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C H R O N O F H O R S E . C O M S U M M E R 2 014 23 Who hasn't lost a stirrup at an inopportune moment? Maybe you had a rough jump into that triple combina- tion, or lost your balance when your horse dropped off the bank. Maybe your horse spooked at just the wrong instant, whether you were in the show ring or out on the trail. Or maybe you're just learning to ride or getting back into it after an injury, and concentrat- ing on keeping your feet where they belong in the stirrups is making it more difficult to think about the myriad of other things your trainer is shouting. If any of these situations describe you, you need to try the OnTyte Magnetic Stirrup be a problem in the show ring. The new MDC 'S' Stirrups fea- ture a twist at the top of the iron. You get the same benefits of a stirrup that naturally hangs perpendicular to the horse, but it looks just like a traditional stirrup to the judge. I think these stirrups would be particularly appealing to any riders who have knee or hip injuries that make the normal twisting motion of getting and keeping your foot in the stirrup a bit painful or difficult. I found them comfortable and easy to use. I also noticed that I ended up riding a hole shorter, per- haps just a mechanical result of not having that extra twist in my leathers. These stirrups are brand new on the market and come in a variety of models including the Classic, which is a traditional-looking iron with the twisted top, the hinged Flex, and the Lite, which is an all aluminum model that weighs less than 2 pounds per pair. You can also choose between the ultra-low profile, high-traction wide aluminum tread or a traditional- width tread. From $142.45-$170. Find a retailer at mdccorporation.us/ products/retailers.html. >> OnTyte Lightweight Composite Stirrups System. I really didn't know what to expect when I first put my foot into the OnTyte stirrups. I found the magnet to be strong—my foot certainly wasn't going to move without some effort—but I never had any fear that I'd get stuck during a fall. Any real twisting motion will break the bond and free your foot. It took me a few rides before I was comfortable with these stirrups. I had to adjust my foot position several times by hand until I was happy. However, once you've got your feet where you want them, you never have to think about them again. And with a little practice, I found I could slip my foot out by twisting it when it's time to dismount. Because of the magnet system, you need to wear footgear with magnets as well. You can have your favorite boots resoled, choose from OnTyte's line of paddock boots, or slip on the OnTyte Booty over any English riding boots—a great option for a trial run. This product was developed for someone who was regaining her confidence after an injury-induced riding hiatus, and these stirrups would be an obvious advantage for any rider struggling with a physical is- sue that affected leg control. But there are some big name riders using them as well, including top show jumpers Nick Skelton and Laura Kraut. While I tried the lightweight composite stirrups, OnTyte also makes traditional fillis irons, flexible stir- rups and stainless steel peacock stirrups. Find a re- tailer at ontyte.com. Prices range from $200-$230. From the moment I stepped into these stirrups, they felt like home. They may look space-age with their brightly col- ored flexible outer branch and open eye fastening at the top, but they felt like they combined the best features of traditional irons and high tech ones to make the perfect stirrup. The No. 1 claim of these stirrups is safety. The outer branch is made of a flexible material called Elastollan®, a high performance thermoplastic polyurethane manufactured by BASF. It can bend completely and isn't attached to the top of the stirrup, so there's no chance of getting your foot trapped in the iron. The inner branch is made of high- resistance tempered spring steel for stability with extra-high mechanical re- sistance. And it's located at the front of the tread for a natural slope, encouraging heels down. The footbed is wide, with a removable non-skid tread made of fiberglass-loaded polyaryl- amide, which provides exception- al stability and grip. The leading edge has been beveled to provide better lateral stability. You put your foot in, and it feels like you're standing on the floor rather than a platform just a few inches wide. The stirrups are light, a bit more than 1 pound per stirrup, but they have enough heft to encourage your leg and foot to stay down where it belongs. The FreeJump Soft'Up Pros are designed to be used with the extra- wide single strap FreeJump leathers (sold separately), which have a nylon For The Rider Who Puts A Premium On Safety >> FreeJump Soft'Up Pro Stirrups loop that makes sliding them on a breeze. However, the open eyelet at the top of the iron certainly works with traditional leathers too. And it's angled at 45 degrees to make keeping your foot in the proper position easy. Available in red, blue, black, violet, vanilla and chocolate. $395. en.freejumpsystem.com. For The Rider Seeking Ultimate Security R Editor's Favorite

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