How to get new boots to soften?

HaloHoney

Well-Known Member
Apr 30, 2017
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Hello,

Just bought myself the most gorgeous leather boots today, but my goodness they need to soften/drop.

How can I speed this up? I've read conflicting info about oiling/not oiling. They almost cost me a kidney, so I'm not at all inclined to risk anything that might ruin them! :)
 
Grit your teeth, wear them and ride in them so that they find your shape. Pad behind you knee if it hurts too much. Heel risers help for a while. The only way to really do it is to wear them. Sorry.
 
Heel risers and keep wearing them. I've put my legs in a bath before with boots on, for boots that were slightly too tight, works well at getting them to mould to your shape and doesn't ruined them, you must wear them until the boots are dry though.
 
Wear them around the house at home too, when youre watching tv, cooking etc etc.
I did a xc course wslk in mine and couldn't walk afterwards but that was the final piece that broke them in so good in the end!! haha
 
Walk around in wet grass until they darken a shade then wear them until they dry, and repeat :) once they're close give them a treatment of leather balm :)
 
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Ok I have tried wearing them, but I can't get past 10 minutes before I feel like I've got pins and needles in my feet from lack of circulation.

I wear orthotics in all my shoes normally, tried tried wearing them in these as they act like heel risers. Still the same issue.

I can *barely* get them done up at the top. There's softening, and there's "should have bought a size bigger" I think.

I'm going to have to take them back arent I? :(

I find it utterly bizarre that I'm a size 10 in skinny jeans yet a can't do up a pair of "regular" width boots...
 
I've got a pair like that but I'd worn them outside before I realised, its taken a year of slowly slowly and I can wear them for a few hours now but next time I'd get the wider calf so id def say change them if you can :)
 
Emailed them, they said I was welcome to go back and they'd look at the fit of them again... so I took them back, they agreed. They have ordered me a new pair, should be here tomorrow. :)
 
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Ok I have tried wearing them, but I can't get past 10 minutes before I feel like I've got pins and needles in my feet from lack of circulation.

I wear orthotics in all my shoes normally, tried tried wearing them in these as they act like heel risers. Still the same issue.

I can *barely* get them done up at the top. There's softening, and there's "should have bought a size bigger" I think.

I'm going to have to take them back arent I? :(

I find it utterly bizarre that I'm a size 10 in skinny jeans yet a can't do up a pair of "regular" width boots...

I find regular width boots, particularly dressage / show boots very tight. I actually began to get a complex lol about my legs when we first started riding. I'm a 12 in skinnies which is not that large yet I always buy wide fitting in long boots with a zip. Country boots are different and I generally find those quite generous. I think horse riding boots are just torturous!!:p I remember my friend saying she had to get a coat hanger to do up the zips on hers:eek:and she couldn't walk very far in them either. God knows how she walked the xc course when she was eventing!
 
Just went back to the shop and picked up my new boots. Tried them on and they are perfect. Slightly different design at the back (tongue in foot section now where there wasn't on the other pair, 2-step popper tab at the top).

Also asked whether the free gift advertised online was valid in store... and the answer was yes! So I came away with a nice Ariat duffle bag and leather conditioner too! :)

Shame I fell foul of a nice pair of Pikeur jodhpurs while I was there. I should not be left unattended in a tack shop...:rolleyes:

Can highly recommend Eileen Douglas tack shop in Wokingham. www.tackshop.co.uk - very good service, and their range is particularly good. Loads and loads of clothing there, and facilities to try on- I'm sure I'm not alone in buying things online and having to send them back when they don't fit!:mad:

:D
 
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