I bought a relatively inexpensive pair of Ovation Moorlands a couple years ago and the zips just died. Looking for replacements that are safe to ride in, somewhat waterproof in the feet at least, and dirt colored 
Does anyone have experience with the following boots?
Moretta Pamina
B Vertigo Amelia
Dover Balsam
Mark Todd Masterton
Or other recommendations that arenāt too $$$?
Thanks!
I have ridden in my Ariat Langdales. They are waterproof and pull-on, so no zips to break.
I ride in my Dublin river boots all the time. I didnāt buy them to ride in, but theyāre really comfortable and I continually forget to change out of them. They say theyāre safe to ride in, although theyāre maybe a bit wide for certain types of stirrups.
I have ridden in the Moretta Pamina ones a lot and even wore them for lessons and some schooling shows-- I like them enough that I got a pair of Shires field boots as well. I have short legs and fat calves and they fit me well which was a huge selling point. The tassels did not last very long though!
Yep, Iāve ridden in mine too. Not my first choice for riding, but absolutely doable. Usually in the winter!
I like the Mountain Horse Wild River boots since they have a closer fit/feel! My first pair of the Dublin River boots were great so I bought a second pair of them but there was a change made apparently because the second pair did not hold up well at all. I think they lasted maybe a month or two before they were completely unusable.
Iām on my third pair of Ovation Moorland boots. I like them because theyāre tall enough for riding and I can tramp around in the snow and mud. The problem is the zippers only last through one fall/winter, plus a few months into the next winter, like clockwork. I can never get two entire winters out of them.
One of my barn pals bought a pair last winter. I warned her. She dedicated herself to taking optimal care of those boots. Nope. Zippers broke mid-winter this year. I swear, itās the Moorland curse! So Iāve decided to never buy another pair once the pair I have are deceased.
So Iām eager to find out the other recommendations posters come up with, too. .
If the zippers on anyoneās Moorlands broke by suddenly refusing to actually close the teeth together, I did manage to fix mine. It turns out if you squeeze the bottom part of the zipper with some pliers it does make the zipper functional again.
Mine broke right in the middle of the zipper, spreading apart several inches, every time. So I couldnāt get the zipper up or down. Same with my friend. Weāve had to either cut the leather or break the zipper apart to get out of the boot. When the zippers get stuck part of the way up, I use some WD40 and an old toothbrush and that seems to work. Until the inevitable happens.
I donāt know if they still make these but I have a pair of Ariat Lakelands that I bought the last year or so that I rode that ultimately ended up getting more use for volunteer work at a therapeutic riding facility but I did ride in them once or twice and they worked well enough. They had a spur rest on the heel so they were made with riding in mind.
I donāt recall exactly what they cost, I got 'em probably in 2015 off Tack of the Day.
This is what they look like for reference:
Iād be surprised if Ariat still makes this exact boot but yāknow what Iām bored, Iāll go poke around online and see if thereās anything stylistically similar.
EDIT: Iām not seeing anything that seems really similar to these, closest I see on Ariatās website in terms of the overall look/shape/lack of chunkiness is the Sutton II which straight-up says not approved for riding. My Lakelands are pretty much all-around winter boots these days.
EDIT 2: The Ariat Lakeland is waterproof, Iād say the few times I rode in mine, generally fine to ride in b/c they donāt seem as āchunkyā as some country boots and pull-on so no zippers to die. If you somehow can find a pair or if it turns out Ariat/another brand has something similar if you like these specifically, then go for it, Iād say.
Thanks all!
Iām looking for something that is styled like a riding boot - less āstraight up and downā - but is comfy enough to wear walking around all day and waterproof for chores.
Iāve taken the Dover Balsam off the list because I think theyād be too warm. Kinda leaning toward the Mark Todd boots which I found on sale, but annoyingly their have a buckle at the calf - feels annoying to open and close all the time Iād think?
Anyone tried the B Vertigo Amelia or the Moretta Pamina? They look v similar.
The Tredstep Legacys are very comfortable. I ride at home in mine year-round. Itās hard for me to find boots that fit and they are perfect. Equus UK stocks lots of country type boots and the prices are really good.
Iām emailing them, but I canāt see that they ship to the US anywhere. Have you done that?
Iāve been happy with the MH Snowy River boot the last two winters. I swapped the insoles for shearling ones and theyāre comfy and warm. I walk around in them/do errands after the barn/whatever and donāt find them uncomfortable for that at all. Certainly not as close of a feel in the saddle as my summer half chaps, but very much fine.
Yes, I bought a pair of Moretta boots when the British pound lost value. Shipping was pretty fast. They are really nice boots, but I wish I had bought the full lace-ups. (I didnāt because my Legacyās are lace-ups.) The Morettaās fit well, just a little big in the foot. I am a U.S. size 7 and European sizes vary. I can wear a 37 or 38.
Good to know! And interesting that the Morettaās are big in the foot - I am a US 8.5 and usually wear a 40, but the Morettas donāt have half sizes, so have to choose between a 39 and a 41ā¦ wonder if a 39 would workā¦
I bought a UK size 5. A 4.5 would have been a better fit. My problem is skinny calves along with a permanantly funky right knee enlargedwith scar tissue. My calves measure 33.5 - 34 and most boots are too wide. Thatās why the lace-ups work well for me. I can tighten the calves but loosen the top at my knee.
Yes! Iām looking at the Moretta Alessandra and they come in a slim calf, so I think thatās going to help me. Plus a metal zip, no top buckle annoyance, and they look nice for about $180 delivered from Redpost
Those look really nice!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
