stirrup

stirrup, either of a pair of light frames hung from the saddle attached to the back of an animal—usually a horse or pony. Stirrups are used to support a rider’s feet in riding and to aid in mounting. Stirrups probably originated in the Asian steppes about the 2nd century bc. They enormously increased the military value of the horse.

When the spur reached western Europe in the 8th century, it was combined with the use of the lance and armour to produce a new type of warfare, the shock combat of the mounted knight, in which stirrups helped the rider keep his seat at the moment of impact. Modern stirrups differ little from those of the European Middle Ages. See also saddle.