Stirrups for equestrian sports attachable to a saddle with a stirrup leather strap is easy and economical to produce, and ensures the rider's foot to be securely held during riding and safely released in an emergency situation. The stirrup is surprisingly easily formed, including a single slightly curved side piece (1) and a foot rest (2) with the side piece (1) comprises an eyelet (3) on the upper end through which a stirrup leather strap is guided. The foot rest (2) is arranged on the lower end of the slightly curved side piece (1) such that it is approximately at a right angle, and carries a guiding element (4) in the form of a flat-topped pin on the end thereof facing away from the mount. The guiding element (4) points towards the end of the stirrup side piece (1) which comprises the eyelet (3), with the longitudinal extension thereof.

A stirrup hoist system for hoisting a person onto a saddle includes a motor and a spool configured to be rotated by the motor. A strap is configured to be selectively rolled on, and selectively rolled off, the spool. A support configured to receive a portion of a person's body and slidingly engages the strap. The support selectively moves toward the spool, and selectively moves away from, the spool.

A stirrup design that reduces the chances of a rider's foot getting caught during riding or unexpected dismounting. The stirrup includes a foot plate, a U-shaped attachment shank, and a connecting structural member. The U-shaped shank attaches to a saddles strap and includes a first shank leg, a second shank leg, and a web shank. The foot plate supports the rider's foot and is mounted offset to the U-shaped attachment shank by the connecting structural member. The first shank and the second shank are oriented normal to the foot plate to horizontally suspend the foot plate. The first shank leg is positioned parallel and coincident with a sagittal plane of the foot plate, directly over the foot plate. For comfort, a sagittal plane of the U-shaped attachment shank is oriented at a first acute angle with the sagittal plane of the foot plate.

A foldable stirrup for mounting animals such as horses has a support arm for engagement with a stirrup leather and a base pivotaly coupled to the support arm for supporting a rider's foot while mounting when the stirrup is in an open configuration. The base and the support arm are inwardly foldable together to a folded configuration. A mounting assist strap configured to engage the stirrup and provide a point of securement on the animal to be mounted is provided. Methods of mounting an animal using the foldable stirrup and mounting assist strap are provided.