Just curious to hear about boot toppers vs boot clips or other ways to have fun with boots without going full custom.
Examples: https://bootcrowns.net/ or https://www.qhp.nl/rider/shoes-and-accessories/boot-clips.html#
Not endorsing either, just interested to hear pros/cons of either option.
I had london tan boot toppers made to use with my Dehner custom boots after I got my fox hunting colors. With them I could use the same boots while hunting and then remove the tops to compete in the dressage phase of horse trials and combined tests.
I suppose tan boot tops could be called the fox hunters version of bling.
Do they slip at all? If they stand up to fox hunting, that’d be awesome!
Nope, no slipping. I had them made by a saddle repair fellow who worked in a tack shop in Aiken. They have velcro tabs, one in the back and one on the outside of the boot. The tabs do not bother my calves at all. I can also recommend Dehner boots. These have lasted almost 40 years, re-soled twice, and a leather patch on the inside of one calf. Last worn in a Jimmy Wofford cross country clinic simply because they are the most comfortable boots I own.
I haven’t competed for ages, but as an advocate of Less is More bling, I’d go with the 2nd option: the toppers or clips.
The 1st were a bit too-too for my stodgy taste 
Those are really neat!
Boot clips almost look like they require modification to the boot? I didn’t look hard, but didn’t see an explanation of how they work.
I have a pair of brown croc boot crowns. I have very hard to fit legs, but some off the rack black boots work for me. I mostly wear brown, but have a black dressage coat, and that combined with black boots and brown croc boot crowns will work nicely if I feel like it. For multiple day shows where it’s pretty toasty I may pull out the black for day 2 to avoid sweaty filthy jackets.
I can also use the brown boot crown on the brown custom boots I’m ordering if I want that top. It goes with my bridle and saddle, so I likely will at times!
I bought a pair of boot crowns for a pair of boots that I felt dropped just a tiny bit too much. I don’t know if it’s because they’re taller than assumed, but I feel like the boot crowns sit really funny and do not look like they belong on the boots. Like netg, they’re brown croc toppers (for my brown boots). They’re beautiful from a quality perspective. And if I could get them to sit a little lower on the boot I think they’d be better, but the clip that’s supposed to slide over the top of the boot is set low and makes them sit funny/high.
I didn’t realize this was a “thing”. Kind of cool. 
I noticed when I rode Sunday my boots have dropped a little bit. I didn’t know such a thing existed and now I have a new hyper-fixation! My bridle has a patent cavesson so now I’m tempted to get plain black patent for my boots😍
Opinion? Neither, unless you’ve earned the right to do so. But I’m a traditionalist 
Traditionally, patent or colored (brown) boot tops are only permitted to be worn by hunt members that have earned their “colors” - a privilege awarded at the discretion of the masters of the hunt.
Sure, these traditions have not translated to rules for USEF or FEI dressage competitions. Technically, it’s just as correct for you to show up in a scarlet (red) coat as it is for you to show up in boots with toppers. Sometimes though, tradition still trumps rules. There is no rule that horses have to be braided, but it’s usually done anyway as dictated by tradition. 
I actually bought some boot clips - price was under $20.00 so why not? They just slide onto the top of the boot. I haven’t ridden with them yet, but they seem firmly in place. I’ll report back on whether they move around or not.
I like those. Report back!
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