Finding the right stirrup length can be a challenge sometimes, depending on what discipline you ride, what your trainer says, what your friend says, and what your own body is telling you. Here are a couple basic guidelines to follow when determining the right stirrup length for you and what you are doing.

First, ask yourself: what type of riding are you doing?

If you ride English and are interested in jumping, your stirrups are going to need to be set shorter to help give you more support and stability while going over jumps.

If you’re interested in Western trail riding, then your stirrups should be longer and comfortable.

But regardless of what discipline you are doing, the stirrups should be comfortable enough to allow you to relax in the saddle, maintain proper alignment and aid you in riding your best.

The stirrups should not be so short that your knees begin to hurt. (unless of course you’re a racing jockey.) This can cause knee pain in the long term and naturally causes you to tip forward in the saddle, throwing your alignment off balance. Your stirrups shouldn’t be too long so that you feel like you’re reaching your toes to touch them. Stirrups that are too long will not be able to add support during the trot and canter and may cause you to have an arm chair seat (where your feet and legs are forward) which makes you lose balance and coordination, which in turn may cause your horse to hollow his back since you will have no stirrup or core support to help you stay soft on his back.

A good way to test your stirrup length is to walk and trot your horse and ask yourself the following questions:

* Am I needing to reach my toes to touch the stirrups or do my feet feel supported?

* Is my lower leg able to stay in alignment during a posting/sitting trot?

* Do I feel any strain on my knees?

* Am I tipping forward?

* Am I able to relax my legs from my hip sockets and let them wrap around the horse?

* Do they feel comfortable?

You may need to readjust your stirrups a couple of times before you find the right length. When you do find the right length, don’t be surprised if you have to change them again in a few months as your body will change the more or less you ride.

(photo taken from Pinterest)

“I would travel only by horse, if I had the choice.” -- Linda McCartney

~ Saddle Up