The lightest weight safety stirrups

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Looking to change to a lighter stirrup, I currently have the MH ones, but they are heavy and probably outdated by now. Bought them well over ten years ago, am guessing things might have moved on? Any recommends? I'm leaning towards Le meiux as they claim to be extremely light weight. There are many different types on their site though, probably for pootling I would only need the basic ones (they do some geared to eventing allegedly). Any ideas or experience most welcome.
 
They do look to be very light at 419g per stirrup, according to a quick google my Flex On Safe On's are 1kg each. I dont suppose anyone has a pair you could try? The priceof stirrups nowadays does mean I like to try a pair for a couple of rides before committing to buy!
 
carthorse said:
They do look to be very light at 419g per stirrup, according to a quick google my Flex On Safe On's are 1kg each. I dont suppose anyone has a pair you could try? The priceof stirrups nowadays does mean I like to try a pair for a couple of rides before committing to buy!
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Yes it would be good to try first to see how I liked them. I don't really know that many people who I could ask unfortunately. They are quite an investment aren't they.
 
I had Compositi Reflex stirrups for Gracie. They are plastic with a bit of "suspension" in the treads for shock absorption and the treads are a bit wider than your average stirrup iron or extra support and security. I loved them.
 
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The weight of a stirrup will depend on the width of ones boots. I wear larger size irons in winter with my warm lined boots.
My normal Sprenger safety stirrup weighs 598 grams. It is Sprenger system 4. I dismount using the stirrup and have never had one break. But I take them to the yard and put them on any horse I hack so the side that each stirrup goes on each week is random.

Touch wood, I have never lost a stirrup on my current share except for the only time I fell off her. And when I fall, I shake my feet free of the stirrups since in an early fall on one of my first hacks, I was bucked off a child size RS pony and my foot caught in the RS stirrup which was too small for my boots.
That was why I got permission to ride in my own stirrups and have done so ever since, except in school lessons.
 
@Skib a lot of modern safety stirrups come in adult or child sizes, that's it, so if they give a weight for the adult stirrup that's the weight they are. Since many of the better ones are now made with a break out arm size is less of an issue since your foot won't get caught up. They've effectively modernised the old fashioned peacock irons to make them structurally sound and suitable for adults :)

I'm surprised the System 4 ones are that light, I'd guess my Bow Balance ones are similar in weight to my Flex Ons, maybe slightly heavier. The Bow Balance have a wider tread than the System 4 but are otherwise very similar and include the same flexibility. I can understand the Le Mieux ones being so light since they're made of aluminium rather than stainless steel, I wonder if that's something we'll see more of now?

I'd be quite shocked to have a well made stainless steel stirrup break! In over 45 years of riding I've only seen that happen with ancient nickel ones - we were always told never to buy nickel stirrups or bits for that very reason.
 
My MH ones are smaller than mr trews MH ones. I remember us buying different sizes. They just seem so "heavy" now. My saddle is really lightweight but pop the stirrups on and it turns heavy somehow.
 
I have the Barefoot safety ones. Just swapped them over. They feel lighter then the Sprengers.
Will be interesting to see how I get on with them.
 

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@newforest they look the same as the old peacock irons. I don't know what your weight is and I'm not asking, but they used to be classed as a child's safety iron regardless of size because the rubber band weakened the structure of the stirrup and over time the stirrup would weaken, bend and possibly even break. They're ok for very light riders, but that's all.
 
The main difference between these and the other peacocks is the thickness of the base. I can't see any other difference with a side by side photo of the two.
 
@newforest I would imagine the thicker base makes them even less safe since it's adding to the weight on the arm, though I guess that's marginal compared to the weight of even a very light rider.
 
I will give the retailer an email and ask about it. It's strange that they are being aimed at adults who will weigh more than the eight stone childs limit.
 
9 stone 7 used to be the weight limit for Peacock.
No one should copy me. I wear the safety stirrups of 20 years ago. The ones I am used to. Our YM jumps and uses pricey modern stirrups that live in their own little bags .
 
@Skib we used to say 8 stone top, and in reality they were kept for young beginners. I don't think there's anything wrong with the Sprenger System 4 as safety stirrups, I only changed from the Bow Balance version of them because the Flex On give more support to my foot and ankle while still having a side that gives in the case of a fall. The one time I did take a fall with the Bow Balance it was from some athletic bucking, spinning and general panic attack and my feet came free easily and with no noticable delay so I really wouldn't fault them. There certainly wasn't time to take my feet out of the stirrups, by the time I accepted I wasn't going to sit it out I was in the river and thinking unladylike thoughts 🤣
 
Sprengers are lovely (mine are the Safety Offset Eye) but gosh they are heavy. A friend had a pair of very groovy composite stirrups with an open section which were light and bright red! Alas I don't know what they were called.
 
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