What happens when a rider gets caught in stirrups?
Horse back riding is a loved sport, but it does not come without its risks. We all wear helmets when we ride, and make sure that we have boots with a heel, and use safety stirrups. These are only some of the ways we do our best to prevent accidents (bad ones at least) from happening.
Getting caught in stirrups can cause bad accidents
Many different kinds of events can lead to a rider falling off their horse. It can be caused by a rider's mistake, loss of balance (rider or horse), the horse tripping or falling, or anything in between. Accidents happen, and our job as equestrians and riders is to simply ensure that we take all possible preventative actions to stay safe.
We wear helmets to protect our heads, boots to prevent our foot from sliding through the stirrups, and safety vests to protect our spine and ribs. But have you ever thought of the importance of safety stirrups, and how important it is for your foot to release from your stirrups in case of an accident?
If your foot gets stuck in the stirrups when you fall off, the accident and injury can be much worse than it otherwise would have been. In the video below, you can see a rider jumping a nice, steady course with their horse, but falling off towards the end.
The rider gets caught in the stirrups. Fortunately, the horse stops. The rider does the right thing, and does not move until a spectator comes over to help get the rider's foot off the stirrups.
Horses are prey animals - safety stirrups can prevent bad injuries
Horses are prey animals, which means that they tend to react first and ask questions later. In most cases, when a rider falls off and gets stuck in the stirrups, the horse feels pressure from the rider's weight, and tries to get away from it.
When the pressure does not release when the horse is moving away from it, horses react by trying to get away from it faster. This can cause the horse to panic and to drag the rider behind them.
Getting dragged behind a panicked horse while being stuck by your foot can cause bad injuries. This is why using safety stirrups that are designed to release your foot in case of an accident is one of the most important things to do as a rider.
Get your own safety stirrups today
If you do not yet have safety stirrups, or if you are looking for new ones, you should give our Ophena S and Ophena T a look. Our beautifully designed magnetic safety stirrups feature an open side that will always release your foot, should you fall off.
They also have a foot stopper, a Smart Attach -system, and fantastic grip.
Our magnetic safety stirrups come in different colors, and the magnetic insoles are included in the purchase. Also, we have a 60-day money-back guarantee, which ensures the happiness of our customers.
