Horsemanship How-to: Find the Right Length for Your English Stirrups
Here's how to make sure you have your English stirrups correctly adjusted.
By
Cindy Hale |
September 13, 2011
A stirrup that’s too long usually results in a loose, swinging lower leg. If the stirrup is too short the rider’s leg appears cramped and hiked up beneath their upper body. The correct length will put you in a comfortable, balanced position.
If you ride English then you already know the importance of
correct stirrup length. A stirrup that’s too long usually results in a loose,
swinging lower leg. Plus it undermines the rider’s position. Instead of a
classic huntseat look, with a slightly forward angle to the rider’s upper body,
a too-long stirrup can force the rider into what’s often called the "chair
seat.” In the chair seat the rider sits too far back in the saddle (toward the
cantle) with the toe of their boot near the horse’s elbow. It truly does appear
as if the rider is sitting in a chair rather than on the back of an athletic
horse. The chair seat rider is perpetually behind the motion of their horse and
unable to stay with their horse as it sails over a jump.
At the opposite extreme is the stirrup that’s too short, a
rarer occurrence. If the English stirrup is too short the rider’s leg appears
cramped and hiked up beneath their upper body. Besides making the lower leg
less effective as an aid, the too-short stirrup also corrupts the rider’s
position. Similar to a jockey, they ride above the action of their horse,
perched precariously out of the saddle.
To find the correct stirrup length, sit in the saddle with
your feet out of the irons. Relax your leg and allow the stirrups to bump
against your feet. The bar (bottom) of the stirrup should hit your ankle bone.
If you’d like to have the correct length before mounting, stand next to your
horse. Place your fingertips on the stirrup safety bar beneath the flap of your
saddle. Now, with your other hand, pull the stirrup leather taut alongside your
outstretched arm. If it’s the correct length it should end with the stirrup bar
rubbing your armpit.
Keep in mind that you may occasionally need to adjust your
stirrups a hole or two. For example, new leathers stretch over time, so the original
length you settled on may become too long. Also, if you switch from a
wide-bodied horse to a slender one, or vice versa, then you’ll have to alter
your stirrup length. A broad horse takes up more of your leg than a narrower
one. Finally, many riders use a slightly longer stirrup for flatwork and then
shorten them a hole for jumping. Ultimately, the correct length is one that’s
allows you to sit in the proper position and also remain a safe and effective
rider.
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Horsemanship How-to: Find the Right Length for Your English Stirrups