Are my safety stirrups show legal?

US Equestrian's rule GR801.6 doesn't allow stirrups or saddle attachments with a rigid, upward-pointing projection that could catch a rider's clothing or body when dismounting. USEF's wording is a "rigid upward pointing projection, hook, or similar object capable of catching a rider's clothing or person when dismounting, including stirrups." The rule took effect December 1, 2025.

Safety stirrups are the most affected. USEF says the idea came from a member, and that its review of horse show accident reports found a small number of serious injuries to young riders who were caught on projections like these while dismounting. USEF calls those injuries statistically uncommon but preventable. Breakaway-style stirrups are still allowed.

Who does it apply to? USEF members at sanctioned competitions. USEF's FAQ doesn't address schooling at home, so that one is a question for your trainer or barn. USEF's weekly newsletter adds a second reason for the rule: it aims to reduce cuts to a loose horse that runs with an exposed hook banging its side after a fall. Para riders aren't affected. A stirrup named in a para rider's dispensation certification overrides the general rule.

Officials are giving verbal warnings through November 30, 2026, and enforcement starts December 1, 2026. During the warning period, USEF says no rider may be withheld from competition for a non-compliant stirrup. After that, officials enforce the rule the way each breed or discipline chapter enforces its other prohibited tack and equipment rules.

If you have questions about a specific stirrup, USEF suggests asking a licensed official at your next competition.

What if an official flags my stirrup during the warning period? You get a verbal warning and nothing more. USEF says no rider may be withheld from competition for a non-compliant stirrup before December 1, 2026. Use the time to swap them out rather than waiting for the first enforced show.

A stirrup complies if, with its release mechanism not activated, nothing sticks up. USEF checks stirrups in that non-activated state. In USEF's words, a stirrup complies when it meets one of these:

USEF's guidance addresses GR801.6 only. It is not a certification or endorsement of any manufacturer or model. USEF also notes that many brands and designs comply, so a compliant pair doesn't have to come from any particular maker.

• Its branches are closed, with no gaps in the outer frame.
• It has a gap of 1.5 cm or less, and the gapping outside branch lines up with the outer plane of the stirrup.
• If the outside branch is open with a gap, that branch sits inside the stirrup's plane, so nothing projects upward.

Yes, but only the ones manufacturers asked it to review, so the list isn't complete. A USEF task force meets in January and June to review new designs, and manufacturers can apply through USEF's Stirrup Design Review Application. The Stirrup Resource Page lists the models it determined compliant as of June 2026, along with two entries it found non-compliant.

An absent name doesn't mean a stirrup is illegal. It may simply not have been submitted. When a stirrup isn't listed, compare its design with the criteria above and ask the maker or a licensed official.

For the full, current list of every listed model, use USEF's Stirrup Resource Page, since it is updated after each review.

US Pony Club banned peacock stirrups starting January 1, 2025, ahead of USEF. Peacock-style safety stirrups have a detachable rubber or hook-and-loop band on the outside. Pony Club's policy update called the ban "the most significant change for riders," and said riders had been reported injured when the upward-pointing hook caught them while sliding down the saddle during a dismount. The policy affects all Pony Club members and members taking part in a Pony Club event from another organization.

Pony Club's suggested alternatives are closed-branch, bow-shaped, bent-arm forward-facing and safe-side or breakaway-release stirrups. It adds that it "does not endorse or promote any specific products or type of alternative stirrup," so check Pony Club, USEF or your discipline's rules before you buy. Our own peacock stirrup page has more on the change.

A closed-branch, bow-shaped, bent-arm or breakaway-release stirrup, depending on your rules. Those are the families US Pony Club lists as alternatives, and USEF says breakaway-style stirrups remain allowed. The two federations' lists overlap, but they aren't identical, so a child who rides both in Pony Club and at USEF shows should choose a stirrup that meets both sets of rules.

Our sources don't say why riders chose peacock-style stirrups in the first place, only that they were increasingly popular. What they do say is that the injuries reported were from the upward-pointing hook. For a young or new rider, the practical step is the one both federations suggest: ask a coach or a licensed official who knows your discipline and your level, and check the stirrup against the checklist below.

Browse our stirrups, leathers and fenders with USEF's compliant list open beside you. A stirrup being on our shelves is not the same as it being on USEF's list. If you're also sizing leathers, see what length stirrup leathers you need.

Possibly, and a stricter discipline rule takes precedence over the general one. USEF encourages members to read the stirrup rules for their breed or discipline in the USEF Rulebook. Where a chapter is stricter about certain stirrups, the chapter wins. The same goes for para riders: a stirrup named in a para rider's dispensation certification overrides the general rule.

For dressage, a rule-change proposal (DR121.1) was filed to align the dressage wording on safety stirrups with the new USEF rule. We haven't confirmed the final adopted text, so read the current DR121 in the rulebook before you compete.

Look at each stirrup with the release mechanism not activated, then work down this list.

• Are the outer branches closed, with no gap?
• If there's a gap, is it 1.5 cm or less (a little over half an inch)?
• Does the gapping branch line up with the stirrup's outer plane, or sit inside it?
• Is there any hook, band or loop sticking up on the outside, like a peacock-style band?
• Is your stirrup on USEF's Stirrup Resource Page? If it is, note whether it's listed as compliant or not.
• Read your discipline's chapter in the USEF Rulebook for anything stricter.
• Still unsure? Ask a licensed official at your next competition, or ask the maker.