Stirrup Irons -- Cheese grater vs. rubber; composite vs. steel

[SomedaySoon]

When I ride more than 30 minutes or so in my regular fillis irons, I end up with numb feet, sore balls of feet, and bad pain just below and on the side of my left (less healthy) knee. I don’t have this problem in my dressage saddle with flex stirrups. So, I was wondering about trying different irons and I have a few questions:

The metal cheese grater pads–pros and cons? Any problems with your boots sticking to them in an unscheduled dismount? Harder on the balls (of feet)? They look like they’d be very secure when jumping.

Composites–I’ve seen a few comments in searched posts about them being too light and hard to locate if you loose a stirrup. Opinions? Any difference depending on the leather (i.e. light weight x-c vs. traditional all leather?)?

Wider foot beds? Again I was reading these can help? Opinions?

Anyone use the Bruce Davidson nylon eventing leathers (or something like them)? Pros and cons? http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Bruce-Davidson-Millers-Eventing-Nylon-Stirrup-Leathers-51/181390001768?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D7be5bd6b571c42d5a6144a8ea4e6778e%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D301696112335

Sadly, my budget for new irons is in the under $100, so no MDC, Herm Sp. or Royal Rider. These are the stirrups I was considering: http://www.victorycanter.com/Compositi-Reflex-3D-Swivel-Action-Wide-Track-Stirrups-465137.html

Thanks!

[LadyB]

Great thread! I would also love to know the answers to the questions above. My left knee is also one that becomes sore easily depending on the work we do. Right now I use those flex stirrups. Great topic, will be following around.

[phoenixrises]

I have composites for my jumping saddle, the cheap $30 knock off ones. I love them so much! I didn’t know they could make a difference but they certainly do. When I go for trail rides my toes used to fall asleep and now they don’t. I will say if I’ve lost my stirrup I do find it’s more difficult to get them back because they aren’t weighted. But it hasn’t been a big enough issue to make me change.

I haven’t tried the cheese grater kind as I haven’t found it necessary.

[mg]

I used to get knee pain and numb ankles when I would do a lot of 2-point work in my regular fillis irons. I’m someone who tries to stick to traditional tack as often as possible, but after riding in someone else’s saddle with Royal Rider stirrups, I never looked back. I don’t know if the composite material itself makes a difference, but the wider footbed and stickier footpad absolutely does. There is more surface area to hold against, which relieves my ankles, and I’m not bracing my ankle to keep my foot in the stirrup when the pads start to get a little slippery. I also love that I can ride in the cheese grater stirrups when it’s muddy and not worry about my foot slipping out. I can’t use the jointed stirrups since I grew up with a H/J trainer who preached low heels, so my ankles are WAY too flexible for those stirrups.

I’m hesitant about the Compositi stirrups because they don’t have the cheese grater pad, which I really think makes a big difference. Equi Wing makes wide track stirrups like Royal Rider (http://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/I/EWTSI.htm) and Shires makes a VERY similar pair for under $30 (http://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/I/SWTLI.htm). A friend of mine uses the Shires ones and says they are great.

[lecoeurtriste]

I adore my cheese graters! I use them on both my dressage and jumping saddles (and have for 15+ years). Although, if I’m going for a loooong trail ride, I will switch into my trail stirrups (super fat/wide with 1" cushions on the tread) to keep my feet and ankles happy.

As a biomechanist, I will say that there really isn’t a right stirrup (one-size-fits-all)…but rather, individual anatomy, weight, saddle shape, riding style, etc. all work together. It’s also not uncommon to experience transient tarsal tunnel (the numbness in your feet) after prolonged periods of dorsiflexion (when your heels are DOWN). Stirrups and riding style/position influence this positioning and where/how your weight comes down through the leg.

Good luck finding what works for you!

[vineyridge]

You might want to take a look at the steel Stubben Double Offset stirrups. They helped me quite a bit. And they were cheap.

[Jackie_Cochran]

Stubben makes Prussian sided stirrups, and my feet stopped HURTING when I changed to them. If you are ancient like me these are the stirrups you learned to ride with.

The Fillis stirrups cause PAIN in my feet, even though I ride for only half an hour at a time. The double offset Fillis stirrups mentioned above just caused me worse pain, from the side of the base of my big toe all across the ball of my foot.

I am in the process of getting rid of all my Fillis stirrups. For me Prussian sided stirrups are wonderful, give me great stability, and are pain free. I dimly remember some foot numbness from the Prussian stirrups after I rode over an hour, but so long as I varied the weight I let sink into my stirrups it did not happen very often to me.

Good luck in finding the right stirrup for you! I almost gave up riding until I remembered about the Prussian sided stirrups. The Stubben ones are $68.00 USD new on the Stubben North America site, where they are called Prussian Style Stirrup Irons (#1102.)

I do not remember hearing lots of people complaining about foot pain riding back when the Prussian sided stirrups were just about the only English stirrup available.

[VCT]

I have RA and it effecting my feet. I switched to wide track composites with the cheese grater pads. I can easily keep my stirrups while putting less weight on them and the wider track disperses the pressure more. It’s great. No problem getting a lose stirrup though I hardly ever lose one. I do have thick, lined leathers that are less likely to allow a lot of flapping about in the event of a lost stirrup… but I think they actually move less… less weight to them to create momentum.
I have these ones on both my dressage and jumping saddles.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/equiwing-wide-track-irons/p/X1-0764/?eid=X18A00U1000&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=MerchantAdv&zmam=1460880&zmas=1&zmac=114&zmap=0000764008046X1-0764&mkwid=sTuyxQEdA&crid=75877018687&mp_kw=&mp_mt=&pdv=c&gclid=Cj0KEQjw8-GtBRCMl7m54PzgjNQBEiQAIZckvwCMQGpM26gbcvbes0gyyMBL17RtjId7Mz5H5YnEH7EaAqrH8P8HAQ

[IndyEquestrian]

I’m going to second the less expensive composites. . We actually got some in for me to try out (I do not sell anything I can’t attest to the quality on). I like the look and feel of them, now I just need my new saddle to arrive so that I can ride in them!

I can post an update next week if you’d like. These are a wide foot bed composite with cheese grater pads. They are priced around $60, I believe. I usually ride in Bow Balance irons, so we shall see how they fare!

[SomedaySoon]

So,I notice that the one thing in common among all the above are a larger foot surface and flatter (rather than rounded) sides. Composite vs. steel and cheese grater vs. rubber seem to be personal preference, as well as flex or offset. Thanks!

Any thoughts on the leathers question? (light weight/nylon vs. traditional)

[SonnysMom]

We have a tack store that is fairly local to me. The owner will not carry cheese grater pads. She knows of two people that got briefly dragged when they came off. The riders and her both feel that the cheese grater pads really contributed to that. They could not unstick their foot. I know one of the riders was a good local pro.
I know that you have to be careful to not scratch your saddle/leathers too.

I like the Pro-jump aluminum stirrup pads. http://www.amazon.com/Jump-Sure-Grip-Stirrup-Pads/dp/B00FH1CKSM (In looking for the link they don’t seem to be in stock anywhere. So not sure if they are still manufactured)

[SomedaySoon]

Yes, IndyEquestrian, I’d love an update, thanks!

[runNjump86]

OP I have those irons and love them!! They helped my knee pain a LOT. If I switch I’ll do the $60 composite with cheese grater foot beds just because of the mud, but they were way more comfortable than regular irons. A little more difficult when you drop one but not impossible to fix.

[IndyEquestrian]

SomedaySoon

We have new demo saddles arriving Monday from England, you can bet I’ll be trying them out! Will let you know how the less expensive composite irons do.

Also, as far as cheese grater pads go, unless you’re Stretch Armstrong or have crazy flexibility, it doesn’t really make any sense that you would get dragged when you fall. You fall down, your foot either slides out of the stirrup or gets stuck, but it should rotate so that the top or side of your boot is on the foot bed of the stirrup. Your boots might get scratched, but unless your foot slips further into the stirrup (or all the way through the stirrup), it just doesn’t seem to make sense that you would get the sole of your boot stuck on the pad. I’ve taken a few tumbles with cheese grater pads and have never gotten stuck. . .

[SomedaySoon]

Well I tried my trainer’s less expensive composites today (https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/compositi-premium-stirrup-irons-12167) and they definitely helped my knees and I loved the lighter weight, but they are no wider than fillis and seemed to cause more ball of the foot discomfort, so I think I’m going to try the wide track version for only $10 more.

Thanks for the updates!

[IndyEquestrian]

SomedaySoon

Our new composites Rock!! They are super light and easy to pick up. I’ve had 4 ankle surgeries and they feel very stable for me as well. I have no idea how to post a pic, but if you want to PM me, I can send you a link or something!

They are wider than the Fillis Irons by a bit. I can get exact measurements if you’d like!

[seabreeze]

A friend of mine just bought the Equi Wing stirrups and she loves them. They’re within your budget.

[FatCatFarm]

I switched to these on both my jumping and dressage saddles and LOVE them. I rarely lose a stirrup any more and even when I have, have not had any difficulty regaining it. I think they do make my knees hurt less too, even on long trail rides.

http://www.amazon.com/Composite-REFL…osite+stirrups

ETA on 5/15/17: After recently being lawn darted after losing one of these stirrups, I’ve switched to the Royal Rider Flexible cheese grater stirrups and find them much more grippy and secure than the Compositi. FYI

[KayBee]

Random PSA re knee pain

Apparently female runners who experience knee pain often have that pain resolve when they have PT/massage to resolve hip tightness (and subsequently do regularly stretching).

It also worked for this rider…

[SomedaySoon]

[QUOTE=KayBee;8257457]
Apparently female runners who experience knee pain often have that pain resolve when they have PT/massage to resolve hip tightness (and subsequently do regularly stretching).

It also worked for this rider…[/QUOTE]

That’s interesting since the knee that hurts is on the side that my trainer says I always “collapse” my hip and/or drop my shoulder. Sadly, PT/massage for me is not in the money right now–my mare of course still gets her monthly massage…