Talk to me about long riding boots please

[balancingfigure]

Since returning to riding this year I have been wearing old jodhpur boots and chaps which has been fine all summer but now every thing is getting wet and muddy and I need to some long waterproof boots to ride in, and get the ponies in from the field - too much faff to get them in and then change boots! They also really need to be as cheap as possible due to our current finances.

So I have seen these: www.robinsonsequestrian.com/riding-apparel/footwear/long-riding-boots/fun-rider-boot.html. They are similar to what I used to wear yeas ago and Go outdoors also do a similar version.

However for a bit more money I have seen ones like this: www.robinsonsequestrian.com/riding-apparel/footwear/long-riding-boots/requisite-richmond-long-riding-boots.html. I know these are out of stock but I have seen variation of them elsewhere for less than £50. However while I like the idea of the thicker soles and tread for the walking in the field and warmth aspect I thought you were supposed to have quite thin/flat soles to ride in? I'm not sure if this was for safety or feel but can anyone tell me what they're like to ride in. I'm only hacking, nothing technical.

Also are cheap (for leather) boots a good idea anyway? At least the rubber ones are definitely waterproof!

[lastqueenofscotland]

Rubber riding boots are horrid to ride in. I'd ban them if i could.

I would go for something like this personally www.rideaway.co.uk/toggi-calgary-long-boots

[IconicTonic]

I think you really need separate boots for the field and riding. If your fields get anything like mine in winter you would end up with boots caked in mud which would be messy and slippy in the stirrups.

If you are on a budget and already have chaps then I would just buy wellies for the field.

[TwmSionCati]

working in rubber riding boots is gross - your feet will look like white prunes and may never recover. I would just get wellies and change into jod boot and chaps if I were you.

[balancingfigure]

That's a resounding no to rubber boots then! I don't remember having any issues with them when I was younger apart from being very hot in the summer. 25 years ago the choice for long boots was rubber or made to measure leather which were hundreds of pounds so out of the question! Its good there's more choice now though.

So if I'm going to keep my eye out for reduced/cheaper leather boots any opinions about the thicker soles and tread on some. Will this make any difference? I'm sure we used to be advised not to ride in wellies (love that autocorrect wanted to change that to willies!) because of the thick soles for some kind of safety reason?

And Iconic I see your point but it's easy enough to hose of the boots if overly muddy and I'd find that less faff than having to change my boots especially in the cold/wet weather!

[TwmSionCati]

well you dont want tread and thick sole for riding, no.
Boots made for riding wont have this.

[IconicTonic]

Basically the boots that are good for muddy fields have deep treads which are not safe for riding and the flat safe riding boots are slippy in muddy fields, you really do need to change at this this time of year!

[yoshipoppet]

A friend of mine has the Dublin River boots, she rides in them and wades through the cowshed in them also. They are supposedly waterproof so something like that may suit you.

I agree with a PP who recommended the Toggi Calgary boots - I love mine, so comfy.