I probably ride as much without stirrups on the trail as I do in the arena, probably more.
You are certainly braver than I am. Every now and then I will drop my stirrups coming back into the ranch, but I certainly don't drop them on trail. That you can do this is a nice testament of good-minded. well-trained horses. Don't you have killer deer or crazed squirrels back there? I do not believe, however, that stirrups are for standing on or balancing with and my goal would be that I had very little weight placed in my stirrups at all - goal only. The pads in my EZ Rides show there's been weight applied. (Just read this - it's not quite true - we do stand in our stirrups when ascending very VERY steep trails, a position similar to one you would be in jumping a 3 or 4 ft jump. The theory is that it freees the horse's back up. Naancy
