The open design of Ophena's magnetic stirrups has been thought out for one reason: safety. It ensures that in case of a fall, the rider won't get stuck, as the outer stem has been completely removed. The feet are thus easily freed, which saves riders like Marie from many accidents.
Marie Burgholzer started riding at the age of 6, after watching the series Grand Galop. Her parents, thinking it was a passing fancy, enrolled her in a riding school. They never thought that this sport would take such an important place in her life. At 18 years old, Marie already has a good record of achievement and a bright future in sports. However, it has not always been easy.
She was a club rider until 2013, when the pony she was riding reared up and fell on Marie who was crushed under her weight. Following this serious fall, she remained in the hospital for a month. Her parents, worried about her safety, did not want to let her ride anymore. After many negotiations, they finally found a compromise: Marie would become the owner of Mignon d'Argonne, a calm pony that her parents bought her to ensure that nothing would happen to her.
She started showjumping with Mignon d'Argonne, which took her all the way to Pony Elite level and won her a French championship title in 2016 in Lamotte-Beuvron. Mignon is now retired, although her family kept him, and Marie has been the owner of Belmargot du Gué for 4 years, a 10-year-old mare with which she competes in Amateur 115 and 120, coached by Pierre Coiteux Fontaine. The pretty bay is rather tricky, sensitive and temperamental. She has a very nice jumping movement, but can be difficult in everyday life and has a tendency to rear up if she is upset: Marie then has to get off her mare urgently.
“The Ophena stirrups free me directly.”
Since Marie has had accidents with her foot stuck in her stirrup, she is very concerned about her safety. Since she became the proud owner of a pair of Ophena S magnetic safety stirrups, she has been able to forget about this risk, even when her mare gets upset. “In those moments I don't necessarily think about taking my feet out of the stirrups, and I occasionally got stuck in my old stirrups on the way down. Now, with the Ophena's, I can throw myself off the mare without taking them off, since they release me directly.”
Marie had discovered the Ophena magnetic stirrups on Instagram, but it was after seeing them on a friend at a show that she decided to get a pair. “I really liked the design of the Ophena's, more aesthetically pleasing than other safety stirrups on the market. Most importantly, they are unique magnetic stirrups — there are no others like them and I really wanted to test them.”
The advantage is that thanks to Ophena's 60-Day Risk-Free Trial guarantee, Marie could try the magnetic stirrups and return them within 60 days if she wasn't convinced, with the assurance of a full refund. However, she didn't need to, as it was love at first sight:
“Since I got them, I don't part with them anymore.”
When Marie received her package, she was finally able to hold her new Ophena S in her hands. “It was really well presented. When I opened the box, even my mom said 'WOW'. I was in such a rush to try them on that I was riding an hour later.” After a week of getting used to them, she quickly discovered the improvements her magnetic stirrups made in her riding. “The feeling of lifting my feet and still feeling the stirrups attached was surprising at first. I had to figure out how to remove them with the foot gesture, but after a week I was used to it.”
The foot position given by the magnet suits Marie perfectly, as it does 96% of riders. However, if like her coach — who also ordered the Ophena S stirrups for her daughter — you would like to choose a more toe-in location for the magnet, you can contact Ophena following your order to choose either a more forward or more backward position.
You can find all the information here.
What she likes best about her stirrups?
- The stability they provide
- Their safety
- Their design
Since using them, Marie feels that her leg is much more steady and in its place. “My leg really doesn't move at all, even my coach tells me that. I asked him to make videos to see it from the outside, and it's true that it's a miracle.” In addition, the safety provided by the open design of the stirrups combined with their magnetic floor has won Marie over: “Sometimes my mare makes big jumps, and I don't lose them too easily. On the other hand, when I lose them when she turns, I don't even have to look for them with my feet, they come back to my boots by themselves, it's automatic.”
Marie is currently leading the Trophée des Rois, a French regional challenge in which she once again distinguished herself in the 115 event last weekend, taking first place. Her sporting evolution with Belmargot is very promising, and the Ophena team is proud to see them equipped with their magnetic safety stirrups.
