Long riding boots, also known as tall riding boots, are a staple in any equestrian wardrobe. A quality pair of long riding boots can enhance your balance in the saddle, stabilise the position of your legs, and enable you to ride more efficiently and safely while enjoying a reduced risk of slippage, falls, and discomfort.
At Ayr Equestrian, you’ll find a range of high quality long riding boots available, including field boots, dressage boots, and dress boots. Each style is designed to suit its specific discipline while providing a high degree of comfort, foot and leg support, and protection.
The ideal long riding boots should strike a fine balance between comfort, performance, and safety, ensuring you enjoy your favourite riding activities and maintain a secure position in the saddle.
Understanding the Anatomy of Long Riding Boots
Each part of your horse riding boots plays a unique role in your footwear's overall safety, comfort, and functionality.
The sole forms the foundation of your boot, providing a robust barrier between your feet and the ground and helping you to keep a firm grip on your stirrups. Soles are usually made from durable materials like leather or rubber and provide excellent traction and smoothness, enabling you to quickly release your feet from the stirrups when needed. The heel of the sole has an important role to play in your safety; heels stop your feet from slipping through your stirrups and promote optimal balance.
Inside your tall riding boots are the insoles, which provide comfort for your feet. Insoles range from contoured and cushioned to flat designs, and premium boots tend to offer breathable and cushioned insoles to provide maximum comfort during even the longest rides.
The shoe's vamp covers the top part of your foot, offering flexibility and protection and giving your boots a sturdy structure. Horse riding boot vamps are durable enough to withstand rough activities yet soft and supple enough to enable a wide range of foot movements.
The shaft of the riding boot cushions and supports each leg, holding the boot in place during various activities. The fit and height of your boots’ shafts are particularly important in activities like dressage, where a slim-fitting, long shaft helps you to maintain your posture and stability on horseback. The shafts of your boots can come with a range of different closures, including laces, zippers, and elasticated fabric, enabling you to pull them on and off easily.
Tall riding boots also come in various materials, including genuine leather and synthetic materials. These materials are stiff enough to provide ongoing ankle and foot support and prevent injury while malleable enough to mould to the shape of your feet and legs to offer lasting comfort.
Measuring for the Perfect Fit
Foot Length and Width
How should riding boots fit your feet? The ideal footbed length and width of your long riding boots should correspond with your usual shoe size, although some brands’ sizing may vary slightly. Certain boot brands manufacture boots in European sizes, making it essential to read the manufacturer’s size conversion chart before purchasing.
If you are trying on long riding boots, your feet should feel comfortable in the footbeds, with sufficient room for your heels and toes to rest naturally without lifting or being pinched. Many long boots have narrower footbeds. So, if you have wide feet and your boots feel tight across the insteps, consider using a boot stretching spray to relax the leather and achieve a more comfortable fit.
Calf Width and Height
Dress and field boots tend to offer a more snug calf fit than other types of long riding boots, providing extra stability and support in the saddle. When measuring your calves for riding boots, bear in mind that the boots will stretch somewhat once you have broken them in.
How tight should riding boots be? You can use a soft tape measure to measure both the width (at the widest point) and height (from the floor to behind the knee) of your calves in inches to find the best boot fit. When it comes to boot height, remember that as you break in your new boots, the leather around the ankles will soften, causing an ‘expected drop’ in height of around an inch on average.
Boot size charts will list the boots’ height before the expected drop, but some manufacturers also include expected drop measurements to help you find the right height. If your calf height measures 17 inches, for instance, and the expected drop of your boots is an inch, you should opt for 18-inch boots to compensate for the expected loss of height.
Ankle Fit
Choosing the right ankle fit is crucial for preventing constriction while still granting you freedom of movement. Your tall riding boots should hold your ankles firmly and without slippage, which could lead to blistering and an increased risk of injury.
The best way to measure your ankles is to put your foot flat on the floor and measure 15cm and 20cm up from the floor along the side of your leg. Next, measure your leg circumference at these 15cm and 20cm intervals and find boots with corresponding measurements to provide you with a comfortable and supportive ankle fit.
Factors Influencing Fit
Boot Style and Purpose
Riding boots come in numerous designs and styles, ranging from tall and streamlined English riding boots to more formal and elegant dress boots for competitions and dressage. Other boots offer more rugged looks and tall shafts for protection during field work and everyday riding.
How should riding boots fit your lifestyle? The best choice for you will depend on the riding activities you choose and your personal sense of style.
Material and Break-In Period
Leather and synthetic materials are the most widely used materials for long riding boot manufacturing. However, these materials differ in how they break in and wear over time, affecting the fit.
Leather boots tend to have a longer break-in period than synthetics but are prized for their ability to mould to the shape of the rider’s foot. Synthetics break in more quickly but are not typically as durable as leather.
Riding Discipline and Personal Preference
Different riding disciplines require different styles and fits of riding boots. Dressage riders may prefer the look of a longer lower leg and don’t need to bend their legs as much as show jumpers, and may prefer longer tall riding boots, while competitive riders may need the extra flexibility that a shorter boot can provide.
The best boots for you will balance personal preference and comfort with discipline-specific requirements.
Common Fit Issues and Solutions
Too Tight or Too Loose
How tight should riding boots be? Long riding boots should be snug but not too tight or too loose. If your boots pinch or rub or hinder circulation and cause pain, they may be too tight. A boot-stretching spray can help to relax the leather and promote a more comfortable fit.
Conversely, if your tall boots suffer from excessive wrinkling during wear or have large gaps between them and your ankles or calves, they may be too large. You can use a heel lift or removable insoles to adjust their fit, but you may need to opt for a smaller size if these measures are insufficient.
Heel Slippage
Heel slippage can happen when your boots are too large, and the footbeds have too much space around your heels. Avoid this common issue by carefully sizing your boots before buying them and tightening your laces sufficiently before riding. Your foot should rest comfortably in your boot.
For a more secure fit, you can also use non-slip socks, heel grips, and heel liner cushions.
Pressure Points and Blisters
Too tight boots can cause chafing, blisters, pressure points, and pain. These issues can also arise during the process of breaking in your riding boots. To soften your boots faster, try moistening the leather or using a boot-stretching spray during the break-in period.
You can also wrap your legs with soft bandages during wear or use an anti-chafing balm on pressure points to avoid blistering and pain.
Trying on Long Riding Boots
Initial Fit Check
When trying on long riding boots, always wear your usual equestrian gear, including the breeches, riding leggings, tights, or socks you would usually wear while riding. If your boots have zippers, you should be able to pull them on and zip and fasten them all the way while standing. They should feel comfortably snug without cutting off your circulation.
Check the height of your boots as well. For field boots, the front of your boots should rise to the centre of your kneecaps and no further, and for dressage boots, to just under your kneecaps.
Your shoes' footbeds should be comfortable too, giving you enough room to flatten your feet without pinching or compressing them. If the footbeds are slightly larger than expected, use a gel sole or padded footbed insole to adjust the fit.
Walking and Riding Test
Testing your leather riding boots in motion is essential to identify possible pressure points and ill-fitting areas you may not have noticed during your initial fit check. Test your boots by walking and riding in them.
When walking, you should notice no heel slippage, toe or foot compression, chafing, or flapping, although your boots may be slightly uncomfortable to wear as they break in. While riding, ensure that you can maintain a firm grip on your stirrups and that your calves and ankles feel properly supported in your boots of choice.
Adjustments and Break-In Tips
There are many ways to break in new riding boots, including moistening the leather before wear, using a boot stretching spray to soften the leather, and manually flexing your feet regularly to stretch and mould your shoes.
Once your boots are stretched to your liking and completely dry, you can consider stuffing them tightly with paper to maintain their new shape during storage. Walking, riding, and working in your boots is also a highly effective way to break them in, and the wider the range of movements you perform, the quicker the process may be!
Maintaining Proper Fit Over Time
Regular Maintenance
Cleaning and conditioning your long riding boots regularly is the key to keeping them in great condition aesthetically and structurally. Conditioning your boots can help to soften the leather and allow it to mould more easily to the shape of your feet and legs.
Dealing with Wear and Tear
Wear and tear can seriously affect the fit and performance of riding boots, leading to chafing, discomfort, slippage, and a general lack of support. Proper care can delay wear and tear and extend the lifespan of your boots.
Clean off mud, dirt, and salt after each use, and store your boots in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight to prevent cracking. Using a waterproofing spray after cleaning can enhance the boots' natural water-resistant properties and keep them performing at their best as they age.
When to Replace Your Long Riding Boots
Signs It's Time for New Boots
Horse riding boots can last for years when properly cared for but must be replaced when visibly damaged. Check the heels, soles, and stitching, paying close attention to worn soles, cracks in the upper material, and loose threads. These all indicate that your boots may need to be professionally repaired or replaced.
Significant damage, persistent discomfort during wear, and a lack of foot and ankle support also indicate that it’s time to invest in new long riding boots.
Choose Ayr Equestrian For The Best Fit
Choosing the perfect pair of long riding boots that fit properly is the key to comfort, safety, and optimal performance in the saddle. Boots that fit well will provide the cushioning, support, and grip you need to tackle a wide range of equestrian activities confidently while minimising the risk of slips, falls, and other risks.
At Ayr Equestrian, we highly recommend measuring yourself accurately to find the best possible boot fit for a better riding experience.
