a basic pair of quick-release stirrup for about $100 which isn’t too much more considering the cheapest peacock stirrups at Dover/Smartpak are $70.

You did not look very hard.
Peacocks stirrups can be bought for $25.
That is four lesson saddles with safety stirrups versus one saddle with safety stirrups.

I have never seen the S curve stirrups anywhere, but Google does put them in the same price point as peacock stirrups.
I can’t see how they provide the escape that peacock stirrups provide.

@dmveventer

I don’t know what you’re referring to by randomly breaking while riding,

There have been threads where people discuss the various models and the pros and cons of them.

I have no kid and I do not need peacock stirrups for anything, but I think this attack on this product is quite ridiculous.

[dmveventer]

I don’t think it’s an “attack” to point out a legitimate risk for injury so people can choose for themselves whether that risk is worth it. They may not happen often but he’s not fabricating the injuries: Peacock stirrup accident - has anyone experienced?. I said above I’m not in favor of his proposed rule change language, but banning them in USEF shows wouldn’t prevent your example lesson barn from using them anyway so kind of a moot point. There are things I won’t use for safety reasons that aren’t banned and I see no reason to ban them, but I also think the rules for things mainly used by kids should be more conservative since they can’t make informed decisions for themselves.

I feel like there’s also probably a better design to be found that wouldn’t significantly increase the costs, and maybe having more attention on the issue will lead someone to start selling one. Discussions around safety always face resistance (helmets, frangibles, etc) but over time it does lead to innovation and safer options for everyone.

@trubandloki

@dmveventer

I don’t know what you’re referring to by randomly breaking while riding,

There have been threads where people discuss the various models and the pros and cons of them.

I’ve followed those threads and still not sure what you’re talking about, but there are tons of safety stirrups with great reviews so saying that all of them have equal risks as what’s being discussed here is a little unfair.

[trubandloki]

@dmveventer

but there are tons of safety stirrups with great reviews so saying that all of them have equal risks as what’s being discussed here is a little unfair.

Thank goodness I did not say anything about all of them, so you do not have to consider me being unfair.

I did use the term all when discussing price.

[NancyM]

Hmmmm, I paid $15 for my Peacock stirrups. Somebody was dumping them due to the “danger” I guess. New condition.

[quietann]

I’m a huge fan of S-curve stirrups, and they are inexpensive. The curve makes it easier for one’s foot to come out. One does have to hang them correctly, though, with the curve on the outside and facing forward when the rider puts their foot in.

[jherold]

Several of the ones posted by Trubandloki had very rounded “points” and the rubber band is flush with the point. It looks like the manufacturers have already addressed the issue.

[x]

I see several people mentioning keeping the stirrup bar lock open–and while that is a good idea and we do that, there is a problem–newer english saddles are being made without the traditional stirrup bar and instead a curved bar…stirrup leather isn’t going to come off that the same way

[roseymare]

@trubandloki

I have never seen the S curve stirrups anywhere, but Google does put them in the same price point as peacock stirrups.
I can’t see how they provide the escape that peacock stirrups provide.

I agree. The S shape ones are just as much as a hazard for dragging if your entire foot goes through the stirrup. Children are at risk of this.

[StormyDay]

I personally don’t use peacock stirrups in my barn because of the hazards with them for rider and horse ( I saw a horse get their bit ring stuck on the peacock stirrup at a show once; the horse freaked out and fell over. And when foxhunting through brush stuff can get stuck on the hook and cause issues) But, I don’t like banning tack, especially when the only real show quality alternatives are $250+.

In the past years there have been several instances of horses catching their shoe in the D ring on a martingale causing falls on the backside of the jump. It’s a real risk when you combine shoes and D rings. But it doesn’t mean we are going to barn horse shoes or martingales from the show ring.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

A similar thing happened to me. I’m an adult rider who is very small and often put on ponies, and I’ve never liked peacock stirrups as a result, having ridden using them more than a few times. The rubber pops off, random things get caught on them, and the one time it would have been helpful, the rubber didn’t break. It was a weird sidewise fall from a spook, with my leg hanging in the stirrup, and my paddock boot halfway off. Fortunately, the pony didn’t move.

Before I knew this was a thing to do (flipping the stirrup leather off the wither when dismounting), I did rub a down jacket on one–I wasn’t hurt, but it did get a small rip. Obviously, not a life-or-death situation, but I’ve never had an instructor tell me this was a risk until a year or two ago.

I realize it’s not going to come to this, and the author of the article had an agenda, but IMHO it’s a question of “are more lives saved than injuries caused” by the design. I obviously don’t have data on this, as a rando Internet poster! But the argument that they are cheaper than better designs and therefore should be allowed isn’t all that persuasive to me–I know lots of lesson barns save on helmet “loner” costs, but it always makes me twitchy when I see a kid riding with an obviously expired helmet (a design from like, 15 years ago), or so ill-fitting there is no way to protect the kid.

[GoodTimes]

I vaguely remember ripping the crotch out of a pair of jods while dismounting when I was a kid on school ponies. I don’t recall the coach before or after ever telling any of us to flip the stirrup up and over before getting off.

Once or twice a week my mom will use my saddle to flat my older gelding. I regularly have to get after her for sliding down while dismounting and leaving rub marks on the leather
Maybe I need to scare her into just using the mounting block to get off.

My coach bought a pair of high end safety stirrups. He figured between riding babies, new horses in for training, showing in GPs, etc it would be a good idea. One of them broke within a month or so and it took multiple phone calls before the company would even admit it was an issue with their product.

[MHM]

@GoodTimes

I don’t recall the coach before or after ever telling any of us to flip the stirrup up and over before getting off.

I seriously don’t think I’ve ever in my life seen anyone do that.

And I don’t think I’d ever even heard of it until a similar discussion here on the BB within the last few years.

[fivestrideline]

@GoodTimes

I regularly have to get after her for sliding down while dismounting and leaving rub marks on the leather

This is the “real” reason I kick/push/jump away when dismounting - I grew up when the big, blingy western belt buckles were The Thing and boy those rhinestones would scratch the heck out of your saddle! Keeping your clothing from scratching the saddle doubles as a safety measure apparently.

We were always taught to jump away.

[jvanrens]

@MHM

@GoodTimes

I don’t recall the coach before or after ever telling any of us to flip the stirrup up and over before getting off.

I seriously don’t think I’ve ever in my life seen anyone do that.

And I don’t think I’d ever even heard of it until a similar discussion here on the BB within the last few years.

@fivestrideline

Crossing the stirrup over before dismounting almost eliminates this problem. It’s the protocol for those who use the Ophena open branch stirrups, or at least it is for those I know who have them. How many other things do we do daily to use XYZ equipment safely? Maybe this article would’ve been better as a PSA for those who use peacock irons.

Post 3 (I think) of this discussion mentions it.

[vxf111]

Suggesting people be cautious about a piece of equipment is a totally different thing than trying to ban it for competition. Like many, many other pieces of equipment-- you can definitely hurt yourself on a safety stirrup. And people should be aware and should be careful. But that doesn’t mean the solution is to take it to 11 and ban them outright.

[phoenixrises]

Ok y’all just have way better knees than me.