[mroades]

As a judge, can you also understand that there may be situations which warrant their use? I have a completely reconstructed left ankle and foot. Cadaver grafts, hardware, bones broken and reset, grooves carved into my malleolus and calcaneus...the works. I have decreased sensation and my ankle doesn't flex much beyond 100 degrees. Those stirrups make it possible for me to put enough weight in my heels to ride like anyone else. I don't agree that I should be penalized for an otherwise lovely round (great distances, good, solid equitation on a suitable mount) because of a pair of flexible stirrups that I cannot ride without. This, of course, is not the case for everyone who uses them, but most I know who have jointed irons need them for a true physiological reason.

And if you have ever shown under me, you would know I strive to be fair!! I have already said it will not get a low score automatically (and I have sat with some who will do that) I have to use SOMETHING as a tiebreaker. For me that can be an element of breaking a tie.
One of the things the powers that be stress in the judges clinics is to HAVE AN OPINION. I shared mine with you, which frankly most judges will not do. And how on earth am I supposed to know which rider has medical issues and which ones are just being trendy"? If you ride the best under me, you will win, black bendy or whatever stirrups. But it does not meanI have to like them!!

[Peggy]

I know one judge that used to note which riders carried crops and he used that as a tiebreaker. If I was showing in front of that judge and was riding a horse in a situation where I felt that the crop wasn't necessary, I didn't carry one. I suppose that this gave an advantage to people on the more forward, braver horses?

[MHM]

I know one judge that used to note which riders carried crops and he used that as a tiebreaker. If I was showing in front of that judge and was riding a horse in a situation where I felt that the crop wasn't necessary, I didn't carry one. I suppose that this gave an advantage to people on the more forward, braver horses?

Actually, it gave an advantage to people who knew that judge's preferences.

[Peggy]

Actually, it gave an advantage to people who knew that judge's preferences.

Yup. That was back in the day when I kept a card file on judges. I had a bit of an advantage there as my mom was the horse show manager/back gate person/announcer/show office at various times and would give me tips.

[eqsiu]

You guys are so ridiculous. I happen to be a traditionalist. It certainly doesnt change the placings if you ride the best, but really, one does have to have preferences, or we can all just get our participation certificates that we all tied because we don't want to offend anyone, and go home!

So how about the plastic fillis style stirrups? Not jointed, but still black.

[MHM]

More to the point, does anyone know if the rule change actually was passed at the convention? If not, the whole discussion is moot.

[GaMare]

Just looked at the proposed rule change & saw the committee submitted a revision- so instead of automatic elimination it gives the judge discretion to use as elimination or factor into scoring. Good to see some degree of common sense applied in drafting. Hopefully judges will be reasonable in application!

http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleChanges/174-12.pdf

[Rockfish]

If you manage to lose a stirrup, and NOT have anything else compromised, to the point where the judge misses the error all together, kudos to you for good riding and pulling one over on them. Stirrup type should be irrevelant.

[atilthia]

Did anyone figure out if its all black stirrups they are judging down against/outlawing or any stirrup with black on it? Example I have a brand SIMILIAR to these but with black instead of white/grey on the sides http://www.statelinetack.com/item/md...rrups/E003052/

[Peggy]

More to the point, does anyone know if the rule change actually was passed at the convention? If not, the whole discussion is moot.

I was wondering the same thing. Anyone?

[sweetpea]

So I purchased these finally after this thread
http://www.horseloverz.com/Irons/280...num---475.html
I had the black ones but I like theses better. Just a little more weight and same great wide track.

[Atlas Shrugged]

I have something like these and I like them because I like to drop my irons for flatwork and they don't hit me in the leg. I did have a clinician comment on them (Jeff Cook)- he noticed they were similar to black ones but at least not black. He did pick up on the fact that there were unconventional.

[TheJenners]

So was it determined that is was the COLOR or the MATERIAL that is the issue? I will gladly spray my charcoal "irons" so they look more traditional, they are composite but not flexible. As they were a very well thought out present from DH back before he was my DH, and was in fact a Xmas present for our first Xmas, I'd rather not hurt his feelings by removing them. Plus I like the way they ride.

[JumpsJumps]

So was it determined that is was the COLOR or the MATERIAL that is the issue?

The issue is color. The black blends in too much with the boot or horse coat. The judges want to be able to clearly see from across the ring the placement of the stirrup on the foot or near the foot when stirrups are dropped.

[fair judy]

i concur that the color of the "newfangled" stirrups would certainly make them harder to judge. i never used them because i found them somehow de-stablizing to my base. as for the comments regarding gloves providing the same "cover" i recall somewhere in the deep recesses of my ancient brain that katie monahan often rode in string backed gloves. of course KMP has hands like butter. i always made certain my students with busy hands never had a big stripe of white cuff showing .

[Papyruse]

I would agree with the rule of non-black stirrups but I think using the material of the stirrup as a tie-breaker is ridiculous. I use bendy stirrups for bad knees not because it's "easier." In fact I would argue it's harder to use them because you have to work harder to keep your calf in a better position (not necessarily your heel). Should we eliminate other new-fangled ideas like helmets with chin straps or gel wither pads because the aren't "old fashioned?" Times change, sometimes for the better...

[Molly99]

I would agree with the rule of non-black stirrups but I think using the material of the stirrup as a tie-breaker is ridiculous. I use bendy stirrups for bad knees not because it's "easier." In fact I would argue it's harder to use them because you have to work harder to keep your calf in a better position (not necessarily your heel). Should we eliminate other new-fangled ideas like helmets with chin straps or gel wither pads because the aren't "old fashioned?" Times change, sometimes for the better...

the rule has nothing to do with the material, but the COLOR! The exact same model for many of the black ones come in silver and it was stated at the convention that people could comply with the rule by spray painting their black ones.

[MintHillFarm]

Alot of the top eq riders do not use jointed stirrups...

And on the all black Royal irons, I could see the point about the black making it hard to see the postion of the stirrup, but no so much that I think they should be disallowed.

I would bet that Royal will come up with a lighter colored model if this rule does take effect. Just as there are grey jointed stirrups on the market...