Q: What length should my stirrups ideally be?
A: If you’re hacking or just doing some flatwork in the arena rather than focusing on dressage or jumping specifically, you should aim for your stirrups to be ankle length. To achieve this, take your feet out of the stirrups and let them hang loose against the saddle. You want the stirrup bar to be level with the bony protuberance of your ankle when it hangs straight down.
For jumping
If you are jumping, you ideally want slightly shorter stirrups to make it easier to get out of the saddle and transfer more of your weight into your heels to give you a more secure position over the fences. If your stirrups are too long, your leg will likely swing back over jumps, or you’ll struggle to get into a good jumping position or light seat.
Classically, it is advised that your jumping length should be two holes shorter than your flatwork length, and this does seem to work well for most people. If you start jumping much bigger fences, you may need to go a bit shorter, but you’ll work out what feels best with trial and error.
For dressage
You’ll want slightly longer stirrups if you’re riding in a dressage saddle or doing full dressage schooling, like lateral work. Greater leg length allows you to ride dressage movements more easily; plus, short stirrups can force your knee past the straight flaps of a dressage saddle.
A good starting point is to go one hole longer than the ankle. Eventually, with practice, you’ll probably end up with your stirrups level with the sole of your boot. Don’t rush to make your stirrups too long, however, as this can cause your lower leg to swing, making you unstable in your seat. As you get a better dressage seat, you’ll find you naturally want a longer stirrup length.
Other things to consider
Regardless of discipline, your stirrups need to be the right length for you, your horse and the saddle you are riding in. You need your knee to fit comfortably in the fold of the knee flap without jutting forwards, and you want to be able to use your legs on your horse’s barrel so your leg aids are effective. Finally, you need to make sure you feel comfortable and safe; if you don’t feel secure and stable, you simply won’t be able to ride the way you want to!