A safety stirrup for use in horseback riding, comprising an open stirrup body having a tread portion and a stirrup leather connecting portion, and an opening that is defined by the space between a first end and a second end of the open stirrup body, said open stirrup body being a stirrup body that does not form a full loop around a boot of a user when in use, a flexible side piece arranged to bridge the opening between the first end and the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein a first end of the flexible side piece and the first end of the open stirrup body are provided with a first protrusion-recess pair for releasably connecting the first end of the flexible side piece to the first end of the open stirrup body, and wherein a second end of the flexible side piece and the second end of the open stirrup body are provided with means for connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein the protrusion of the first protrusion-recess pair has a neck and a head and the recess of the first protrusion-recess pair has an opening and a cavity, wherein the cavity is shaped to house the head, and wherein the opening is shaped to allow the head to pass therethrough when the first end of the flexible side piece is in a first rotational position relative to the open stirrup body, but not when it is in a second rotational position, wherein the means for connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body is a second protrusion-recess pair for releasably connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein the protrusion of the second protrusion-recess pair has a neck and a head and the recess of the second protrusion-recess pair has an opening and a cavity, wherein the cavity is shaped to house the head, and wherein the opening is shaped to allow the head to pass therethrough when the second end of the flexible side piece is in a first rotational position relative to the open stirrup body, but not when it is in a second rotational position wherein said flexible side piece and said open stirrup body are configured to be kept connected for as long as a connection therebetween is not subjected to a force exceeding a given threshold, or until the flexible side piece is moved to said first rotational position. an open stirrup body having a tread portion and a stirrup leather connecting portion, and an opening that is defined by the space between a first end and a second end of the open stirrup body, said open stirrup body being a stirrup body that does not form a full loop around a boot of a user when in use, a flexible side piece arranged to bridge the opening between the first end and the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein a first end of the flexible side piece and the first end of the open stirrup body are provided with a first protrusion-recess pair for releasably connecting the first end of the flexible side piece to the first end of the open stirrup body, and wherein a second end of the flexible side piece and the second end of the open stirrup body are provided with means for connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein the protrusion of the first protrusion-recess pair has a neck and a head and the recess of the first protrusion-recess pair has an opening and a cavity, wherein the cavity is shaped to house the head, and wherein the opening is shaped to allow the head to pass therethrough when the first end of the flexible side piece is in a first rotational position relative to the open stirrup body, but not when it is in a second rotational position, wherein the means for connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body is a second protrusion-recess pair for releasably connecting the second end of the flexible side piece to the second end of the open stirrup body, wherein the protrusion of the second protrusion-recess pair has a neck and a head and the recess of the second protrusion-recess pair has an opening and a cavity, wherein the cavity is shaped to house the head, and wherein the opening is shaped to allow the head to pass therethrough when the second end of the flexible side piece is in a first rotational position relative to the open stirrup body, but not when it is in a second rotational position wherein said flexible side piece and said open stirrup body are configured to be kept connected for as long as a connection therebetween is not subjected to a force exceeding a given threshold, or until the flexible side piece is moved to said first rotational position.