Why do I keep losing my stirrups?

Many riders face the problem of losing their stirrups while they ride. Especially beginners may experience this time and time again, and it's not only irritating but can be dangerous too. You may have tried different tricks and still keep losing your stirrups during your ride. 

In this article, we will address frustration and explain why you may lose your stirrups while riding. We will also share some valuable tips that may help you keep your stirrups in the right spot throughout the ride. 

What causes you to lose (safety) stirrups while riding?

Losing your stirrups during a ride is not only irritating, it can lead to dangerous situations. Losing a stirrup can cause you to lose your balance and fall off, or a swinging stirrup can spook a sensitive horse and cause the horse to buck, bolt, or even rear. 

Before you can start practicing keeping your stirrups in the right place, you have to identify the problem. What is it that causes riders to lose stirrups during a ride?

Typically, two situations can cause the rider to lose the stirrups:

• The rider is tense and squeezes the saddle with their legs
• The stirrup leathers are too long

Tension in the leg can cause you to lose your stirrups

If you are not in balance and relaxed in the saddle, your leg will most likely tense up and cause you to squeeze the saddle with your knees or thighs to help you balance. This causes your heel to come up and your leg to "shorten," which can lead to losing your stirrups.

This problem may take a while to fix, as the rider needs to improve their seat and balance, which does not happen overnight. You can easily start correcting this issue by telling your trainer about it and asking them to correct your seat during the lessons. 

You can also practice relaxing your legs on your own by riding without stirrups or bareback. This helps you to improve your balance and strengthen your core, and as this happens, it will be easier for you to relax your legs.

The stirrup leathers are too long

This is a lot simpler problem that is also quick to fix. If your stirrups are too long, losing your safety stirrups will be inevitable. When the stirrups are the perfect length, it will be easy for you to relax your leg and press your heels down while feeling the support at the bottom of your feet. 

If your stirrup leathers are too long, you will not feel the support and cannot press your heels down when the ball of your foot touches the stirrups.

If the stirrup leathers are too short, you will not be able to relax your legs and you will feel as though you are leaning forwards in the saddle.

The solution is, of course, simple: shorten your stirrup leathers. 

If you don't know how long stirrup leathers you need, check our article How long stirrup leathers do I need?.

Your posture needs improvement

If you sit too far back or lean too far front, your feet and legs will immediately be affected. For instance, if you lean forward, your legs will swing back, causing your heels to lift and your stirrups to (probably) fall off.

Improving your balance and posture can help you to communicate with your horse better: take some dressage lessons with your trainer to improve your posture.

Ophena safety stirrups come to the rescue

If you have already tried all the tricks and tips above and still keep losing your stirrups, change your stirrups to Ophena S or Ophena S Pro.

Our magnetic safety stirrups can help you find the correct position for your foot and leg, improve your balance, and build confidence. The magnetic connection in the stirrups pulls your foot into the right spot and keeps it there throughout your ride. 

Many of our happy customers have said their confidence improved since purchasing Ophena magnetic safety stirrups, as they weren't losing their stirrups during the ride. Additionally, should you lose your stirrup anyway, the magnetic connection makes pulling your stirrups back easier. 

This is especially good for showjumpers and eventers.

Get your own Ophena stirrups

If you want to join our happy customers' roster, you can purchase your own Ophena S, Ophena S Pro, or Ophena A (non-magnetic) stirrups from Ophena.com. 

Our magnetic safety stirrups include the following features:

• Magnetic connection
• Open design for a safer riding experience
• Smart Attach™ -system for easier attachment and detachment of stirrups
• Excellent grip

You can purchase your stirrups on our website by choosing the stirrup model, the color, and the size of your magnetic insoles and adding them to your cart. 

Psst! We also have a 60-day money-back guarantee!