Stirrup

Light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider

A stirrup is one of a pair of light frames or rings attached to the saddle of a riding animal (usually a horse or other equine, such as a mule) by a strap (often called a stirrup leather) that holds its rider's foot, aiding in their mounting and support. They greatly increase the rider's ability to stay in the saddle and control the mount, increasing the animal's usefulness to humans in areas such as communication, transportation, and warfare. In antiquity, the earliest foot supports consisted of riders placing their feet under a girth or using a simple toe loop appearing in India by the 2nd century BC. Later, a single foot support was used as a mounting aid, and paired stirrups appeared after the invention of the treed saddle.

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