Correct Stirrup Height

[WestDan]

Great new forum addition to ask some questions! Let me preface this by saying I don't own my own stock and when I do use horses, I am paying for them from an outfitter so it's not my own equipment. Usually am a backpack hunter but using horses is pretty awesome when available. So not experienced in this at all, just looking for some advice, hope I don't sound too stupid.

here's my question: It seems like every time I ride a horse in the backcountry that I can't get the stirrup height locked in. I've had the stirrups set up what seems like too high on multiple occasions where my knees are sore and tight when I get off after a couple of hours of riding. My knees were bent at just less than a 90 degree angle (probably something like 65-70 degrees) while in the saddle. What is the proper height for stirrups? How much bend should you have in your knees, if any at all, when sitting in the saddle?

Thanks for the help. Looking to end that knee soreness.

 

[jwb300]

You want them not so short that your knees are hurting, and not so long that your ass is hurting but right in the middle where both your ass and your knee's hurt equally

No but in all seriousness I get very bad knee pain when riding. I can have my legs almost straight and get pain. I think for me it is just the posture associated with sitting on a horse. I make the stirrups as long as I can while still being able to stand up in the stirrups and ride safely. I have accepted that if I am riding there will be pain. One thing that has helped me is wearing my pack while riding and carrying my rifle on a gun bearer rather than in a scabbard on the horse under my leg. As an added bonus the rifle always comes off the horse when you dismount and prevents the horse from rolling on it when you forget to take it out of the scabbard.

Cheers,
JWB300

 

[elkhunter71]

A good place to start is when you stand up in your stirrups you can put 4 fingers between your crouch and the saddle. Then you have starting place and most people find that pretty comfortable .

 

[Eagle]

When adjusting stirrups for dudes, we would always use their arm length to determine the stirrup length and it worked well or at least got it in the ballpark. You can always adjust from there, but should get you close. Hold your arm out to your side and touch the saddle with your finger tips, pull the stirrup up to your armpit to get the length.

 

[cowboy300]

What Eagle said is a good starting point and will get you close. My preference for all day mountain riding is just long enough to be able to stand up and clear the saddle seat. If I plan on roping or long trotting all day I will shorten them a notch or two. Having the stirrups pre turned will help your knees out alot.

 

[mntnguide]

I agree with the above...when pulling strings or out hunting all day long, i prefer to ride a little longer for my knees to not get cramped up, but when doing any wrangling or trotting of any sort for a long period of time, i suck them back up to what would become uncomfortable on a long ride.

 

[WestDan]

Thanks for all the tips. I'm sure it will help the knees.

 

[rayporter]

if you do this often enough it would pay you to get your own saddle. and maybe even panniers. when you have your own saddle you can get stirrups that fit your feet and stirrup pivots that allow your stirrup to sit straight so you dont twist you legs [and knees] retired gezzers go for little things like that because our knees hurt all the time. i bet i have more than a dozen pairs of stirrups in the barn i dont use for one reason or another.

pulling in with your panniers packed and weighed really speeds things up. may not save a dime but you will know where it is packed and how good it is packed. plus the panniers will be left in camp to use.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Porter stole my post. I totally agree. Best possible is have your own saddle. Also agree on stirrup height, 4 fingers standing is how I fit riders.

 

[5MilesBack]

Proper stirrup length is about 4" longer than most saddles will go. At least for me. Nothing worse than having your knees in your chest while riding.

 

[fort fireman]

The type of saddle plays into the lenght a bit as well. I keep my roping saddle stirrups shorter than my Wade tree stirrups. The seat on the two a very different. My roper throws my feet further out in front of me and my wade my feet stay beneith me more so its more comfortable to have them longer. Aslo depends on the type of riding. Trail riding or just covering ground I keep them longer. If I'm working a cow i will shorten them up a bit. this pic kind of shows were I like mine.



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[goodgrouper]

If you have a solid mount and a safe spot on the trail you can take your feet out and swing your legs around and stretch a little as you go. Helps me a bit

 

[Coyote Commander]

Do you ride regularly?

If you only get on a horse once a year to go hunting, youre probably gonna get sored up no matter what you do.

We always used the arm length. Extend your arm out and put your fingertips at the base of the swell or squaw tit, pull the stirrup and fender up, bottom of stirrup should be in your armpit. Adjust up or down a notch for comfort. Green riders should ride a notch short to help facilitate proper foot placement in the stirrup. Beginning riders tend to ride to deep a stirrup if on the long side. Stirrup should be on the ball of your foot and ankles down.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have found the fist distance on the crotch fits well. However I found the longer stirrups fit my ankles much better than the shorter ones. Just a thought.

 

[Mike 338]

Same as most. Knees just slightly bent so you can clear the seat. Stiff/sore knees after some hours riding are pretty common for me. If the horse can be trusted not to blow up, I'll let one leg hang for a bit in a flat section. Stepping down and walking a while will give you a break too. Some horses have a wide ribcage and that can make for sore knees. Not much you can do about that.

 

[bmart2622]

Make sure your stirrups aren't forcing your toes in, toes should be pointing in line with your knee cap. I ride longer stirrups than most probably do, with my legs hanging neutral and feet not in the stirrups, my feet are slightly lower than my stirrups, rotating my foot up in the front lands my foot in the stirrups, slightly toe high. Texas twist stirrup leathers helps a ton so do angled stirrups but not really an option if you are borrowing a saddle.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

This may not help when using other people's gear, but I've heard a number of people say their knee pain got much better using angled stirrups.