English Riding Boots?

[rodriguezpoultry]

I have never ridden English, but was gifted some riding boots by a woman who did dressage with warmbloods. I'm not sure if the boots fit correctly. They are my size, but the ankle feels SO tight.

It's really difficult to get them on, and it always seems to "stop" at the ankle where the top of your foot meets your ankle. Getting them off is even harder. I have to have someone help me get them off. I've heard others need the same help. But, since I don't really know how English wear is supposed to fit, I thought I'd ask?

Getting them off, one person pulls while I pull my foot out. My foot becomes wedged in the shoe and the boot feels as though it's being pushed and not quite "crushed" but definitely uncomfortable until I can get my foot from being wedged in that position.

Is that how it's supposed to fit? The boots are, in my opinion, great shape and once on they are fairly comfortable and great for my (western) riding as long as I keep the top of the boots covered.

Thanks for any information! Sorry to ask, but just curious as to how it's supposed to fit and if they are the "right" fit for me.

 

[turney31]

Baby powder? Can't help with English boot info. Sorry

 

[itsachicken]

I've always had to use a bootjack to get riding boots off.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Same here. My friend who rides dressage has zip boots that have a zipper in the back. On and off in an instant.

Your boots should not "gap" at the top and you should be able to flex ankles and bend knees comfortably. Some styles are taller than others. I with my 28" inseam found that out.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

There is definitely no gap. It's actually a bit "tight" around the top. You can't put a piece of paper between my calf and the boot. Is that a good fit? The ankles, once on, bend very well...it just seems to be ridiculously tight while getting on and off?

If this is a good fit, why would anyone "willingly" wear that style of boot? I mean...is the fight itself not enough to deter you from those types of boots?

I really like the zipper idea, but seeing as how these were free, I'd like to learn how to make the fit better or just understand why it feels so tight.

My western boots feel like a luxury shoe afterwards, but also feel tight after the English boots. Is it possible the English boots are making my feet swell?

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

They need to be fitted so they do not move and you blister. If it hurts that bad then go to a boot place and have them check. Maybe even have them stretched. I wore the same pair of english boots for years. They fit me like a glove. They were extremely comfy. But then I spent many years breaking them in.

So if they are that snug , either buy a new pair or get stretched.
I was able to get my boots off myself. But I remember standing backwards and letting friends push against my butt to get their boots off. lol Good times.

And grats on getting into english. It was without a doubt my fav. I did everything reining , jumping, you name it but loved riding english the best.

 

[Slinkytoys]

I agree on the stretching. You might also try a plastic baggie on your foot, it'll help you slide your foot in the boot.
Slinky

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
I would love to, but these boots are just "sneak" boots. I don't have any western riding boots (yet) so I use these to get by with in western. My leg doctor isn't too happy about me riding at all and English would be way too hard on the hardware, especially with someone as uncoordinated as I am!

One day though...I might just try it...it's such a pretty way to ride.

Stretching sounds like a darn good idea...I might go that route. I hate to do it, but I'd rather keep my foot.

Won't the plastic baggie make my feet sweat something awful?

 

[welsummerchicks]

"It depends" (LOL) Are they boots for normal intelligent people, or 'hard cores'?

If they are comfortable enough for you that you can ride in them, just use a boot jack to get them off and boot pulls to put them on. Usually the average dressage boot is a 'dress boot' (plain ankle) and it just does kind of get hard at a point to get them on/off. If you plan on using them for showing, most hunt seat people show in field boots, and you can get a good cobbler to cut and stitch the boot properly and install laces on the top of the foot.

English riders (hunt seat) have often tried to purchase their boots fitting fairly tight and high initially, because that sort of boot does wrinkle more and tend to drop a little, that and if really comfortably loose, they tend to rub and cause sores.

Most dressage riders are casual (or one might say, 'normal') and can't stand 'real hard core' dressage boots and get something fairly soft leather (more like hunt seat boots) and/or field boots(lacing over instep), so they are easy to wear and take off and put on.

If the dressage rider really had real hard core 'dressage boots', they are supposed to be VERY stiff leather and that makes them somewhat difficult to take on and off. When new it's like putting a stove pipe on your leg, the leather isn't so extremely TIGHT(because that sort of leather doesn't stretch as much over time), it's just stiff.

But these really stiff boots aren't fitted so extremely high at the back of the knee either, because they won't wrinkle and fold and drop like softer boots over time.

In hard core boots, the leather even has stiffeners in it (a fibreglass rod up the back, in some cases, stiff leather lining in others, which you can see if you look inside). As they get older, even that type of boot, will get more loose, the leather softens through use and they get easier to put on and take off. At that point the hard core dressage rider says 'BAH! TOO COMFORTABLE!!!!' and goes gets a new pair. WHY? Because these stiffer boots really do make one ride dressage better.

So much so, that unless they are really flush, most dressage riders who teach will save their good boots and get a pair of 'icky, cheap' boots to walk around in while they teach and have to once in a while leap up on the recalcitrant mount.

I have a cartoon someplace of a bunch of dressage riders sitting in lawn chairs at a show, with their boots on and legs stretched straight out in front of them. One is whispering to the other, 'I can't get up, can you?'

Normally if a person has that kind of boot, they get zippers put in the leg, or the second they get off the horse they pull the boots off with a boot jack. A lot of people will never do ANYTHING in those boots other than ride, to keep them stiff. No oil or conditioner, just polish, and no wash racks, horsey baths, or strolls in the creek - no WALKING! But it's like a new car. Over time, one gets more and more lax, and pretty soon it's 'BAH!'

THEN there is a whole contingency of people who cry out, 'My new boots are stiff! I am in pain!' and those that will advise them to soak them and oil them for hours to stretch them so they're 'comfortable'! But real hard cores....they scoff - BAH!!!

 

[michickenwrangler]

Yes! Boot hooks! I forgot all about those! Get a pair. They're pretty cheap, usually under $10. Also there are special lycra socks that you can get to wear under boots. They are tall and stretchy and come in many, many colors. Mine are camoflage! And the irony is, I can't find them.

"I have a cartoon someplace of a bunch of dressage riders sitting in lawn chairs at a show, with their boots on and legs stretched straight out in front of them. One is whispering to the other, 'I can't get up, can you?'"