USEF Rule Change: Silver Stirrups for Equitation - Reccomendation Needed

[EEWinterFresh]

Hello everyone! I’m looking for a recommendation on silver stirrups that are approriate for the equitation ring. I’ve been riding in Royal Riders for ~2 years and LOVE THEM. When USEF made the rule change this year, I went out and got the silver RR’s which claim they are “appropriate for the eq ring.” Well, this past weekend I ended up getting disqualified in an unrated eq division in Aiken because the judged still deemed them illegal and too dark. Let’s just say I will be returning them pronto… anyways, I’m looking for a new stirrup. I have bad joints and a larger foot, so I really really like the wider footbed on the RR’s.

Any suggestions as to what I should get? I’d prefer to stay under $200, as that is about what I should get back from my RR’s.

I’m looking into the MDC Sport/Hunter Classic stirrups, anyone have experience with those?

[Kat]

I have the MDC hunter classic stirrups and I really like them! I used to have the Herm Sprengers but I hated them. you might also want to try the silver Jin Stirrups which are lightweight like the RR’s

[BABYGREENTB]

I have the MDCs also and love them. I actually find them much more comfortable than my Royal Riders were.

[hunterrider23]

I’d say the silver jins are the closest to the rrs.

[Renn_aissance]

Well, this past weekend I ended up getting disqualified in an unrated eq division in Aiken because the judged still deemed them illegal and too dark.

That is really interesting.

I was just planning to spray-paint my Dover knock-offs with metallic Rustoleum.

[hunterrider23]

[QUOTE=Renn/aissance;7459039]
That is really interesting.

I was just planning to spray-paint my Dover knock-offs with metallic Rustoleum.[/QUOTE]

See I’d be afraid it’d rub off or something. If you do it then post about it!

[AdrenalineJunky]

We are all also spray painting ours!

[iEquitate]

[QUOTE=Renn/aissance;7459039]
That is really interesting.

I was just planning to spray-paint my Dover knock-offs with metallic Rustoleum.[/QUOTE]

You will likely be fine in those if they are spray painted! The RR “equitation” stirrups are a pretty dark gray, as well as a less-traditional shape; the Dover ones look to be a different shape, and with a nice silver metallic will certainly be acceptable in equitation.

[Limerick]

OP, are you letting the company know this was told to you? Did the judge tell you they’re illegal in the line up?

I am curious what the company will do.

[Indy]

I have the MDC Hunter Classic stirrups and I love them.

[kenyarider]

I recognize the rationale behind this rule change but please judges if you can’t see when a rider has lost a stirrup then they should get the benefit of bad eyesight or carelessness on your part. Next they will want to have instant replay on rounds so they can get every mistake. This is my opinion only and I am way too old to do equitation. As old as I am I can see when someone loses a stirrup and I have to watch the Finals on live feed. Good grief.

[IPEsq]

I recently got the Jin stirrups, and they are great. I got mine at one of the Beval sales, which if you can find a similar deal would put them more in your price range.

[L00kAtMeN0w]

[QUOTE=kenyarider;7459394]
I recognize the rationale behind this rule change but please judges if you can’t see when a rider has lost a stirrup then they should get the benefit of bad eyesight or carelessness on your part. Next they will want to have instant replay on rounds so they can get every mistake. This is my opinion only and I am way too old to do equitation. As old as I am I can see when someone loses a stirrup and I have to watch the Finals on live feed. Good grief.[/QUOTE]

This rule has more to do with determining where on the rider’s foot the stirrup is placed. This is VERY hard to see with black stirrups against a dark saddle/boots/dark horse. A stirrup that is too far “home” and too far on the toe are both faults.

[chunky_munky]

Its not about a loss of stirrup as the last poster stated. Its about placement. Don’t be ridiculous.

[NinjaPony02]

[QUOTE=Limerick;7459269]
OP, are you letting the company know this was told to you? Did the judge tell you they’re illegal in the line up?

I am curious what the company will do.[/QUOTE]

I am curious about this too. Doesn’t royal riders advertise that the gray color stirrups are legal for these classes? If I was disqualified for something that was legal I would probably say something at the show. We have people at our barn who have the gray rr’s and they have been fine in the eq. Let us know!

[Trixie]

Interesting. I’m not on the plain fillis for everyone band wagon but if this is indeed the grey, I sort of have a hard time seeing why you’d be disqualified for those. I mean, the contrast is pretty obvious.

[kenyarider]

I love it when a post that is clearly an opinion, as mine was, is responded to by comments that are snide. Just reinforces my position that these posts should not be done under alters. If you are going to call someone’s clearly labelled opinion ridiculous, you should at least do it under your own name. Thanks so much folks for encouraging polite discourse - not.

[sweetpea]

i have these and love

equiwing stirrups

http://www.amazon.com/Equi-Wing-Aluminum-Stirrup-Irons/dp/B002HWMY1W

[Peggy]

[QUOTE=Trixie;7459683]
Interesting. I’m not on the plain fillis for everyone band wagon but if this is indeed the grey, I sort of have a hard time seeing why you’d be disqualified for those. I mean, the contrast is pretty obvious.[/QUOTE]
I’ve heard that the gray is darker IRL. I bought the MDC Sport Classics and do not like riding in them. It probably doesn’t help that the mounting block fell out from under me one day when I was getting on and I ended up hopping across the arena on one foot while saying “easy easy” and trying to dislodge my foot. So my plan is to sell those and buy something else, if I can figure out what. Or powder coat my RR’s.

[Trixie]

I have the MDC Ultimate ones and quite like them. I could see why people would just spray paint - another $200 because a rule changed is a huge pain. But I can also see that from a judge’s perspective, it’s helpful to see what a rider’s leg is ACTUALLY doing.

Yay for aging out of eq. Nobody cares what my stirrups look like anyway and I haven’t actually tried to do an adult eq class in probably five years (and it was local, on a friend’s greenie to get him in the ring) for no reason whatsoever.