stirrups...again

[appendix]

I have been riding in kwikout irons for several years. Love what they do for my brain, no so much my knees/ankles as I am getting older. I originally bought them because I had a difficult horse & felt like I was coming off regularly when I started riding again after 8 years. The idea that my stirrup would open & release my foot helped my mental comfort level tremendously.

I am more secure now, but also old enough that I really want to do as much as I can to avoid a serious injury. I was hoping to find a quick release stirrup that also had the offset eye to turn 90 or 45 degrees to help my knees. As far as I can tell, no such item exists.

Any input on the MDC irons? I like the idea of the adjusability at the top, but am having trouble understanding their claim as a safety stirrup. Does the change in angulation alone really decrease the likelyhood of getting hung up that much? Have also looked at some of the open stirrups, but much as I don’t want to get hung up, the idea of having something happen & my stirrup suddenly not being there anymore because it has moved sideways off my foot seems unappealing as well, but I have never ridden in an open stirrup…
Looked at safestyle as well, but since they do not allow returns & I can’t lay hands on them I am very hesitant there…

Input would be appreciated.

[hairystockings]

I use the Compositi stirrups with a wide foot bed. They are not advertised as a safety stirrup but I will say I am 100% convinced they’ve saved my ass a few times because they stayed on my foot in hairy situations. There have been a few occasions where I felt like I would have definitely lost a stirrup and been a lot more likely to come off if I was not using them and still in my old fillis irons. A bunch of people in our barn have switched to them and are similarly pleased. The times some of us have had to part ways, they’ve been a non-issue, no one has gotten stuck. Also hard to beat at their price point.

[HereComesZach]

I got MDC ‘S’ stirrups for my knees, and I personally added comfort pads to them, and they have honestly been a lifesaver. They are the correct size for me, so I personally am not worried about getting hung up in them.

[Risuena]

I have the same mental anxiety and a bad ankle…they’re not the same ‘quick release’ but I have the FreeJump stirrups and love them.

[outside_leg]

I second the FreeJump stirrups. I like them because the offset eye means they are way more comfortable with my bad ankle and knee, but the design means I won’t get my foot caught should something happen.

[crookedpainting]

I have the MDC ‘S’ stirrups and like them a lot, I previously rode in jointed stirrups that made my ankles roll and hurt quite badly. If you’re looking for the ‘safest’ MDC stirrup go with the models where you can actually click and set the top position, the ‘S’ ones are a lot easier to have fall in and sit parallel to the saddle. As for ankle/knee pain, wide footbeds seem to really help. I was reading another thread on this and someone got peacock irons, but used a wide tread pad with them. Might try that.

[CanteringOn]

Just a heads-up: I broke my ankle when my foot got caught in an MDC S-Flex. I loved them — their wide beds are comfortable and they flex well — but they are absolutely not safety stirrups and I no longer use them. If you truly want safety stirrups, there’s a running thread in the Eventing forum on various models: https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/eventing/10389237-stirrup-breakaway-safety-alternatives-to-barnes-buckles-or-swiss-clips

[c0608524]

If you can, see if you can borrow someone’s MDCs with the swivel mechanism. I absolutely hate them, and am happy I could try before I buy.

[T-storm_chick]

I have commented in a couple threads about my Ophenas and from a safety standpoint I think they are fantastic. Not something you can use in a hunter class but I would buy another pair in two seconds flat.

[Cinderella]

@T-storm chick

I have commented in a couple threads about my Ophenas and from a safety standpoint I think they are fantastic. Not something you can use in a hunter class but I would buy another pair in two seconds flat.

But are they forbidden in a hunter class or just considered non-traditional? I used my equiline safety stirrups in hunter classes at A shows.

[T-storm_chick]

@Cinderella

But are they forbidden in a hunter class or just considered non-traditional? I used my equiline safety stirrups in hunter classes at A shows.

I honestly don’t know the answer to that. If On-Tyte’s are legal for hunters, it would just be the missing outside branch. I’m not sure why that would be forbidden, so maybe just unconventional.

[leheath]

I have had the Safestyle stirrups for many years and I love them. They are so comfortable - they hang at 90 degrees and have a slightly angled footbed to reduce knee strain. They look traditional when your foot is in them and most people don’t notice they are “different” unless they are looking at them up close. Price is very reasonable too. I do not lose them any more than the MDC ones I use for dressage work - they have definitely never slid sideways off my foot. I also never worry about getting hung up - there is absolutely no way my foot could remain trapped in them during a fall.

[StormyDay]

As far as I know, the only safety stirrups on the market with a offset eye are the safestyle and the ophenas.
Even if you don’t like the safestyle, you can easily resell them on Facebook or eBay for around what you paid. I’ve often wondered why a US based retailer hasn’t started selling them, as I think they would be a hit!