Instructions
Place the ball of your left foot in the stirrup. Hold the saddle horn with your left hand and the cantle (back of the saddle) with your right hand as you mount the horse.
Put your right foot in the roping stirrup so that the ball of your foot is resting on the widest part of the stirrup. The slope of the stirrup causes your foot to angle toward the horse while you are riding.
Slide your right foot back so that the toe is on the stirrup as you prepare to dismount the horse. Leave your left foot in the stirrup with the ball of your foot resting on the widest part of the stirrup.
Swing your leg over the horse as you begin the dismount. Allow the foot in the stirrup to slide down the stirrup as you step away from the horse and practice for an actual calf roping competition.
Practice mounting and dismounting with the roping stirrups until it is second nature. Slide your right foot back slightly until just your toe is in the stirrup as you prepare to stop the horse. This allows your dismounts to be faster, which can improve your calf roping times and performances.
Ride your horse with your legs slightly forward. Your heels should be angled down and your toes pointing up. This helps you keep your weight in your feet and allows you to sit more deeply as you ride your roping horse.
Touch your horse with your right leg and heel if you want to move the horse to the left. Use your left leg and heel to move the horse to the right. Slide the ball of your foot down the roping stirrup to move it closer to the horse's side. This gives you more contact and provides better communication between horse and rider.
How to Ride with Your Roping Stirrup
Western saddles come in many different varieties, from heavily polished silver show saddles designed to catch the eye, to lightweight barrel racing saddles designed for security and speed. Roping saddles are just as specialized, right down to the stirrups. Those stirrups are specially angled to make it easier for ropers to mount and dismount in the heat of competition.