Short boots, do you need chaps ??

L

Libbylou

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Jan 20, 2010
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Norfolk and good
Not sure if this is a silly questions, Ive never used short boots as I dont like the look of chaps when they go saggy.

Ive always stuck with long boots, but this appears to be even more expensive as Ive had 3 pairs of long boots in 18months :stomp:

So if I opt for short boots during the summer do I need chaps or will the leathers nip my calves without them ?
 
I don't know about anyone else but I rode for years in just short boots and jods because I didn't have any chaps and I only had problems with the leather nipping my leg if I had been lazy and left the end of the stirrup leather hanging down instead of putting it through the little loop on the saddle.
I ride in chaps now but it is mainly because they are fake-suede and help glue my lower leg into position (or at least lets me feel the friction if it starts moving!)
 
I only find that the leathers only nip my calves if I'm riding in shorts ... just jods and short boots works fine for me, though I do have chaps as well just in case ... plus you could get leather garters if you like the 'look' of long boots ...
 
Might just be me but I find it uncomfortable without half chaps, and there's a tendency for trouserlegs to ride up when you trot too without them.
 
I tested this out at the weekend when i forgot my chaps. I found that it was slightly uncomfortable but not too bad however that was in the morning and my stirrups were quite short. When i went out in the afternoon i lengthened my stirrups and i got seriously nipped by the stirrup leathers when trotting. Wont be forgetting them again.
 
I've never ridden in anything but short boots and never had chaps either. I had a couple of lesson (when I was riding at the riding school before I got Joy) where my legs got pinched by the leathers but then that stopped and it's never happened since.
 
Answers are interesting. I always ride in long boots or chaps because I get pinched without fail if I only wear short boots... must be my flappy legs then :eek:
 
I have long legs and small feet, so unless I fork out for bespoke long boots I can't get size 6 boots that reach anywhere near my knees, so I wear jod boots with half chaps, I make the chaps myself Blue Peter style from leggings, so they're only suitable for using at home. Dunno what I'd do if I was going to a show!
 
I find that my jods ride up and I look like a plonk if I don't wear chaps, also one of the RS ponys sometimes squishes my leg against the wall, its a little trick he has. Half chaps have been skinned by this trick, gald I had them on.
 
I have always thought half-chaps were some modern fashion item, invented to get more money out of mothers for their spoit -brat daughters:giggle: I have always ridden in joddy boot and jods, and saved my long boots for shows/competitions. I never have any trouble with nipping leathers - but maybe I have rhino-hide legs by now!

But when my legs got too large for my long boots, I found leather chaps quite useful:redface:
 
I have only ridden without chaps a couple of times and got very irritated with my jods riding up. I know some people wear long socks with short boots and no chaps to stop that but I think I am too old for that look!
 
I've always ridden in short boots and leather half chaps. I have some every day ones and some nice ones for competitions etc. I found they were a lot more comfy than long boots as they had more give in them and ankle freedom.

If I ride in jods with patches down to the ankle then the leathers dont pinch. If I ride in breeches without the longer patches, then they do pinch. Shorts and short boots is a definate no no after my legs looked like they were butchered last year!
 
I also had really badly pinched legs when having lessons so maybe theres something about being very novice that makes it more likely? I have ridden 100s of miles in the last couple of years in just jodhs and short (walking) boots but then I have dressage leathers so they're flat.

Sods law being what it is changed to a longer girth today and this made a little lump under my saddle flap that rubbed me a sore patch :frown:

I have chaps, they're perfectly good, Im just too lazy to put them on :)
 
I've got some half chaps for sale - they won't sag either I promise!lol, they're medium brown leather - very very good condition!
 
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