Breakaway Stirrups

Like or dislike?I've never tried them.....I see people riding in them al the time, just never had the experience myself.So, what are your experiences? Are they worth the investment, and do they work as well as they claim?

Are you talking about the peacock stirrups that have a big thick rubber band on them? Or the Western stirrup that comes off the fender?

I used to volunteer at a therapeutic riding center- we used the Western Breakaways. They were very nice. They acted as a regular stirrup, can't really tell they are different. If a rider fell, (which never happened while I was there) the stirrup was designed to rotate and come off.

All of our saddles have them. My husband won't ride without them and I prefer them for my lesson kids. Personally, I prefer jointed irons as I have knee troubles, but the peacock irons are definitely "safer", especially if you're jumping, on the trail, or riding green horses.

Thanks guys. All I hear nowadays is "Find your Breakaway stirrups" or "Why aren't you riding in breakaway's?"

Hehe. Alrighty, I may go see if the Horse Blanket has a pair this weekend. ;)
Posted via Mobile Device

I've actually wanted a pair for some time now due to my strange phobia of getting my good stuck in a stirrup. Do any of you have problems with the rubber bands popping out at unnecessary times, like if you're adjusting your foot or something?

My kids have the peacock stirrups with the rubber bands and no issues at all. They use them on both their saddle and the saddle for the lesson pony and the rubber band hasn't ever come loose or popped off. Trust me, they've done some pretty funky things with their feet, especially my 6yr old whose leg bones are malformed, so a good leg/foot position is very hard for her, so I can't imagine that if they've not ever had a problem, that someone else would.

I've use jointed ones since I have early onset arthritis in both knees, I was told the jointed ones would also make it easier for your foot to come free of the stirrup.

Some of the cheaper brands can have issues with the elastics popping off, I think; something to do with a shallower hook and not great bands. I seem to remember a friend of mine losing bands here and there until she invested in a better pair. The good news is that the hands and little leather pieces can be purchased separately, so other than having to go to your tack shop or ordering them online, it's not too much hassle to replace them.

I use them, and I love them.

I don't have them on my barrel saddles, though. I should probably get some for them.

I ride with regular stirrups. Well actually 6 way flex stirrups. I love them. I hzve a very secure position and ride so much on my toes that if anything happened, my foot would just slip out. I probabaly ride with like an inch or two of toe in my stirrup.

Advantages: _Rides like a normal stirrup
_Disconnects at 45° forward or 72° backward
_Rider is freed from horse

Testimonials:

”Daughter came off safely, got the horse up without it actually rolling over onto the saddle, and we thought nothing more of the incident until she started to get back on and the stirrup was missing on the side she came off of. It gives me chills to think that her foot was in a position to be dragged or else the stirrup would not have released. Thank you. A million times… thank you.”

-Lana Bain
Puyallup, WA

“I was chasing a steer down hill, standing in the stirrups, swinging my rope, trying to get close enough for a shot, when the horse dropped his head and went to bucking. I couldn’t get his head up and got pitched off the far side. My right foot got hung up in the stirrup, but about the time I hit the ground the stirrup released and kept me from being drug.

-Phil Mueller

More testimonials here

Hope I helped,