# My feet keep slipping forward in stirrups



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

Anyone know a way to stop my feet slipping forward in stirrups. I'm lease a horse now but the width of the stirrups or wide anyone know a place the sells toe stoppers or grip pads? Help any ideas


----------



## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

Shoes/Boots with Heels are always recommended to keep feet from slipping forward in stirrups, but keeping a toes up and heels down position is the proper way to ride, it just takes practice and concentration to keep your feet in the proper position, eventually it will become natural for you ride that way.


.


----------



## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

If this slipping is a constant issue, you need to work on your equitation. Relax your ankles, push your heels down with the wide part of the foot on the stirrup itself. Feel the stretch of the calf muscle. Devote some time to practicing this and your problem will stop. There is no legitimate equipment "quick fix" to this problem, it takes time, concentration and the development of muscle memory. Eventually you will be doing it automatically without thinking.

That said, there is a little trick I have had my some of my students use when showing. There are small oval stick-on pads you can get in a shoe department for making ladies hi-heel shoes less slippery. They have a sandpaper-like surface and you can put them on your boots (at the widest part of the foot) and another set on the instep of the stirrup. Then when you plant your foot down in exactly the right place, the sandpaper on each surface keeps the foot from sliding around in the stirrup. Not a substitute for good equitation but just a little helper.


----------



## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

What type of riding do you do?

For some types, this can help with safety while working on your riding:










E-Z Ride Endurance Stirrups - Nylon/Safety Cages

Also see:

http://www.horseforum.com/english-riding/heels-down-599074/


----------



## Kay Armstrong (Jun 28, 2015)

Maybe you need to shorten your stirrups a notch.


----------



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

My positioning with my feet are fine and the length is fine it is just they are to wide. The lady letting me lease him said I might need to get new stirrup irons but they are to exspensive the cheapest thing we have found so far is toe stoppers


----------



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

Oh and yeah I do English. The horse I'm leasing has kissing spine so I can't jump so I do casual


----------



## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Here on the forum we generally try to make only one post per topic rather than post the same thing on multiple boards.

You can generally pick up stirrups for under $50 most places. Second hand consignment stores can have them for $10. However width usually isn't a big issue and its likely another problem. Can you post pictures of your stirrups?


----------



## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

I can't really say I'm understanding how width would cause that? Could someone explain this to me? I've never used stirrups too big for my foot, so it's quite possible I've just never experienced this problem before.

OP, I'm going to say that width is not the problem here (do you know for sure they are too big?). I'm almost willing to bet that there's another issue at hand whether it be how the saddle fits you (stirrup bar placement will have an effect on how your leg sits), or quite possibly your stirrups are too long, or another possibility would be your eq or muscling. 

What does your coach say?


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

this is very likely because you are gripping with you lower leg, gripping upward in back, thus your toe drops down and it becomes easy for you foot to slip futher in.

that said, if the pads on the fillis irons are thin and slick, then having new pads put in could help. they are very cheap to buy. 
what I have, and it' helps my feet stay comfy, is some stirrup pads made by Cashel wrapped around the bar of the stirrup. I took OFF the rubbery pad, and wrapped the bar with these cushy pads. so, not much thicker than the original thickness, but softer. you deon't want it too thick or too sticky, as it makes it harder for you foot to slip out.

much better to have stirrup irons taht are too big for you than ones that are too small.

but, the long and the short is that you are very likely gripping up. it's a very common problem


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

*Riding with stirrups that are to wide for you is highly dangerous, just as much so as when they are to small.*

You need to get a pair of irons that fit you, and to make sure they are the right size you need to have a finger's width clear when the ball of your foot is in the stirrup. 

The fact your feet keep slipping forward has nothing to do with the width of the stirrup, as Tiny says, it is more to do with you gripping up. 

When you have seen people dragged because of the wrong stirrup size then you realise the importance of the correct size of stirrup.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I did not realize that, Fox, about the danger of too big. Thanks for making that clear.


----------



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

Ok I guess I'll just see if I do tense or grip with my legs without noticing. Maybe I'll someone to watch or I can set up a camera and record. Thanks guys


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

My forst riding instructor would allow tourists to ride without hats but the stirrups always had to be the correct size. 

A family here had two sons, the eldest, 14, wasn't keen on riding, the younger was and he was a jolly good little pilot too! 

He and his father had been riding when the mother and older lad, out walking the dogs, met them. The older boy decided he wanted to ride home so the father put him up on his horse, not exactly the best of steeds for the lad. The horse took off across a field, the lad fell but his foot had slipped through a to big stirrup and he was killed. 

*If, and I pray it never happens, you get caught in the stirrup and are being dragged, try to roll onto your stomach and your foot is more likely to come out or the stirrup come off an English saddle.*


----------



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

That scares me thanks for the tip. The thing is that I'm leasing a horse for a few months so I don't want to have to buy new stirrups. Or go and find them slippery or to thin ect maybe would the toe stoppers things work. I've heard they are useful. Maybe I should try standing up at walk or halt or try 2 point. Would that help to get my heals down


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You can get a good pair for less than $40 including treads. I call that cheap for a safe guard that could save your life or serious injury. 

Cheaper than not only hospital bills but also the toe guards.


----------



## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

Foxhunter is right. It is one risk you can easily eliminate. I don't see how the width would matter about the slipping problem if you are maintaining the right amount of contact and your leg is in the correct position ??? Rubber treads should help though


----------



## Glenormiston (Jul 10, 2015)

ThAnks for all the help. I just really need to loosen up.


----------

