Origins of No-Stirrups November??

[AAHunterGal]

Hi All! I did a search and came up with references to No Stirrups November as far back as 2012, but does anyone know the story of how/when this became a thing?

I grew up riding in Virginia/Maryland in the late 80s/early 90s and was a pro for late 90s - mid 2000s, working up and down the east coast at various upper level H/J facilities, and I never heard this being a thing back then. Typically, we would work without stirrups for part of each lesson and/or if we rode multiple horses a day, rode one without stirrups, but this was on an ongoing basis all year.

I’ve ridden as an amateur now on the West Coast and now in Colorado, and the first time I heard of it was in California in…2014?

I’m curious if anyone knows the origins of this? Or was I just in a strange set of circumstances where I never happened to be at a place where it was a thing in November for my pro years, even though it was happening all around me?

No real urgency to know, just mainly curious.

[tatertots]

I’d bet the trend was inspired from watching all of the East Coast equitation finals, which usually conclude end of Oct/early Nov.

[SolarFlare]

I just figured it got made up because November starts with “N” and people like alliteration Maybe it was part of the “awareness” trend where there are days or months dedicated to a cause?

[atl_hunter]

Here you go http://nostirrupsnovember.wix.com/nostirrupsnovember#!history

[GoodTimes]

Not sure of the origin. I always assumed it came from November being a quieter month. The indoor shows are wrapping up, the winter circuits haven’t started, etc.

I do a lot of no stirrups work year round, but I usually pick either October or November to pull the stirrups right off my saddle.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Instagram. Twitter. The fact these sites really blew up around 2012 isn’t a coincidence.

No joke, I think that Instagram and Twitter are the main source for #NoStirrups November so people can post photos of themselves riding without stirrups. Also the source of #NaNoWriMo, where people write an entire novel (50,000+ words is the goal) over the course of the month and talk about it with the hashtag on Twitter. Like Water for Elephants began as a NaNoWriMo project. Also the Loxwood equestrian fiction series.

I’ve never ridden without stirrups for an entire month, but hats off (well, hats off when safely dismounted) to those who do, or do so on one of their horses (since I know some people with multiple horses only do it with their more experienced mount).

I always joke I should ride without stirrups for the month and write a novel at the same time to do both simultaneously but I have no such plans this year.

A bit off topic, perhaps, but am I missing any other November #hashtag events? I’ve also seen people post and hashtag something they’re grateful for every day of the month.

[rockonxox]

Guys had No Shave November (originated in 2009 on facebook) and equestrians wanted to do something more difficult? I don’t know who exactly started it, which is how most of these tags are anymore. @Impractical Horsewoman has it right - once the hash tag hit the scene with Instagram it blew up. Didn’t catch on on Facebook until 2013 (easy enough to search that).

We do a decent amount of no stirrup work anyways and I do (usually) like doing some no stirrup because I notice how much stronger I’ve gotten since incorporating it. I do at least 1-2 of my flat rides each week entirely without stirrups.

Other monthly November things going on:
#noshavenovember
#movember
#30thankfuldays
#21daysofgratitude
#novemberphotochallenge

I’m sure there are plenty more!

[Pennywell_Bay]

@rockonxox

Guys had No Shave November (originated in 2009 on facebook) .

guys??? Damn. I thought it meant I didn’t have to shave my legs… Well this is disappointing.

[IPEsq]

It was common when I was a junior to pull stirrups in the fall to gear up to medal finals. Including the state level pony equitation finals. Had them removed from my saddle completely for lessons.

I imagine that the catchy alliteration made it become a social media November trend. For those who take some down time right now heading into winter, it’s not a bad way to tune up the human athlete while still doing some shorter, easier rides for the equine athlete.

[rockonxox]

@Pennywell Bay

guys??? Damn. I thought it meant I didn’t have to shave my legs… Well this is disappointing.

That is for the entire Winter season

[furlong47]

@Impractical Horsewoman

Instagram. Twitter. The fact these sites really blew up around 2012 isn’t a coincidence.

No joke, I think that Instagram and Twitter are the main source for #NoStirrups November so people can post photos of themselves riding without stirrups. Also the source of #NaNoWriMo, where people write an entire novel (50,000+ words is the goal) over the course of the month and talk about it with the hashtag on Twitter. Like Water for Elephants began as a NaNoWriMo project. Also the Loxwood equestrian fiction series.

NaNoWriMo is way older than Twitter, Instagram, or even social media period. The idea began in 1999 and it moved to the month of November starting in the year 2000.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@furlong47 That makes sense, given that Like Water for Elephants has been around since 2006. Still, social media has certainly resulted in NaNoWriMo’s explosion of popularity!

I have been shaving thus far this month, but I’m happy to have a handy excuse in case I miss a few hairs, as I often do, after reading this thread.

[OldLadyYoungOTTB]

@rockonxox

That is for the entire Winter season

No kidding. Why confine it to just one month?

I agree social media had to have a part in No-stirrup November. Currently opting out with the excuse that my horse is green and I don’t want to die.

[eclipse]

Well we’ve been doing No Stirrups November since long before the Instagram and the internet hahahahaha . I started riding back in the dark ages (the early 90s) and it was definitely a “thing”. It signaled the period after show season and before the next season started … jumps were pulled out of the arena (still are) and stirrups removed! It’s just "advertised " now!