| The Barnes Buckle fits between the stirrup and the leather and releases the stirrup should the rider’s foot become trapped during a fall thus preventing the rider from being dragged. The Buckle is made from marine grade stainless steel (no problems with rust!) and under normal riding conditions it will withstand 1,400 kgs before parting. However, the change of angle should the rider’s foot become trapped during a fall will mean that the buckle releases with just 6 kgs of pressure, thus preventing the rider from being dragged. |
| Revolutionary Safety Stirrup Release! |
| DON'T THINK IT COULDN'T HAPPEN TO YOU! There are an average of 20 horse related deaths in Australia every year, and nearly 4000 people are hospitalised. Many riders don't realise that the most common accident in the riding world is caused by being dragged. Once you've had a lucky escape you realise how the outcome could have been very different. Apart from losing self-confidence after being dragged by your horse because your foot got stuck in the stirrups, many riders find that this experience can put them off altogether from riding their horse again. Or in the event of being injured, it can take a long time before broken bones are healed again. |
| "As with all the best inventions the Barnes Buckle is a very simple idea but it has a very important job .... to aid in the prevention of nasty accidents." Maurice Barnes, inventor of the Barnes Buckle |
| The Barnes Buckle was invented by Maurice Barnes who got the idea while watching television and saw a jockey being dragged. It took him three years in his workshop to perfect the Buckle. “I was introduced to Maurice Barnes and the Buckle at the BETA show in February” said Matt. “Put them on and give them a try ”, Maurice said. “Well I put them on my saddle and tried them jumping and cross country. Initially I was concerned that they might become unclasped. But Maurice assured me that under any riding conditions they would withstand a strain of well over a tonne without coming undone. As I tend to ride with my lower leg very forward and I stand on the stirrups a lot and don’t grip with my knees, the stirrups do have to take a lot of strain. After weeks of using the Buckle without a problem, I became confident of them. Then in July I had a fall at West Wilts that finally convinced me. As I approached a big ditch and palisade my horse questioned me on take off, hesitated, and his front feet went in to the ditch slamming him up against the palisade. I went zooming straight over his head. I didn’t even realise it but my foot had become trapped in the stirrup, but the Buckle released as it should have done and I landed cleanly on the other side of the palisade. I’m all for safety and so now I never ride without it”, says Matt. |
Matt Ryan explains why he never rides without the Barnes Buckle.
| "I use them, they're great" Matt Ryan, Triple Olympic gold medallist |
| The Northern Racing College Buckles-up. |
| Learner Rider Liz Rice with the standard safety equipment of hat, body protector and Barnes buckles in the indoor training centre |
| The Northern Racing College at Doncaster as part of its continuous programme of improvement has chosen the Barnes Buckle as a part of its standard rider safety equipment. “We take Health and Safety very seriously”, says Paul Foster, General Manager at the NRC, “anything that we can do to instil the importance of safety in our learners will help to reduce accidents throughout their career in racing. It is College policy that learners use hats and body protectors. This is the next step in rider safety.” Maurice Barnes, the inventor of the Barnes Buckle said, “I am pleased that the NRC takes the safety of its learners seriously and I hope that the Buckle will one day form a part of the standard safety equipment for all horse riders”. |
| Katie Foster Jumps Again! |
| I have ridden almost all of my life and have always considered falling as “one of those” hazards. Unfortunately two years ago I had a rather large fall. Thankfully I was fairly uninjured physically but the fall made me completely loose my nerve as a result of the “what if” potential of the fall. I have four horses (and a pony) at home and at the worst point of my fears I could hardly even hack down the road - let alone hunt. I frequently put my feet out of my stirrups when the horses played about to ensure I could not get trapped in them if a horse fell (!). It was absolutely terrible. |
| By chance I came across the Barnes Buckle at a show and decided to give them a try. Although it has been a long “road to recovery”, without any doubt the Barnes Buckles have revolutionised my approach to getting back on board. From the outset they removed that awful fear of getting caught up if the worst happened and has allowed a more confident approach to riding. I am now back hunting, having started jumping (albeit small things) again. My Barnes Buckles are an invaluable part of my tack and I would not ride without them. If I were to ride anyone else’s horse, the first thing I would do is add the buckles to my stirrups ! The buckles have infact now become a talking point as everyone is interested to know what they are and what they do. Finally despite a variety of ungainly positions (!) the buckles have never come unclipped which was my biggest reservation when I bought them. |
I have enclosed two
pictures of me hunting -
one jumping on New
Year’s Day and the
other at the closing meet
before the ban.
A heartfelt thanks for
your design – please
know that they mean
even more than just
safety to me. They have
allowed me to carry on
my lifelong passion.
Katie Foster
pictures of me hunting -
one jumping on New
Year’s Day and the
other at the closing meet
before the ban.
A heartfelt thanks for
your design – please
know that they mean
even more than just
safety to me. They have
allowed me to carry on
my lifelong passion.
Katie Foster
| Inventor's Buckle Saves Megan |
I would like to thank Maurice Barnes for his
invention, the Barnes Buckle, which saved my
daughter from serious injury.
We were riding home into a field when the
gate through which we were passing began to
swing shut. Megan’s pony made a dash for the
closing gate, which also had barbed wire on it.
Megan’s boot somehow became stuck in the
wire and the only thing that I could think of
was to knock her backwards so that she would
fall before really injuring herself. The Barnes
Buckle worked a treat and flicked straight off
as she fell backwards, saving Megan from
being dragged through the gate and certain
injury.
My wife, Debbie was dragged once as a child
and says that if it happens to you, you never
forget the experience. She has always insisted
that Megan’s riding gear should include the
buckle, because once it is in place it is always
there and anyone can use the saddle.
invention, the Barnes Buckle, which saved my
daughter from serious injury.
We were riding home into a field when the
gate through which we were passing began to
swing shut. Megan’s pony made a dash for the
closing gate, which also had barbed wire on it.
Megan’s boot somehow became stuck in the
wire and the only thing that I could think of
was to knock her backwards so that she would
fall before really injuring herself. The Barnes
Buckle worked a treat and flicked straight off
as she fell backwards, saving Megan from
being dragged through the gate and certain
injury.
My wife, Debbie was dragged once as a child
and says that if it happens to you, you never
forget the experience. She has always insisted
that Megan’s riding gear should include the
buckle, because once it is in place it is always
there and anyone can use the saddle.
Megan is now at another livery yard with some twenty horses and she is the only one that uses
the buckle. If only people would realise the dangers in being dragged they would certainly fit it
on their saddles.
the buckle. If only people would realise the dangers in being dragged they would certainly fit it
on their saddles.
Well, I guess the only thing I could add was I
was hooked up in an unusual way. :-) I have a
very big horse 17.2hh and came off when he
stopped in the middle of an oxer. I got
hooked up when I came off over his right
shoulder, fortunately I landed on my feet
facing him. However my left foot was stuck in
the left stirrup which had come over the top
of the saddle, despite wearing all the correct
footwear and having correctly sized stirrups
the downward pressure on the stirrup with
the leather being over the top of the saddle
was jamming my foot against the saddle and
keeping it stuck in the stirrup.
was hooked up in an unusual way. :-) I have a
very big horse 17.2hh and came off when he
stopped in the middle of an oxer. I got
hooked up when I came off over his right
shoulder, fortunately I landed on my feet
facing him. However my left foot was stuck in
the left stirrup which had come over the top
of the saddle, despite wearing all the correct
footwear and having correctly sized stirrups
the downward pressure on the stirrup with
the leather being over the top of the saddle
was jamming my foot against the saddle and
keeping it stuck in the stirrup.
| Hooked up to my horse! |
Fortunately for me I am very tall so with my left foot essentially level with the top of my horse
I managed to keep standing on my right leg. As he leap backwards out of the jump I was able
to stay on my foot and I had a death grip on my reins and I can remember thinking there was
no way I was ever going to let go of the rein I had in my hand, if I lost balance I was going to
try to hold this horse in a tight circle around me as I got help! I was in a jumping clinic so
assistance was right at hand but I was in a huge equestrian Park and if I had not been so tall I
would have been seriously injured despite riding an older experienced horse who was not at
all sure about me hanging off him! I have ridden for 40 years and done many different things
but this was the first time I was ever hooked up despite seeing it first hand with other riders. It
really knocked my confidence and I refuse to ride without the Barnes Buckles now.
Suzanne Phibbs, Nelson New Zealand
I managed to keep standing on my right leg. As he leap backwards out of the jump I was able
to stay on my foot and I had a death grip on my reins and I can remember thinking there was
no way I was ever going to let go of the rein I had in my hand, if I lost balance I was going to
try to hold this horse in a tight circle around me as I got help! I was in a jumping clinic so
assistance was right at hand but I was in a huge equestrian Park and if I had not been so tall I
would have been seriously injured despite riding an older experienced horse who was not at
all sure about me hanging off him! I have ridden for 40 years and done many different things
but this was the first time I was ever hooked up despite seeing it first hand with other riders. It
really knocked my confidence and I refuse to ride without the Barnes Buckles now.
Suzanne Phibbs, Nelson New Zealand
| * So easy * Takes only a few seconds to fit * So Safe - less than a second to release your stirrup in the event of falling off your horse * Very affordable |
| "a new and innovative product" Ridgeway Rider January 2002 |
| "it's an excellent idea .... will definitely help make racing safer" Maclom Dewar - Flat jockey |
| "I've fallen off before and got my leg stuck ..... that can't happen with the Barnes Buckle" Clare Williams - 15 year old Event Rider |
| "An essential aid to safety for all horse riders. The buckle aids the release of the stirrup in the event of a fall." Paralympic Dressage rider Debbie Criddle |
| "Every one of my stables’ stirrups is now fitted with this device so that all my work riders are protected." John Boulter – Racing Trainer |
If you have a story about the Barnes Buckles
that you would like to share with others please
email it to us together with photos.
Or if you have a story about being dragged that
you would like to share, you can email it to us
also.
that you would like to share with others please
email it to us together with photos.
Or if you have a story about being dragged that
you would like to share, you can email it to us
also.
| Approved for use by the British Horse Society |