Best riding boots for a beginner

Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster

...wants to canter!
Mar 13, 2009
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Cambridge, UK
Hello all- I've just joined the forum- I'm on only my second riding lesson (at the age of 30!!!!:))

I've been wearing good quality wellies to ride so far- I know some people don't recommend riding in wellies, so I'm looking for some good quality riding boots to replace them with now that I'm sure I'm going to carry on with lessons.

I ordered some from ebay (big mistake I hear you all cry!)- they fit beautifully on the foot, but the boot is so long it comes over my knee! I'm sending them back tomorrow, so I'm back to square one.

Firstly, would jodphur boots and chaps be better for a beginner, or a long boot? I assumed a long boot would be better for some reason, but I'm interested to hear what everyone thinks. Secondly is there a good brand recommended? I'm looking to spend less than £100, and I'm not too fussy about them being real leather.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
You can pick up some jodphur boots for about £20.00 and some neoprene chaps for about £10.00

Sell your boots on here if you dont want to send them back. people are always looking for stuff :)
 
when i first started in november i brought jodphur boots and leather gaitors but my instructor told me to buy suede chaps (£20 from countrywide) as the leather gaitors where quite stiff and it was making bending my leg and ankle around the horse more difficult so she told me to go to chaps until i had built up some more muscle in the places i needed it on my lower leg then i could go back to gaitors or long boots
 
I wear my tog boots (which are sooo comfy + i can run in them but cant with wellies :P) I think they wer only lyk £20.00 + ive had them since last june + ther perfectly fine now + sometimes half chaps. I have a nice pair of long boots but VERY hard to take off, have to get an extra pairs of hands, + also i was told cos im still a 'child' my legs arent able to move + bend right or summit, so wen i went on my riding holiday last year they said i wasnt alowd 2 wear them at all :o. :)
 
I'm a fan of boots and chaps but also long boots!

To learn as a kid I had rubber long boots, followed by walking boots with half chaps, followed by long leather boots.

It really is personal preference!

If you have legs that are difficult to accomodate, (i'm short for example) suede chaps with boots are ideal. Then once you've 'learnt' to ride and can justify spending more money you could invest in some long leather boots.
 
I like short boots (the lace up type - Dublin I think £40) and suede chaps. I find that long boots just aren't flexible enough for me. (just been practicing in new long boots I bought for dressage and I ride rubbish in them).
 
Short boots and chaps! i started off in rubber long ones & regretted it, so uncomfortable & you cant get your heels down! short boots are much more comfy! i wear saxon laced paddock boots and tuffa neoprene half chaps and love them!
 
Thanks so much for the many useful responses everyone- seems short boots and chaps is the consensus opinion so I'll definitely go with that.

I'm having a lot of trouble keeping my heels down and I think the wellies are too rigid and are contributing to it, and some of you have mentioned that the short boots give more flexibility so maybe that will help. Now I just need to decide on black or brown!!:rolleyes:

Sugarlump- I've looked up the Loveson boots and they look great for the price, thanks for the recommendation.
 
I ride in loveson jodphur boots and half chaps, picked up the boots preloved from ebay as my long rubber riding boots were not comfy as i am only short so i couldn't bend my knee well enough! I also got some new half chaps from ebay for under £15.
 
Well, I've ordered the Loveson jodphur boots- seems they are very popular ( I don't hang around!:)), but after measuring my legs...well I'm too short and my calves are too chubby for most chaps! I'm on the 'Fuller Fillies' site at the moment- they seem to have ones that will fit! :o
 
johume78 said:
Well, I've ordered the Loveson jodphur boots- seems they are very popular ( I don't hang around!:)), but after measuring my legs...well I'm too short and my calves are too chubby for most chaps! I'm on the 'Fuller Fillies' site at the moment- they seem to have ones that will fit! :o
Click to expand...

Well done on ordering some boots, hope you find some half chaps, i love mine!!
 
I have both half chaps and short boots and long boots. Personally I've never found long leather boots restrictive - particularly the Mountain Horse ones - they were my first long pair when I started riding again 5 years ago - and they didn't affect my legs at all. Each to their own I guess - there are some nice short boots and gaiters, 'fraid they're no good to lazy old me tho, as I can never be bothered to put them on and take them off - where as I find a long boot just so much easier to slip on and off.....
 
I prefer short boots with elastic sides to long boots.I wear Blundstones.Very comfortable and durable boot.You cannot wear them out.They are about $200 Canadian but definitely worth the money.Also I think short boots(with elastic sides) are easier to get off should you fall and get a foot stuck in the stirrup.You can always pair them with chaps for a nicer look.Tall boots look better but I don`t find they affect my riding one way or the other.I am more about comfort and safety.
 
Fuller fillies chaps are marvellous, I got the leather ones ooh 14 months ago now an apart from a bit of horse grease which i try to keep on top of they still look brand new. They are very very generous sizes, I got the size that fit my calf measurement and if anything they are a wee bit big, (never ever thought that would happen with my calves) they are great though, I love em.
 
Short boots to start off are perfect as they leave the calf free to help you find correct position & to feel whats coming from the horse, starting off in long boots can be restrictive.


Long boots are a personal journey. Many of the long boots out there tend to be so badly made they deaden the feel through the leg & prevent you using nearly invisible aids & calf flexes. Once you've decided ridding is for you & you've done it for a while & are going to continue to do so, this is the time to shop around and invest in the very best pair of long leather boots you can. The better the quality of the boot the better the quality of the leather and craftmanship involved in the boot & the better the contact between soft legs & horse.
 
Nothing like digging up an old thread eh?
So.... I've decided to try short boots instead of my long Toggi rubber boots on the basis of what I've read here but I have a really daft question.........

For some reason I've got it in my head that blokes don't wear jodhpur boots and half chaps.. will I look silly? will people point and laugh??

I'm not normally bothered by such things but being new to this world I don't want to make more of a pillock of myself than is strictly necessary
 
The blokes on my yard wear joddy boots and chaps. Quite normal, don't imagine anyone will laugh.

Johume, re half chaps, justchaps.co.uk also do very wide fittings and give a very thorough sizing chart as well as some very flashy chaps!
 
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