Did Mongols use stirrups?

It has been said many times that one simple technological advancement revolutionized warfare around the 1200's. That simple invention was called the stirrup. Prior to the invention of the stirrup, soldiers had to balance on the horse without any extra support. Thus, aiming and staying on top of the horse in the midst of a battle was hard. However, stirrups changed the game and allowed many nations, such as Mongols, to become unbeatable.

Where did it all start?

When Genghis Khan died in 1227, Mongols raided the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Caspian Sea. Not much later, they were already known in Vienna and terrorized the Eastern Europe in the 1240’s. In fact, the Mongols ended up claiming the largest consolidated land empire in history. It is said that this success of theirs stemmed from a simple invention: the stirrup.

Researchers have found so-called toe loops that dated thousands of years B.C. It has been said that these toe loops are the predecessor of the metal stirrups that were found later on. Though it is hard to say when the very first stirrups were invented, it is certain that the invention of the stirrup revolutionized any military that used it.

After the Mongols were seen in Europe using their metal stirrups, even the Vikings started using them on their raids.

The stirrups revolutionized warfare

Stirrups allowed the riders to balance easier, which made aiming arrows and using swords a lot easier. The Mongols were able to ride hands-free and only balance by trusting the stirrups. As they were able to stay on the horse, turn them, and make quick moves, the Mongols quickly became feared around the world.

Though we cannot say when stirrups were invented or who used them first, it is known that Mongols used stirrups and, thanks to this wonderful invention, they built an empire. The Mongols had stirrups made of leather as well as metal: in fact, in 2016 historians found a Mongolian woman buried with her saddle and metal stirrups.

The basic design of stirrups has not changed

Funny enough, the basic design and shape of stirrups has not changed at all since the Mongolian army days. Of course, stirrups have become more esthetically pleasing and nowadays, we have safety stirrups, such as magnetic safety stirrups, peacock stirrups, and others, that make riding horses safer.

Also, over the years we have added other features to stirrups, such as rubber pieces, plastic, magnets, rubber bands, and other things.

Get your own magnetic safety stirrups online

Ophena manufactures beautiful magnetic safety stirrups that take the rider’s safety into account in the most modern way possible. Our stirrups have a magnetic connection, open side, foot stopper, and a Smart Attach -system.

The magnetic connection keeps your foot always on the right spot and allows you to quickly catch your stirrup should you lose it during your ride. The foot stopper prevents your foot from sliding out of the stirrups, and the open side lets your foot to release quickly in case of an accident.

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