Any of you ever trail ride in your rubber boots?
I’m going on a trip to Orlando soon and I’ll be going on a trail ride.
I’m not carrying my boots up but I do need a pair of rubber boots for mucking around the barn so I can buy that while I’m there.
I only have converse sneakers otherwise, and I feel like that would be uncomfortable because they’re so flat.
So can I trail ride in a pair of rubber boots from Walmart?
Yes, but watch the tread on the boot. A very aggressive tread will make it difficult to impossible to “drop” your stirrup. That can have serious, negative consequences.
I’ve got an older pair of MuckBoots with a very mild tread and they work OK. But even then they ONLY work OK.
If you can take a pair of rubber boots why not a pair of paddock boots and half chaps?
G.
[QUOTE=Guilherme;8557738]
If you can take a pair of rubber boots why not a pair of paddock boots and half chaps?
G.[/QUOTE]
I thought about it, I’ve done the paddock boots and half chaps before but I really really prefer my tall boots. When I return from the trip I’ll likely only be using the boots for bathing horses so I’m reluctant to invest in that.
The lining on cheap rubber boots can rub & they are generally pretty hot to ride in.
Guilherme has a very valid point re: the ability to get your foot out of the irons.
Packing tall rubber boots for your trip home is not going to be any less inconvenient than packing your tall boots for the RT.
FWIW:
I ride in my paddocks (w/o 1/2 chaps) all the time & have taken them to Spain for a riding vacation where a 3h trail ride was the start of every morning, with a dressage lesson every afternoon.
I guess I don’t want to risk damaging my leather boots. Rubber boots are ok for me to abuse when packing them to come back 
Do I have to worry about stirrups as much in a western pleasure saddle? They seem very wide and supportive. I wouldn’t know of course, I’ve never ridden in a western saddle before.
My old paddock boots can’t be seen in public and have a hole in them, so I may think about getting a new pair, but since I’ve gotten my tall boots over 2 years ago I haven’t once looked back. When I return they’d probably just sit there and rot unless they look good enough to go traipsing around town in.
A rubber boot is no safer than sneakers. I think they’re actually more dangerous since the pull on mind can slide off your feet and being made of rubber makes them sticky and can cause your foot to get stuck. I would just take paddock boots to ride in if you have those.
Have you looked at LL Bean boots (the 8" lace up style, not the moccasin)? They do not have an aggressive tread, and they also have a heel. I ride in mine all the time. They’re also tough as nails. My current pair is about 10 years old and going strong.
If you don’t want to ride in good, tall boots (and I understand why not) then the paddock boot/half chap combo is the next best thing. Sometimes the substance has to over-rule the form!!! 
Another alternative is a lower cost, “working” tall boot. There are all kinds of field boots out there and they might work quite well. They will be more money than rubber Wellies from Walmart but they will be a lot cheaper than the deductible on your health insurance for an ER visit!!!
There are also riding sneakers, but I don’t like them as well as they are…sneakers! The risk of getting stepped on when working around horses is real and substantial. A boot/shoe that has no “stiffness” to it means that even a glancing blow can have significant consequences. This is another reason to reject rubber Wellies.
Proper riding gear for the person is at least as important as proper gear for the horse.
G.
To be fair - a lot of trail riding places go with safety stirrups for that reason. Most places don’t expect riders to come with proper footwear while on vacation.
A place I went to as a kid had a selection of old boots you could put on.
We have done 2 trail rides in the past year while on vacation. Hiking boots for one, sneakers for the other.
I wouldn’t bother with half chaps for a trail ride. A pair of hiking boots, blundstones, paddocks - any of those will work.
[QUOTE=Skitten;8557781]
I guess I don’t want to risk damaging my leather boots. Rubber boots are ok for me to abuse when packing them to come back
Do I have to worry about stirrups as much in a western pleasure saddle? They seem very wide and supportive. I wouldn’t know of course, I’ve never ridden in a western saddle before.
My old paddock boots can’t be seen in public and have a hole in them, so I may think about getting a new pair, but since I’ve gotten my tall boots over 2 years ago I haven’t once looked back. When I return they’d probably just sit there and rot unless they look good enough to go traipsing around town in.[/QUOTE]
I have a pair of blundstone style dublin boots. They are awesome for everything in life. Look great with a pair of jeans, I can ride in them, I go for walks in them (amazing grip) I massage horses in them because of the steel toe. Bonus is that they look good scruffed up if you want to go that route.
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