Stirrup Irons

From: Equestrian and Horse | Stirrups

Stirrup Irons
It is through these that the rider puts their feet, for the best position the rider should place the ball of their foot onto the stirrup tread with approximately 1.25 cm either side and the weight down into the heel with the toes pointing forward, this helps to give the rider a secure lower leg position.

The stirrup irons will have rubber grip treads on which help to prevent the foot from slipping through, this is why footwear with a heel is is used and care must be taken to check the tread for wear.

Stirrup irons come in different sizes from 3.75 inches wide for childrens to 4.75 inches wide for adults.

Stirrup Iron Types

Safety Stirrups
Contain a curved outer edge which prevents the foot from getting caught up in the event of a fall.

Peacock Safety Irons
Have a rubber ring attached to a leather strap at the lower end and hook over a metal notch at the top, in the event of a fall the rubber breaks off to release the foot from the stirrup.Care must be taken to check the rubber regularly for wear.
Wedge Treads
These are thick at one end and thin at the other this encourages the heel to stay down and the toes to point forward.
Stirrup Hoods
Plastic covers which cover the front of the stirrup preventing the foot from slipping through, these are most commonly used for endurance riding where the riders sometimes wear footwear that they can run in when they are giving their horse a break.