A majority of athletes and workersneed to wear the rightfootwear to perform their jobs. It’sjust asimportant to wear proper footwearwhen you’re working with or ridinghorses.Proper footwear or bootssafeguard your feet in the event that theyfall on the ground, andcan prevent your footfrom slidingdownthestirrup if it fallsoff your horsewhenriding.Flip-flops, high heelsClogs, sandalsshoessuch asCrocs,andcanvas running shoesdo not belong inthe barn.Even rubber boots do not offerany protection however, they docome in handyin times of wet weather or you’re cleaning outstalls.When selecting any typeofgear, including footwear make sure you think about safety first’.
What Not to Wear
Boots made especially for ridingare available in a variety ofstyles.What ever style you select for your riding footwear, it shouldbe made with a tread that is smalland a heelthat isapproximately1.25 inches(2.5cm)and1 1/2inch high. Thiscan preventyour boot from sliding acrossthe stirrup. Bootswith large or heavytreads such ashiking boots or snowboots, aren’t suitablefor riding, thoughtheycould be suitablefor workat the stable.These types of boots are usuallybroad and have aboxy toe, which meanstheycould be caughtin the sides of thestirrup. They alsohave a lotof grip, which is excellentfor hiking, but theymake itmore difficulttoslide your foot inas well out.
7 Common Beginner Horseback Riding Mistakes
Waterproof Boots
The majority of cheaperboots are made ofthelower or uppersor bothmade ofvinyl.This is lesscomfortablefor your feet and maybreak down fasterthanleather boots thatcan be fixed. Theymay not breathe as well asleather,but they aremore easy to clean iftheyget soiled.
Packersare becoming very popularand in addition to looking fashionable,they’regreat for dailybarn wear as well aswalking.They’re sturdy and offerstability for riders withoutbecoming as bulky asEnglish boots.
English Boot Styles
English bootscome in severalstyles. Traditional dress boots. Thesehigh black boots that wesee inoldBritish hunting scenesarecommon in the dressage ringand eventing, andare correct in almost anyEnglish discipline.Someenthusiasts in the backyard, as well as trail ridersappreciate a comfypair of tall boots offerideal for protection and comfortall-day use.Others feel they are tooheavy and hot. Field bootsare similar todress shoes but havean instep lace.These are wornat the hunter display ring. Theyare more comfortable when youhave aan instep that is high. Thelacing makes iteasier togetinand out.
Both kinds of tall bootsmight or might not come withan inner zippermaking them easiertoslipintoand out of. If youfind a perfectpair ofused or newboots, but they arenot easy to wear,it’spossible tohave zippers addedor replacedif they aredamaged.
Jodphur or paddock bootsare Englishtypesof riding bootsthatrun upthe ankle. They areoftenused by childrenon the show rings,with leather gaiters and jodhpurs with straps that are wornthrough the calf area justbelow theknees, to avoidthe jodhpursgetting tangledupthe leg.Many adults, wear these and half-chapsfor daily riding.A good pair will becomfortable for wearing aroundthe barn. However,you should notutilize leather boots toriding in stalls. Jodhpur bootsare availableinzipper, pull-on,or lacedstyles.A fewpreferzippers becausethey’re quickto wear andremove but feet with higherarchescan be uncomfortable inthezipper or pull-on styles.
Running Shoe Styles
The running shoe-styleboots arefor thosewhoenjoy a casual stylethat’s comfortable androbust, and does not requireany of the care that leather demands.They’re as comfortableas running shoes, but withsome additional support ontheankle and the sole.They’re in factthe best option ifinvolved in sports like ride’n’ tie thatrequires you to doa bit ofrunning.Many trailrunners who are long distancewear these.
Materials
Each of these boots comesin various materials, rangingfrom cotton canvas and syntheticsto leather.Of course, leather bootstend to be muchmore costly and requiregreater care. Thehigher quality of theleatheris and the more sturdy theconstruction is, the more comfortable andthe moreexpensiveyour boot is likely to be. Tryon a pair of$500 boots, in comparison tothe $100 bootsand you’llquickly feelthedifference in comfort and support.A high-quality pair ofboots is aninvestmentandif taken care of they will last longer than the less expensivemodel by many, manyyears.It’s impossible to resist the feelofgood-quality boots, soshould you decide to purchase a new pair of boots that are outfrom your budget, consider combconsignmentshops and lookfor second-hand boots you couldpay for.
Both EnglishWestern-style and English boots are madein synthetic materials. Themain problem withriding boots made of rubberis that theyget hot as they hold moisture, andcould be difficulttoget off, holdingthe shape of a suction cupyour legs. They’regreat if theweather is wet,orif you’re justriding in a few smallshows and don’t want tospend the money forleather boots.
A lot of riders haveat least two pairs ofboots,based on howtheyride. Ifyou plan to show, you will probablyneed to haveseparate boots forhomeas well as at the show. Of course,eachdiscipline requires a separatepair ofboots, and soin case you intend to showEnglishand western,you’lllikely needtwo different typesof boots.For winter riding, you mightrequire a pair ofwell-insulated riding boots for your feet to stay warm.There are alsotall boots, polo or tall,with a brown or blackcuffs at the top.These are great, solong as they are safeand comfortable.
Already-Owned Boots
You may have something inyourwardrobe that can workperfectly, andwithout theexpense of buyingspecific boots designed specificallyfor riding.Ifthe tread and heelfit and aren’t excessively largefor the stirrup,they’re comfortable and supportyourfeet, they’llbefine.Shoes with zippersin the middle of theleg won’t work.Make sure you look at your horse’s ridingclothes with a keen eye forsafety, which ismore important thanthe way youappear.