THE RIGHT STIRRUP FOR COMFORT AND SAFETY IN THE SADDLE
With a good stirrup, you should feel comfortable and safe in the saddle. They should provide good support and support a stable leg position. These factors are particularly important to us at SPRENGER, which is why we have developed jointed stirrups such as the SPRENGER Bow Balance or the FLEXCITE stirrup. Professionals including Marcus Ehning and Ingrid Klimke are also convinced by SPRENGER stirrups and use our products in their everyday training.
The safety aspect in particular has become increasingly important in equestrian sports over the years. So how can the safety of a stirrup be assessed? And is a stirrup only safe if it is a 'safety stirrup'? The answer to the latter is probably a clear no, because no stirrup can guarantee 100% safety. However, taking a number of factors into account, a stirrup can offer increased safety by, among other things, releasing the rider's foot better in the event of a fall.
THE MATERIAL
The material your new stirrups are made of should be very strong and durable because, depending on the discipline, the stirrups can be subjected to four times the force of your body weight. They are also exposed to a wide variety of weather conditions in daily use, so the material should not rust and should be UV-resistant.
HOW CAN I RECOGNISE A GOOD STIRRUP?
You can often tell from the price whether it is a cheap copy of a high-quality product. Inexpensive models are usually made from materials that are not weather or corrosion resistant. This makes them susceptible to rust and prone to material fatigue. Naturally, thiss applies not only to metal stirrups but also to plastic stirrups.
To summarise, we recommend stirrups with a breaking load of at least 800 kg made of stainless, UV-resistant material.
THE STIRRUP TREAD
The tread should give the foot a secure hold and sufficient grip in the stirrup. It is particularly important for beginners that the foot is securely positioned in the stirrup so that the rider can balance themselves easily. A stable hold also prevents the foot from slipping too far through the stirrup.
Depending on the model, the stirrup pad is either permanently attached to the stirrup or can be replaced. We use replaceable pads in all our stirrups (whether Fillis, Bow Balance, or FLEXCITE), so when they wear out, you don't have to replace the entire stirrup, just the pad. With our stirrups, you can also choose between classic rubber stirrup pads and stainless steel stirrup pads. The latter offer more grip, even under wet conditions. The advantage of rubber pads is that they do not scratch the saddle due to their softer surface. Alternatively, you can also use stirrup protectors to preserve the leather of your saddle.
THE PERFECT STIRRUP
MORE FLEXIBILITY
A jointed stirrup should also have sufficient stability. It should cushion the movement of the foot without being "wobbly" or "spongy". Our jointed stirrups relieve the joints in the foot and knees. The twisted stirrup eyelet on our Bow Balance and FLEXCITE models further supports an optimal and stable leg position.
WEIGHT OF THE STIRRUP
The weight of stirrups can also vary. Of course, the choice depends on your personal preference. However, stirrups with a higher weight are easier to take up. The SPRENGER Bow Balance and FLEXCITE stirrups are slightly heavier, yet optimally balanced.
MORE SAFETY
In addition to the classic standard stirrups, the so-called Fillis stirrups, there are various stirrup systems that have an additional safety function. These include, for example, stirrups with an opening mechanism, stirrups with side openings or jointed stirrups. Even if none of these models offer a 100 per cent guarantee, the use of safety stirrups is highly recommended in the event of an accident. The quality of the product is particularly important when choosing a safety stirrup. Cheap copies of patented pioneering products may look deceptively similar, but cannot keep up in terms of function and strength and may even pose a safety risk. There are many copies on the market, particularly in the area of jointed stirrups, which are made of inferior materials that can rust or break.
SAFETY STIRRUPS - MORE SAFETY FOR RIDER AND HORSE
Last but not least, the safety of the horse should also be considered when choosing a stirrup. Depending on the course of a fall, it cannot be ruled out that a stirrup that opens or breaks can also cause injuries to the horse.
At SPRENGER, we offer a wide range of stirrups that fulfil the most important quality criteria mentioned above without exception. Products from our company stand for long durability, high material quality, breaking loads of up to 1.600 kg as well as functionality and maximum comfort for horse and rider.
You can find the entire selection of our stirrups, including detailed descriptions, here.