[kitten_Val]

Yes, I know it's a dumb question, but... If I lunge my horse with english saddle should I keep stirrups shortened or let them go full length and fly around? I always thought I have to shorten them, but then I've seen couple videos when the trainers didn't do it. So I'm a little confuse. I'd appreciate to hear how other people do it.

 

[Scoutrider]

With an English saddle ALWAYS run the stirrups up to lunge. I've seen people do it with the stirrups down and it bugs the heck out of me to see the horse slammed in the sides with the irons. I dropped a stirrup iron on my foot once... it HURT! Why slam the horse's sides like that repeatedly?? I can see where it might serve some desensitizing purpose, but I do something separate from lunging to make sure that the horse is not afraid of the stirrups. The most I would think of doing on the lunge is removing the irons and letting the leathers flap, and I've never felt a need to do that.... When I ride English, unless I'm in the saddle or hand walking some absurdly short distance and then getting back on, I run the stirrups up.

 

[Alwaysbehind]

I agree that with most horses leave the stirrups up.

I do on occasion put them down on purpose with my younger horse as I want to her learn to accept annoyances. She tends to be reactive and this has helped.

 

[mls]

Up. I have strap that runs over the top of the saddle - hooks to each iron and keeps them up. No slipping when I carry my saddle either. Those irons in the knee hurt like heck.

 

[kitten_Val]

Thank you, All! That's what I'd think too - they should hit pretty bad when flying around and personally I always keep them up, but then yesterday I came across this video Breathe and while I think she's an amazing rider, in the very beginning she's obviously have the stirrups down... :???:

 

[Hunter65]

Thank you, All! That's what I'd think too - they should hit pretty bad when flying around and personally I always keep them up, but then yesterday I came across this video Breathe and while I think she's an amazing rider, in the very beginning she's obviously have the stirrups down... :???:

What an amazing video!

 

[Alwaysbehind]

Those irons in the knee hurt like heck.

I guess I have stumpy enough legs that my stirrups even down do not really hit my horse anywhere but the belly.

 

[mls]

I guess I have stumpy enough legs that my stirrups even down do not really hit my horse anywhere but the belly.

My knees - when I carry the saddle!

 

[Alwaysbehind]

My knees - when I carry the saddle!

Oh... I run mine up in a manner they can not slide down when not in use.

Yes, they do hurt when you bash yourself in the shin with them.

 

[Jolly Badger]

On an English saddle, I either run the stirrups up in a way that they cannot slide down, use the over-the-top strap to hold them in place, or simply take them off the saddle entirely.

 

[mls]

Oh... I run mine up in a manner they can not slide down when not in use.

Yes, they do hurt when you bash yourself in the shin with them.

My irons are weighted so they can work their way down!

 

[Alwaysbehind]

My irons are weighted so they can work their way down!

I run them up and then put the tail of the stirrup leather thru the loop (that is where the stirrup would be if it was down) and then put the tail back thru the keeper, they can not work their way down.

 

[Seahorseys]

I was taught to secure them in this fashion. I've let them down to trot or walk solely for desensitization purposes, and for a very limited amount of time.

 

[Alwaysbehind]

That is like what I do.

 

[mls]

Twisting the leathers??! :shock:

 

[Alwaysbehind]

Twisting the leathers??! :shock:

No.

No twisting.


Push stirrup up back of leather.


Push portion of the leather that is where the stirrup used to be up thru the stirrup and then up in front of the stirrup so it is now in front of the stirrup but has come from underneath it. The photos show it going back thru the stirrup, I do not do this. Then take the tail of the stirrup and run it thru the loop at the bottom that you now have in front of the stirrup and tuck the tail back into the keeper.

Stirrup can not go anywhere. No twisting or knotting or anything.

 

[Rowzy]

I dont run my stirrups up if I am only lunging for 5 minutes or so. In that case I throw them over the opposite side of the saddle and they dont bang againest my horse. If I do run up my stirrups I have to change the hole they are on because I have webbers, not normal leathers.