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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| Although I can ride without stir ups just fine, during a run I can't help but slow down when I loose a stir up (I know I know, I should not let it bother me but it does). I found these cool velcro stir up things that you can basically velcro your foot to it but I am also considering just going with plain rubber bands. ... what do you guys like to use, what do you think is safer? (if you use anything at all?) suggestions would be more than welcome. Thanks in advance  |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
 
| I don't use ANYTHING. Every time I try something like rubber bands or what not my feet just don't feel the same in the stirrup. SO, I try not to lose my stirups by staying balanced in a turn etc. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| I do try to stay balanced and for the most part I am, but sometimes I fail miserably  |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I use rubber bands, not exactly sure what the Velcro is you are referring too but be sure it will break free if you have a fall. |
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Member
Posts: 35
| I don't like the feel of rubber bands, and velcro sounds like it would be similar. I wrap the bottom of my stirrups a couple times with vet wrap for just a bit more grip. Easy to change out when it gets dingy too. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1115
| A lot of barrel racers ride with too long a stirrup which can cause you to lose them easily. Try going one to two holes shorter. You can also get a buckaroo twist put in your stirrup leather so your stirrup is in the correct position. Then practice losing and picking up your stirrups in a round pen until you can do it in your sleep. This won't stop you from losing your stirrups but it will allow you to get your stirrup back quickly.
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I use rubber bands, most the time I probably don't need them but I like the security of them. They don't bother me at all and I don't notice them when I run (no different feel, at least for me). But when I don't use them (or forget to) and do lose a stirrup, I don't slow down unless I'm hanging halfway off the saddle, LOL. |
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Location: Illinois | I'm an aggressive rider and always use rubber bands. (Only when I run the pattern I need them) I wouldn't even want to try Velcro, rubber bands to me would be easier to snap off. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| ther is a reason are stirrups are long if got a powerhorse the sets hard can pop you up if your stirrups are short, you will be a lawn dart. |
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 A very grounded girl
Posts: 5052
Location: Moving soon..... | I don't use rubber bands and never have. Maybe shorten your stirrups. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I also agree that you should try shortening your stirrups 1 or 2 holes when you run and see if that makes a difference. It did for me!
On my old horse, I would use rubber bands *just in case*. Not that I lost a stirrups very often, but I didn't like it when it happened. With my current horse, I HATE the feel of rubber bands. I'm not sure why but I feel like my foot is jammed way in the stirrup. So I ride without them. I don't lose a stirrup very often and just try to "ignore" it when it happens and keep on riding! |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Why would anyone use velcro? I just see a horrible accident waiting to happen if the velcro doesn't release |
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Veteran
Posts: 269
| I use rubber bands. I used to wrap them around my toe, under the stirrup and over my heel or spur. I didn't really like the way it felt. It was like it was pulling my foot too deep into the stirrup. Then I saw a lady put hers just around her toe basically. As in...put the the rubber band around the ball of her foot, put her foot in the stirrup and took the rubber band under the stirrup to the front and around her toe. I tried that and liked it much better. Felt like I could place my foot where I wanted and it would stay put. I also feel like if something happened, your foot has a chance of slipping out of the the band (if they don't break first). |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I'm not a fan of anything around my feet. It also doesn't bother me in the slightest to lose a stirrup, although it doesn't happen often. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| I use rubber bands. They break if something happens, but keep you from loosing your stirrups. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | Rubber bands break if you have momentum from the stirrups (if you fall off your horse or your horse goes down and your body weight causes the bands to break) but they don't always let go in an emergency.
My friend and her horse were standing ready to go at a jackpot (rubber bands on) and the horse got stung by something just under the corner of the pad. He spun around away from whatever stung him and in the process slipped and went down. My friend wasn't able to kick out of her stirrups and was knocked out (she learned her lesson and rides in a helmet and thank goodness she was otherwise okay).
When the horse got up she broke free but she couldn't get out of her saddle because she couldn't kick free. I always thought they'd break free but I tried afterwards kicking out of my stirrups if I needed to get off and truth is they don't break that easily which is why they keep your feet in the stirrups. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 302
Location: TX | I have used rubber bands in the past and never had a problem with them.. but now I am turning into my mom and I worry about everything - so I don't really use them anymore.
I would recommend trying Nettles wooden stirrups.. They are wonderful and they have a rubber tread in them. I used to use aluminum stirrups and I would loose a stirrup pretty regularly. I switched to these and I haven't had a single problem with loosing a stirrup (knock on wood).. Too bad I can't ride like I used to and I'd be completely fine if I lost a stirrup, LOL!  |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| My legs are so short I have a hard enough time getting the stirrups short enough to reach let alone have my legs wrap around my horse like most girls so rubber bands are just something I have to use |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I used rubber bands for years. Plenty of accidents in them, and every time they broke as soon as they needed to. I refuse to race without them because I lose all confidence when I lose a stirrup and will stop riding all together. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 145
Location: Crane, TX | Neither. Especially not velcro. Rubber bands don't always break even if the horse is dragging you. I know this from personal experience. Losing a stirrup is much better than being drug and injured. |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | RunNitroRun - 2016-05-02 4:13 PM
Rubber bands break if you have momentum from the stirrups (if you fall off your horse or your horse goes down and your body weight causes the bands to break) but they don't always let go in an emergency.
My friend and her horse were standing ready to go at a jackpot (rubber bands on) and the horse got stung by something just under the corner of the pad. He spun around away from whatever stung him and in the process slipped and went down. My friend wasn't able to kick out of her stirrups and was knocked out (she learned her lesson and rides in a helmet and thank goodness she was otherwise okay).
When the horse got up she broke free but she couldn't get out of her saddle because she couldn't kick free. I always thought they'd break free but I tried afterwards kicking out of my stirrups if I needed to get off and truth is they don't break that easily which is why they keep your feet in the stirrups.
A friend of mine had a freak thing happen a few weeks ago. A horse was acting up near the alley and went into her horse, somehow her bridle got hung and broke. Her horse took off through the parking lot. She had no reins, and couldn't kick her feet to jump if she wanted to, they were banded in. He ran around for a while, and finally went back to their trailer.
Like others said, if there's momentum against the bands, they'll break. But in her situation, she couldn't get them off.
I would use a magic seat before I used bands. I weigh over 150, so I know I'm heavy enough to come off. I've seen a 70-80lb girl come off on a hard setting horse. I have gained a lot of weight and my balance has suffered. I'm running horses capable of being 1D if I was lighter and riding like my more fit self. So they will get me unseated in a turn, I've really been contemplating a magic seat, but hubby is against it. Of course I need to lose weight, but that's a little more long term than this weekend lol. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | I use rubber bands. I have to have my stirrups on the shortest hole and after awhile they stretch a little bit and even when just normally riding they're too long. So sometimes I rubber band if I find myself wondering if I'm going to lose a stirrup. I'm not sure why because every time I've lost a stirrup I don't even realize I lost it. Really I just need new fenders for my saddle haha. |
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Rubber bands or velcro....