# Composite Stirrups - photo of what happens



## kerilli (21 December 2012)

Sorry, I'm starting a new thread so people see this, since I think it's important.






These both went at take-off over a fence.
I have other reports of them going on landing at a fence, and out hacking.

One manufacturer's name crops up 3 times, another 2 different manufacturers are also mentioned.
You have been warned, as they say...   

Btw, in case anyone nasty is out there (hollow laugh) I have absolutely NO personal agenda here, I do not have anything to do with retail etc of this sort of item, and no grudge against ANY company in the world, I'm just trying to prevent accidents.


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## fjordhorsefan (21 December 2012)

Wow, that's bad!  I'll stick with my steel ones then!


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## CaleruxShearer (21 December 2012)

I've ridden a couple of horses in a saddle with these on and bl**dy hate the things. I had one do this when I got on a putting my foot in the stirrup.


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

CaleruxSheare, you had one break/shatter when mounting? Really? I'll add that to the list. Don't suppose you could please pm me the make or description? Ta.


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## CaleruxShearer (21 December 2012)

Have pm'd you Kerry


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## Molasses (21 December 2012)

Crikey, I have these on my dressage saddle but i never jump in them
mostly cos i like have the weight that hangs down of metal so i can grab a stirrup back with ease if it all goes pear shaped. i find the light ones nice for flatwork but if you loose one it bounces around and i can't find it with my foot. But i'll be keeping an eye on them and never transferring them to a jumping saddle that's for sure!

thanks for sharing


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## mrussell (21 December 2012)

Kerilli..feel free to share my photos of the other night... snapped whilst schooling...


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

mrussell, I just found the pic, did it split straight across under the foot part? Can't quite work it out from the pic, ta.


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## mrussell (21 December 2012)

yes it did...  as hubby was having a canter round in his 2 point seat. 

He heard it crack and the tread went down through the base but luckily the tread was robust enough to save him from smashing the jewels


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## Sparkly Snowdrop (21 December 2012)

Yikes that is scary!!!  I'll stick to my metal ones!


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## webble (21 December 2012)

Scray! I have asked for some of these type for Christmas too, luckily we dont do much jumping


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## cundlegreen (21 December 2012)

A saddle I was trialling came with these. I was riding in Muckboots, and found that it was easy to get my foot stuck on the "cheesegrater" footpiece. I didn't like them at all. Whats wrong with s/s? I've never in 40 years of competing had a problem, although I have twice snapped stirrup leathers (heavy duty english ones!)


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## Mickyjoe (21 December 2012)

Kerrilli would you mind pming me the worst offenders for breaking? 
We have these on our saddles that we use for xc as we like the light weight factor, but it's a bit scary to think they might break easily (and into such sharp pieces). That was something that I did consider as I heard the cheaper brands could be dangerous to a falling horse if they snapped and left sharp edges.


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## stimpy (21 December 2012)

Crikey 

I have used plastic stirrups for donkeys years.  Mine are from a well-know synthetic saddle manufacturer and I have heard them called composite as well as plastic. I don't jump but I have them on both my saddles and since I ride at least once every day that's a lot of riding without a problem.

In recent years I have seen lots of composite stirrups appearing in shops but when I bought my cheap and cheerful ones ISTR they were the only non-metal alternative.  Is composite the same as plastic or are they something different? I don't know whether to be worried or not!


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## marmalade76 (21 December 2012)

stimpy said:



			Is composite the same as plastic or are they something different? I don't know whether to be worried or not!
		
Click to expand...

I'd like to know this as I have some plastic ones too. They don't get a lot of use and I'm not heavy, but I have used them on funrides and the like. The pckaging said they were tested upto 700kg.


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## dominobrown (21 December 2012)

Can you pm what brands have been known to break please?


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## marmalade76 (21 December 2012)

dominobrown said:



			Can you pm what brands have been known to break please?
		
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Me too, please.


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

please will those asking pm me, as it's much easier for me that way! I have compiled a list...


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

mrussell's which cracked:


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## stencilface (21 December 2012)

Thing is, whilst I'm all for safety, there was a pic on the other thread of a metal stirrup breaking, so both types are obviously at risk of it happening.

Just because its happened a couple of times close together that you're aware of does not IMHO make them any more likely to break, stats are required   I will do more looking into this, but my cheapie stirrups haven't let me down so far, everything is at risk from breaking at some point, that's a risk you take I think.


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## Javabb94 (21 December 2012)

I am so worried now as I have the ones in the first picture- i hate other stirrups and love these! obviously I wouldn't compromise on safety though.

What I love is how lightweight they are and how wide the base is, I find my balance in 2 point much better in these.

I asked my dad who knows lots about these different materials said even metal ones will snap, I haven't had a problem with mine but seeing this is quite scary! although as tinselface said this can happen with metal stirrups.

I found some similar ones in aluminium on the web but apparently these wouldn't be any stronger.

I know loads of people who havent had any problems - so not sure im ready to scrap them so to speak. 

Is there a difference between composite and plastic - i always thought mine were just plastic but appears ones the same have been snapping!


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

Tinselface said:



			Thing is, whilst I'm all for safety, there was a pic on the other thread of a metal stirrup breaking, so both types are obviously at risk of it happening.

Just because its happened a couple of times close together that you're aware of does not IMHO make them any more likely to break, stats are required   I will do more looking into this, but my cheapie stirrups haven't let me down so far, everything is at risk from breaking at some point, that's a risk you take I think. 

Click to expand...

As I said on my other thread, though, metal stirrups have been around forever and I have been using them for well over 30 years, and following eventing, sj, and hunting etc for about that long. In all those years I have heard of two metal stirrups snapping (one of them being the one in the pic above). I've heard of far more girths and bits snapping than metal stirrups, honestly. 
By contrast, plastic/composite stirrups are a fairly new thing on the market, and these two threads prove that quite a lot of people on here (but obviously still a VERY small cross-section of equestrians overall) have had them snap/shatter...  I think the stats maybe suggest a pattern...


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## milliepops (21 December 2012)

I once had a nickel stirrup snap while I was schooling (wasn't my horse or tack!) I'm gobsmacked that some people still use them 

I have bog standard stainless on my dressage saddle but aluminium ones on my jumping saddle, for the reasons Kirsty + Java mentioned - the wide base is so much more comfortable. I hope they will be OK :S


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## kerilli (21 December 2012)

i used chunky alu ones for years for xc, never had a problem. the ones with the really gritty/grippy base.


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## Rowreach (21 December 2012)

The composite wide tread stirrups are the only ones I can ride in without real discomfort (old injury) so I won't be changing.  I've just done a bit of online research and looked at about 20 different makes of composite stirrup - they all say much the same thing:

"Recently, a trend has been taking place - many riders have been trading in their traditional Fillis or jointed stirrup irons for one of the many new lightweight, wide track models.

Made of one of the toughest, hi-tech polymers produced by DuPont®, and weighing in at only 450 grams, they feature an integrated 3D swivel action tread which is positioned on a shock-absorbent layer. This alleviates tension on knees, ankles, and even your back. The wide tread allows you to assume a new level of security as well as distributes force across a wider area."

Like I said on the other thread, I have known personally of SS stirrups of various designs breaking during use, and I've been knocking around for a good few years, so while I will keep an open mind and await statistical evidence that composite stirrups are more likely to break than any others, I'll carry on using them in the meantime


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## mrussell (21 December 2012)

In fairness to the Compositi stirrups, the manufacturers emailled me within 12 hours (infact at 6.10 am the next morning !!) to arrange a replacement by 24 hour courier from Belgium.  They confirmed that the design has been improved and that health and safety is their prime concern. 

I have used SOLID plastic stirrups myself for 8 years and never had a problem.  I wonder whether having a tread of different material weakens the design in someway ?


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## whizzer (22 December 2012)

Used to have this type of stirrup on my jumping/hacking saddle, feeling really glad I've swapped back to metal ones! Still got them on dressage saddle but may have a swap back to metal on there as well.


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## Super_Kat (22 December 2012)

Deleted!

Stoopid tablet posted twice


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## Super_Kat (22 December 2012)

stimpy said:



			Is composite the same as plastic or are they something different? I don't know whether to be worried or not!
		
Click to expand...

You can get plastic composites as far as I'm aware.

Some information re: composites..... If I remember my composite training! 

 A composite is usually made up of between 2 and 7 different materials (some are classed as a matrix and some a resin) which combine together to make something stronger/more durable/heat resistant etc (take paper-mache, the paper is the matrix and the glue is the resin, combines together = stronger material) using various methods to produce them: wet lay up (mainly used for boats), vaccum bag moulding aaannnddd, I can't think of any others!  examples of composites: F1 cars (body, ceramic brakes etc), boats, aeroplanes and spacecraft. some composites are designed to be stronger than others but repeated impact/shock can cause bits to separate and therefore the composite to break. Some composites can still be quite brittle (which the stirrups look to be!) and once they start to break down don't have any reserve strength to keep together (look at the spacecraft that broke up, can't remember if it were during take off or landing, about 10 years or so ago, that was due to a cracked panel (arrack which was sustained under pressure) I believe. Once it started to go that was it, then everything else went and the whole thing broke up and the NASA clean up team wer picking up astronaught bits for days).
With regards to the 'what is the safer material' question, composites have a crap bearing strength compared to metal, but, it is generally lighter. I'd always go metal. If you want a lightweight composite stirrup, go carbon fibre if you can still get them.

Just because something says 'composite' it doesn't mean it's any good.



Can you tell I can't sleep


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## NeedNewHorse (22 December 2012)

Oh gosh.. I've got the shires ones (is that the ones used in the first pic???)

I have to say, I love them! Now absolutely loathe the metal ones, find them heavy and bulky and I defo need the cheese grater effect. I have the shires ones on both gp (ie hacking saddle, so always out of the saddle) and dressage one, so not really out of the saddle). Never even occured to be they may break, they seem very sturdy!


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## rhino (22 December 2012)

I've had 2 pairs (same make as mrussell) break, in the same place. One xc schooling, one on the gallops, both luckily with sane and sensible horse! 

Back to my old SS ones now


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