Free Ride and Tough 1 both make western safety stirrups. They are popular among the side saddle people.
Many western riders ride in lace up shoes like Terrains so a loose cowboy boot isn’t always the choice.
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That’s what I’ve always ridden in, so I was surprised to hear of intentionally loose boots! I’ll look up the free ride ones, I don’t think I’ve seen them.
Not trying to ruffle feathers, but growing up in the quarter horse world and being back at more of a western barn now, safety equipment…not something that world seems to care about as much as English disciplines. The amount of western riders still refusing to wear helmets is pretty telling.
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That is true.
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I agree with FjordBCRF, the western world has been very slow to adopt safety equipment, so it’s not a surprise that you’re experiencing push back for western safety stirrups.
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Many riders also use incorrect or ill fitting tack, doesn’t make it right.
I won’t make a blanket statement and say a laceup boot is wrong. Yall can wear anything you please.
What I will say is, if you’re really concerned about getting hung up in a western stirrup, I wouldn’t wear them. Anyone I’ve worked with or for hasn’t ever worn them for that reason. Even in the late 80s, early 90s when laceups were popular.
The exception to the rule were commercial packers in the mountains that’d wear “packers”. Basically a laceup logging boot with a riding heel for being in steep country. But even then, the ones worth their salt, knew to match a stirrup to the boot they were wearing to lessen the chance of getting hung up in a wreck.
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What’s with the attitude?
@Aces_N_Eights gave you a perfectly nice response and advice. Your snarky response was not necessary.
And that’s probably why you got hung up - you were wearing English paddock boots in a western stirrups.
The whole point of Western cowboy/cowgirl boots is that they should fit in such a way that they should slip off your foot if you get into a bind, which is different in how English footwear is designed. That is why you do not often see any kind of Western safety stirrup. They are out there and you can find them, but they aren’t mainstream, because the boot is supposed to come off your foot.
Can you still get hung up on a Western stirrup with an appropriately matched Western boot? Of course you can. As you said, shit happens.
If you are that concerned about it, I would suggest Western Tapaderos or similar (such as these) so that you foot cannot slid through the stirrup at all.
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Packers have a very tall heel, almost like an old style cowboy boot. Some of them still use taps as well; allows them to open a gate with their toe. This way they can still hold the pack string with their “free” (non-rein) hand.
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The hostility toward someone who feels safer in safety stirrups is weird. If someone wanted to buy safety stirrups and continue using their paddock boots, what’s the big deal?
I’m shocked people have never seen anyone riding in terrains. When I trail ride that’s at least 50% of the foot wear I see on the trail.
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And, I see lots of guys working livestock in lacers, at least around here. They’re more comfortable for when you’re having to do 50/50 ground work and saddle work, particularly if you have foot issues
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And that’s the reason I want safety stirrups. Getting dragged is something preventable with a safety stirrup, why wouldn’t I want to do that?
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Directness, yes. Hostility, no.
I don’t care if someone wants to use safety stirrups. I haven’t seen them marketed for western riders, maybe because I’m not looking for them?
It seems the english crowd turned western weekend warrior is mystified why there is not as many options compared to English safety stirrups. I simply explained why. If someone doesn’t want to spend over $400(using that figure based on a link above) for a set of stirrups they ride occasionally there are other options by footwear and stirrup matching to lessen the chance.
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So then get a pair??
Bottom line, the SAFEST footwear when riding Western is a SMOOTH NON-GRIP sole (that won’t grip the stirrup), with a large heel (to prevent your foot front sliding through the stirrup) with a loose fit boot (that will easily slid off your foot).
Had your English paddock boot had the ability to slide off your foot you might have avoided your accident all-together.
If you choose to ride in something else, that’s your choice. If someone else chooses to ride in the footwear of their choice, like lace up boots, then that’s their choice. But it sounds like safety is very concerning to you, so then it is in your best interest to put on the appropriate footwear when you are about to mount up in a Western saddle, in addition to making changes to your Western stirrups. If you choose to wear something more comfortable the rest of the time while you are working with your horse, fine, but there is not reason why you can’t switch to appropriate footwear when you are about to mount up.
I don’t have any personal experience with a breakaway-Western stirrup and I frankly do not know anyone that has them, so I won’t make a suggestion on which brand functions best. But, for example, I do have my children (ages 6 and 8) ride in kids stirrups with covers which functions the same as taperado stirrups for adults, which is why I did suggest getting those. You are less likely to get hung up if your foot cannot slid through the stirrup.
Actual picture of my daughter’s foot on her horse in said stirrups. If she gets into a wreck, I have confidence her foot isn’t going to get trapped.
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Paddock boots do not have tread of the type that gets bound up, they are nearly smooth. If they’re to be deemed dangerous, then 95% of modern cowboy boots would fall in the same category.
I’m not looking for tapderos as I’ve stated earlier, but thanks anyways for the suggestion.
Please show the “hostility”. Suggestions were made, that was all.
I have rarely ever seen anyone who rides western in lace-ups, including people who work on their feet with cattle. I actually have a pair of Ariats, but my feet despise them. I only wore them for short days at the barn or I was crippled the next day, my cheap Justin Ropers were more comfortable to be in for longer hours, including walking on concrete.
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And those boots although called “cowboy boots” are marketed towards people that want to dress like one not really for people making a living in them horseback. Most shelf boots you’d find in the feed store or Boot Barn are junk.
I do have some shelf boots(no rubber soles) but I also get custom made boots and have them resoled until my boot guys says no more.
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I have this pair and absolutely love them! They’re very heavy duty and well made and there’s no way for them to accidentally open while riding. Thankfully I have not yet tested the safety mechanism but I have seen people test safety stirrups and they said ones that open at the top like these are the best.
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Ariat cowboy boots have the same tread as paddock boots. I’m sure there’s plenty of people making their living horseback riding in them, no?
And it’s weird to say that a lack of flat tread is the cause of hang ups, when most often it’s the foot twisting during a fall that causes it. Not tread, not heel, not too tight or too loose boots.
Thank you. Based on price alone I think this is what I’ll start with.
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Not all of them. I ride in smooth bottom ones like this. The durasole ones look like they were be stickier in the stirrup. Mine are very slide-y and I generally only wear them riding because they are slick.
https://www.ariat.com/P28062_W_FOO.html?dwvar_P28062__W__FOO_color=BRAZEN_TAN&_gl=1fluzt4_up*MQ…&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0MG5BhD1ARIsAEcZtwSCuX17OeMjc0hcri3qVmvWYydEQ63WoVPCibT6BiSMyPbWB7f1zn8aAhZBEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAADvKncOHB_yDxml4G_VYRfCQsX1gS&dwvar_P28062__W__FOO_width=B_Medium
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