Abstract: A curved side piece is fixedly attached to any stirrup strap and depends therefrom. One end of the tread is attached to the side piece and terminates in an unsupported free end. A retaining dome or wash rises up from the free end of the tread and has a smoothly curved inner boot contacting surface which retains the rider's foot but slopes away from his foot on all sides so as to minimize the chance of catching or hanging the foot, footwear or trousers leg in a fall. A retaining strap is pivotally attached to the top of the dome and slidably engaged with a cooperating member on the stirrup strap. In the event of a fall, the top of the retaining strap becomes disengaged thus allowing the foot to be freely released from the stirrup.

Abstract: The safety stirrup disclosed herein has a strap receiving hanger bar at the upper extent of the stirrup, and a pair of laterally spaced apart side bars that depend downwardly from the hanger bar, wherein one of the side bars is pivotally connected to the hanger bar so as to be swingable, laterally outwardly with respect to the opposite side bar. One end of a footrest bar that normally bridges the lower ends of the side bars is pivotally connected to the lower end of the nonpivoted side bar, and the opposite end of the footrest bar is held by a releasable catch formed on the lower end of the pivoted side bar. A biasing spring continuously urges the pivotally mounted side bar inwardly so as to cause the catch at its lower end to retain the footrest bar in a bridging, foot supporting position.