Adding a spur rest to boots

[emipou]

One minor thing I overlooked with my boots is a spur rest. They lack them.

In a worst case situation, the spurs rub on the back on my heel and hurt badly to walk or stand in.

In a best case situation, even if I tighten them above the boney part of my heel, they slide down when I ride and become useless on the horse. My long legs coupled with the narrow body of my horse really beg for a higher spur.

I need ideas. Can I take them to a boot repair? Is there something I can do at home to fix this?

These are not expensive or even really nice boots, but these are very difficult to replace boots. I am a very hard fit with my foot size and calve width.

[dbliron1]

I have two thoughts: you could try rubber spur liners, which are inexpensive and really help to stabilize spurs, and/or you could try rubber spur straps, which also help to stop spurs from sliding.

[Libby2563]

I had the same problem. My boots were also not expensive but I liked the fit so much that I paid to have spur rests put on. The cost was outrageous (almost $100 I think for $250 boots), but has paid for itself many times over. I did try rubber spur liners first but they didn’t help. Not sure where you’re located but I got mine done at Journeymen Saddlers in Middleburg, VA. They may accept orders by mail if you can’t find anyone near you and are willing to pay shipping. They are on the slow side though, so don’t send your boots off unless you can be without them for a month.

[DownYonder]

I have seen people use two spur straps, one fastened the normal way, and the other one beneath the spur and fastened in front of the ankle. It did help solve the problem, but one person commented that they had to fasten the one in front of the ankle VERY tight.

[emipou]

oh! These are such great ideas!

Wow! I had no idea it could be so expensive to add a spur rest to a boot! I would probably try taking it in to Broken Horn. I hear the leather guy next door sucks but there is a guy inside the store that is really good. I don’t know about $100 though! Wow!

[Daisyesq]

I wish I could take the spur rests OFF my boots! You can have them!

I use rubber spur liners, and a nylon strap (the kind where you can place the buckle tongue anywhere and get the straps quite tight). Leather straps look nicer, but I can’t get the tight adjustment I want, and then they stretch.

Also, make sure that there is enough strap under your heel, so the spur can sit high to begin with: Adjust the strap to make it longer under your boot, to raise up the spur.

[emipou]

I think I need to readjust the strap so that there is more under the boot but I need to be careful because my dress boots and my paddock boots fit the spurs differently. The dress boots are much wider in the back than the paddock boots.

I already use a nylon strap. Those suckers last forever? They are the same nylon straps from my old cheap spurs from back when I was a teenager!

[Libby2563]

[QUOTE=emipou;8137561]
Wow! I had no idea it could be so expensive to add a spur rest to a boot! I would probably try taking it in to Broken Horn. I hear the leather guy next door sucks but there is a guy inside the store that is really good. I don’t know about $100 though! Wow![/QUOTE]

Yeah, I had a little sticker shock on that one too. I guess I should have asked for the price in advance!!! But it saved me from years of annoyance that my spurs were down around the heels of my boots and not able to touch the horse at all, so I’ve decided to believe it was worth it! I only wear these boots for shows so I hope they last many years.

[emipou]

I think when I start thinking in terms of “maybe I should wear my paddock boots and half chaps to the next show” that something needs to be done since I bought these dress boots specifically for shows and lessons.

[Libby2563]

[QUOTE=emipou;8137935]
I think when I start thinking in terms of “maybe I should wear my paddock boots and half chaps to the next show” that something needs to be done since I bought these dress boots specifically for shows and lessons.[/QUOTE]

I would call around and ask for prices to get spur rests added. Middleburg, VA, is a very expensive area and it’s also quite possible that I got ripped off. It can’t hurt to ask around, right?

Maybe even try some shoe repair places that aren’t saddlers per se, and if you don’t say the word “horse,” the price may drop by 50%. I’m not feeling very creative right now but I’m sure you can figure out some way to explain why you want to add a little bump to the back of the boots you use for riding your motorcycle or doing your Civil War reenactments or whatever, if they even care enough to ask.

[atr]

I’m sure that I’ve seen some spurs with a little stabilizing downwards pointing thingy beneath the arm of the spur, somewhere…

And I’d charge you $100 to add a spur rest. Fiddly little job that needs to look right, would take time to do.

[atr]

Yes! I thought I’d seen these. Extension spur, catalog item #1296 or 1297, Dressage Extensions. $58.95 with or without rowels.

[emipou]

[QUOTE=atr;8138248]
I’m sure that I’ve seen some spurs with a little stabilizing downwards pointing thingy beneath the arm of the spur, somewhere…

And I’d charge you $100 to add a spur rest. Fiddly little job that needs to look right, would take time to do.[/QUOTE]

I’m trying to picture this but it sounds painful. My main issue with the spurs is that they slide up and down on the back of my heel when I walk and it hurts. Adding a stabilizing piece sounds like it would hurt more.