STIRRUP IRONS. i57 



gentleman's ordinary hunting stirrup ; or be of the Latch- 

 ford (Fig. 1 6) shape, which consists of two stirrups of un- 

 equal size, one within the other ; the small one, in which 

 the foot is placed, being made to free Itself from the other 

 on the slightest backward drag of the foot, in the event 

 of the rider being thrown, provided, always, that the 

 mechanism is kept well oiled. Padding placed round 

 the stirrup Is unnecessary, as a lady should not put 

 her foot " home," so cannot hurt her Instep against the 

 iron, while It may possibly prove dangerous by causing 

 the foot to catch in the stirrup. Colonel Greenwood 

 remarks that "the lady's stirrup iron should be in all 

 respects the same as a man's, and, to make assurance 

 doubly sure, it should open at the side with a spring. 

 This might be useful in case of a fall on the off side, 

 when the action of the spring-bar of the saddle might 

 be impeded. But if the stirrup is large and heavy, it 

 is next to impossible that the foot should be caught by 

 it. It is the common error to suppose that persons are 

 dragged owing to the stirrup being too large and the 

 foot passing through it ; but the reason is its being too 

 small and light ; It then sticks to the foot, and clasps it 

 by the pressure of the upper part of the stirrup above 

 the foot, and the lower part on the sole of the foot" 



