STIRRUP IRONS. 



235 



and heel of the boot will allow. The weight should be such 

 as to make the stirrup steady, in order that the stirrup can 

 be easily caught by the foot when the horse is moving. The 

 average sized stirrup should weigh about sixteen or eighteen 

 ounces. The shape of the tread varies. For ordinary use, 

 the oval form, open in the centre and with the upper surface 

 roughened or the edges sharply bevelled, is a very good pat- 

 tern. The addition of a bar through the centre, and the 

 upright sides broadened to the height of a little more than an 

 inch, gives a firm grip and is more comfortable for hard 

 riding. Stirrup irons made with solid flat treads never afford 

 a firm foothold. A rider advanced in years often prefers the 



FIG. 96. 



FIG. 97. 



use of a rubber pad in place of the roughened surface, as 

 the former is less likely to slip from the foot, and affords a 

 softer point of leverage. The opening for the stirrup-leather 

 should not be curved as it twists the leathers out of shape 

 so that they do not lie flat when shortened or let out. 



