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Peacock stirrups have been a staple of the short stirrup and young rider world for decades. These safety stirrups were originally designed to prevent a rider’s foot from getting caught in a stirrup in the event of a fall. The design is simple: instead of two closed bars on either side of the rider’s boot, the side furthest away from the horse is replaced with a rubber band spanning between two metal hooks. The idea is that if a rider falls, the rubber band stretches and pops off, saving the rider’s foot from injury and saving the rider from being dragged alongside the horse should their foot become stuck in the stirrup.
Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. While peacock stirrups either caused no issues or even prevented injury for many riders, the use of this piece of horse riding equipment has also led to other life-threatening injuries.
Potential for Injury to Rider
In 2024, writer and equine lawyer Armand Leone published an article in the Chronicle of the Horse calling for peacock stirrups to be banned from the list of allowed horse riding equipment. According to Leone,
“There is a long history of riders getting caught on the upward-pointing hook part of these safety stirrups while sliding down the saddle to dismount. Some riders have caught their belt or ripped their clothing on the way down. Although it doesn’t look sharp, the hook can rip through clothing, tear into the skin, and cause mutilating injuries to the abdomen, genitals and groin. While all rides do not end in a fall, every ride using these stirrups ends with a dismount that exposes the rider to this risk of serious injury.”
The article goes on to note that the writer has seen two life-changing groin lacerations occur at USEF competitions because of the hook embedding itself in the rider’s skin while dismounting. Both riders required surgery.
If a rider falls off while using children’s riding stirrups like this, the hook can embed into the clothing or skin of the rider during the chaos of a fall and lead to the rider getting dragged alongside the horse– the very incident the stirrup was originally designed to prevent.
At the end of the day, while these stirrups have traditionally been used in the show ring and at home, they may not be as effective as intended, and actually increase the dangers of horseback riding. After all, riders can prevent their foot from becoming stuck in a standard stirrup by wearing boots that have a heel, practicing good equitation, and learning how to fall correctly.
Potential for Injury to the Horse
In the event that a rider falls off their horse and manages to get clear of both the stirrup and the animal, you may think the peacock stirrup has done its job and the danger has passed. Unfortunately, that’s not quite true. Now, you have a loose horse that is potentially panicked by the incident and may take off, with a metal hook banging along its side. Just as the hook can embed itself in the skin of a child, the same can occur with our equine partners.
Many barn owners find themselves regularly taping up sharp corners or covering hooks with pool noodles or other soft and flexible materials to prevent injury to their horses. Veterinarians regularly recommend taping the hooks on either side of your horse’s water bucket to prevent nose and eye lacerations, even if they’re dipped in rubber.
If we, as horse owners, don’t allow even rubber-covered hooks in our barns, why should we feel comfortable with metal hooks on our children’s riding stirrups? Over the years, hook-and-loop, or peacock, stirrups have become normalized within the industry. In a sport that prides itself on sticking to its traditional ways, this is one tradition that will now fall rightly to the wayside.
The Ban on Peacock Stirrups
Two of the biggest organizations in the United States are leading the charge on banning peacock stirrups: the United States Pony Club and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). According to the Pony Club blog, “The most significant change for riders was the banning of peacock stirrups, also known as hook-and-loop stirrups, after firsthand reports were brought to the attention of the USPC Safety Committee of injuries caused to riders who were using peacock stirrups.”
Effective January 2025, pony clubbers will no longer be allowed to use peacock stirrups at rallies and other sanctioned events. USEF also banned the use of peacock stirrups at rated horse shows, however this rule will take effect December 2025. The rule states, “No piece of equipment shall be attached to a saddle that has a rigid upward pointing projection, hook, or similar object capable of catching a rider’s clothing or person when dismounting, including stirrups.”
While an important safety update designed to keep riders of all ages safer while horseback riding, it does leave many lesson barns in a jam. Peacock stirrups are a staple piece of equipment in most barns and are prized for their low price, if not for how they improve a rider’s safety in the saddle. Luckily, there are alternative options for lesson barns and trainers who used to view peacock stirrups as an essential piece of horse riding equipment.
Goodbye Peacock Stirrups, Hello Venice Children's Safety Stirrups
Tech Stirrups created an alternative option for parents of young riders who are concerned about the potential injuries that could be caused by peacock stirrups: the Venice Children’s Safety Stirrups. Like peacock stirrups, these children’s riding stirrups are designed to prevent the foot from becoming stuck in the stirrup in the event of a fall. Unlike peacock stirrups, these horseback riding stirrups feature an innovative safety mechanism that allows a movable bar to open to release the foot and then close automatically afterwards.
With a little help from innovative new technology, young riders can ride safely, reduce the risk of getting their foot caught in the stirrup, and keep their horse safe, all by simply replacing the type of horseback riding stirrup they use.
Click here to shop our collection of stirrups on Breeches.com.