Léna Provost is 16 years old. Her stepfather has owned a horse farm for more than 30 years and passed on his passion for these animals to her very early on: she was practically born on a horse. She grew up with a mare of the breeding, Opale d'Or, with which she competed in show jumping up to 1.05m and was bronze medalist by team at the French championships. Opale is now retired, and Léna has become the owner of Olly Blue du Bélian, a 7 year old Belgian Warmblood (BWD) mare that simply won her over.
Olly is currently being broken in again, as she was not worked from the age of 4 to 6. She and Léna are getting to know each other, but the young age of her mare makes her focus on her safety. A year ago, she came upon the Ophena safety stirrups on Instagram. Intrigued by how safe they seemed, Léna wanted to test the novelty of Ophena S magnetic stirrups.
“If there was something to create, it was magnetic stirrups.”
Her first impression upon receiving the package was as good as the care taken by the Ophena team in preparing the orders: “They were beautiful. The presentation was really well done, with an envelope marked with the first name of my mother who had placed the order. I even received the package before the scheduled delivery date.”
And Léna was not only won over by the aesthetics of her new Ophena S stirrups, but also by their technology. “I liked them from the start. They helped me to correct my faults thanks to the magnetic system, even in jumping where I sometimes lost my stirrups. I still feel safe if I fall, because they come off very easily.”
What does Léna like best about her stirrups?
- Their comfort
- Their safety
- Their ease of cleaning
The design of Ophena's magnetic safety stirrups is such that their weight distribution has a low center of gravity. This feature is the reason why riders feel more comfortable, which also allows them to acquire a better general position. Like them, Léna has experienced this: “They are quite heavy, which helps me to lower my leg. Because they weigh a certain amount on the floor, my leg stays fixed.”
The magnetism of the floor is an added feature to make up for the lack of an outside branch, which is necessary for optimal safety. It is also a great way to avoid many falls, and to give you better sensations. Léna's mare was initially difficult to ride, and this magnetism has helped her despite the fact that she moves around a lot. “Even when she does a little rodeo, I hold on. My main falls were due to loss of balance from losing my stirrups, but since I've had the Ophena, I've never fallen. I also had a horse with a big back, so it was hard to take the jumps, and now I have no worries.”
“The value for money is great.”
For Léna, the safety offered by removing the outer leg is unmatched by other stirrups on the market. “When it comes to safety, we feel really good. If you fall, there is no risk of getting caught and dragged with your foot stuck in the stirrup. It's much safer than traditional stirrups.”
Cleaning the gear is also a dreaded moment for many riders. Don't worry, Ophena stirrups won't give you a hard time, and within seconds they'll be shining like new! “Even the cleaning is super simple: a wipe with a cleaning cloth and they are clean. Besides, the insoles aren't that thick, so it didn't impact the size of my boot.”
“You got to try them on to understand.”
Léna's mother, Nathalie, finds it comforting as a mom to see her daughter riding with the Ophena safety stirrups. Before she had them, Léna lost her stirrup at the beginning of a competition. The ensuing situation was very complicated, as she tried to adjust it back into position, which caused her to lose more balance. According to Nathalie, this incident would not have happened with the magnetic safety stirrups. “I think if she had the Ophena stirrups that day, she could have easily put them back on and finished the ride much more balanced. And if she falls, I'm sure she won't get hung up in the stirrup, as I've seen in competitions before.”
Ophena was a great discovery for Léna as well as for many other riders, who were able to improve their riding skills while riding with confidence, equipped with gear ensuring maximum safety.
