A stirrup iron

A stirrup iron comprising a two part construction including a first, fixed part, and a second, moveable part, moveable relative to the fixed part;

• the fixed part comprising a body having a base plate, a side upright connected at one end of the base plate and extending upwardly therefrom, and a top plate connected at one of its ends to the side upright and extending outwardly therefrom above and spaced apart from the base plate;
• the moveable part comprising a substantially L-shaped arm having a connector portion pivotally mounted to the fixed part at one end thereof, and a step portion extending substantially orthogonal to the connector portion, the moveable part being pivotable to and from a first operating position in which the connector portion lies adjacent to and substantially in-line with the base plate and the step portion extends upwardly from the free end of the base plate to the free end of the top portion thereby foaming a closed loop stirrup, and a second operating position in which the connector portion extends downwardly from and substantially orthogonal to the base plate and the step portion extends outwardly from the connector portion below and spaced apart from the base plate thereby forming a foot-step;
• and in which the stirrup iron comprises:
• a releasable locking mechanism operable to maintain the moveable part in the first operating position;
• a foot plate mounted on the fixed part;
• and
• a cam mechanism connecting the foot plate to the moveable part so that depression of the foot plate will cause the cam mechanism to act on the moveable part urging it from the second operating position towards the first operating position.