Cubbing attire question . . .

[Foxglove]

And for non-hunting folks --this is going to seem like a “who cares” question --so skip it —one of the reasons I hunt is I delight in the traditions of the hunt field --so here goes my question:

Cubbing means tweeds, and I have a lovely tweed --all good there, with it I wear New Market boots (canvas upper, brown leather foot, see Google for pictures). With William Tell, my mounted archery horse who moonlights as my hunt horse, I wear spurs.

The question is, do I change my spur straps to brown? I’ve never worn spurs to cub before, so didn’t think about it until today. I doubt I will have time to find brown spur straps before the Blessing of the Hounds Oct. 4 --but will be wearing the correct black/patent boots with my Shadbelly at that, so moot.

Next year’s cubbing would be earliest I’d need brown spur straps . . .so does one match the spur strap to the boot?

[2DogsFarm]

CAVEAT: this response requires a heaping spoonful of salt

Dear @Foxglove ,
As a non-Hunter, I have come upon the solution to your problem:
Send ME your Newmarket boots < that I have coveted since I was a teen
Get yourself standard black field boots.
Ta Da! Problem solved! :applause:

You do wear a size 8 (she says hopefully)?

Hope you get some serious & useful replies as well :yes:
Thought of you Thursday, when Taylor shanghaied me to MEC for the Midwest 6H Draft Finals.
He will be there tonight for the Championship Round - also livestreamed by Blue Ribbon Days Percherons on their FB page.

[Huntin_Pony]

When I wear my brown field boots for cubbing, I use brown spur straps. I believe this is “correct,” but others may have other ideas.

[Foxglove]

Sorry tiny footed 2Dogs --the New Markets are 10.5 – and, like you, I wanted a pair desperately in my youth – too expensive and since one can only wear them cubbing (not suitable for showing in any discipline I’ve ever heard of), I would only wear them 4-6 times a year. Then one day about 15 years ago, a pair showed up on eBay! Dahners --and my size (almost, can’t wear them with regular weight socks --only very thin socks). Price was $100 and shipping --I think that was the fastest purchase I ever made on eBay --they are not perfect --a tad short, a tad wide in the calf --but they are New Markets! With some oil on the brown leather and scrubbing of the white canvas --they are, to my eye, perfect!! Next time you are in Middlebury or at the MEC – text me – might be able to see you!

Oh, and I have black boots (with patent leather tops) —however, since I hunt in MI those too are put aside after The Blessing of the Hounds —due to cold, most everyone wears Mountain Horse Winter Riding boots for actual hunting. So I wear my dress boots even less than my New Markets!

[Janet]

@2DogsFarm

CAVEAT: this response requires a heaping spoonful of salt

Dear @Foxglove ,
Get yourself standard black field boots.

BLACK field boots are, or at least to be, anathema in the hunt field.

[Equibrit]

No hunting in Newmarket boots.

[Martina]

I use brown spur straps on my brown field boots. Easy to find and you have lots of time before next year

[Foxglove]

@Equibrit – I don’t understand your admonition about not hunting in New Market boots. I and many other older hunt members recall when New Market boots were worn by the majority during cubbing –

https://www.horacebatten.com/our-boots/newmarketboots

I will be sporting mine tomorrow bright and early at the cub hunt!

[2DogsFarm]

@Foxglove

Sorry tiny footed 2Dogs --the New Markets are 10.5 – and, like you, I wanted a pair desperately in my youth – too expensive and since one can only wear them cubbing (not suitable for showing in any discipline I’ve ever heard of), I would only wear them 4-6 times a year. Then one day about 15 years ago, a pair showed up on eBay! Dahners --and my size (almost, can’t wear them with regular weight socks --only very thin socks). Price was $100 and shipping --I think that was the fastest purchase I ever made on eBay --they are not perfect --a tad short, a tad wide in the calf --but they are New Markets! With some oil on the brown leather and scrubbing of the white canvas --they are, to my eye, perfect!! Next time you are in Middlebury or at the MEC – text me – might be able to see you!

I would have bought them in a heartbeat & stuffed the toes!
When I was a horsepoor kid, all the Coolest Kids had Newmarkets.
They also had Madras plaid huntcoats, which I also dreamed of…
Now, :disgust: on the plaid
But I had to be content with OTR Dehner dress boots & my Aunt’s handmedown black wool coat.
Both of which I wish I still had.

👌Will absolutely let you know next time I am near you :yes:
MEC was pretty last-minute.

[jawa]

@Foxglove I believe that Newmarket boots would be correct for very early hunting season, as in when the temperatures can almost still feel like summer. A salt sack hunting jacket would pair nicely with those boots. And spur straps that match the leather on the boot would be most correct.

[Foxglove]

@jawa --just had the last cub meet today – Opening meet and Blessing of the Hounds is next Sunday. I can only make two cubbing meets a year --and have two cubbing jackets (my Madras plaid from 1968, and a Harris Tweed. I would LOVE a linen or Salt Sack jacket --but no chance to wear one . . .

[McGurk]

I am with @jawa. I think New Market boots for early season cubbing would be fabulous, but yes, I would switch to brown spur straps. You wouldn’t put black spur straps on brown field boots, so you shouldn’t put them on New Market boots either.

While I would love to see salt sack or linen cubbing jackets come back, realistically, that’s not going to happen. So it you wanted to wear a light weight tweed, or one of the new, wonderful tech fabric jackets in a tradtiional plaid with your New Market boots, I think that would be very appropriate AND good looking.

@Janet, I am a curmudgeon and a lover of all things traditional in hunting, but even I can’t stick by the old rules about dress boots vs. field boots. For most people, ONE pair of boots is a significant expense, two is extravagant and three is beyond the pale. (Black field, black dress and brown field) Blame it on the show hunter people who got everyone wearing field boots because they allowed a better fit, before we all converted to boots with zippers.

[rothmpp]

@Foxglove

Sorry tiny footed 2Dogs --the New Markets are 10.5 – and, like you, I wanted a pair desperately in my youth – too expensive and since one can only wear them cubbing (not suitable for showing in any discipline I’ve ever heard of), I would only wear them 4-6 times a year. Then one day about 15 years ago, a pair showed up on eBay! Dahners --and my size (almost, can’t wear them with regular weight socks --only very thin socks). Price was $100 and shipping --I think that was the fastest purchase I ever made on eBay --they are not perfect --a tad short, a tad wide in the calf --but they are New Markets! With some oil on the brown leather and scrubbing of the white canvas --they are, to my eye, perfect!! Next time you are in Middlebury or at the MEC – text me – might be able to see you!

Oh, and I have black boots (with patent leather tops) —however, since I hunt in MI those too are put aside after The Blessing of the Hounds —due to cold, most everyone wears Mountain Horse Winter Riding boots for actual hunting. So I wear my dress boots even less than my New Markets!

If you ever find yourself wanting to “rehome” your New Markets - it sounds like they would fit me (excuse the pun) like a glove. I wear a 10.5 and have a wider calf…

[Willesdon]

As Newmarket boots are not a thing in the UK, I googled them. Yes, Boots, the chainstore chemist/pharmacy, does have a shop on the High Street in Newmarket.

And apparently Horace Batten, boot maker, (horacebatten.com) has recently started making them again. Who knew.

[SLW]

Yes, the color of the boot leather and spur strap should match! Several members of my hunt ride in New Market boots during cubbing season on the unseasonable warm days.

[ecileh]

@Janet, I am a curmudgeon and a lover of all things traditional in hunting, but even I can’t stick by the old rules about dress boots vs. field boots. For most people, ONE pair of boots is a significant expense, two is extravagant and three is beyond the pale. (Black field, black dress and brown field) Blame it on the show hunter people who got everyone wearing field boots because they allowed a better fit, before we all converted to boots with zippers.

More specifically, blame it on George Morris. I had a conversation with Marion at Horse Country (and Rita Mae Brown, of all people!) about field boots and their origin and Marion said that it was GM who started and then perpetuated the trend of the laces–for ladies who had small ankles so the boot would fit better.

I also covet New Markets, but I have no idea how one would keep them clean!

[McGurk]

@ecileh,

I can totally believe (and why would I doubt Marion?) that is was GM that started the trend for field boots in the show ring for the more fitted look. GM is also the one who is responsbile for the death of patent leather tops on lady’s boots, because he said that another horizontal line had the visual effect of shortening the leg, a bad look for a eq rider.

I went to camp with a very wealthy girl who had New Markets that I deeply coveted, but then, she had multiple pairs of boots. And yes, I always wondered how to keep them clean.

[ecileh]

Oh, that totally sounds like GM re: patent leather tops.

I got my colors a few seasons ago and there has been some subtle pressure to get the patent tops, but I really don’t like the look of them. I think it’s because of the shine, but now that I know GM said they visually shorten the leg, I wonder if that might be part of it also they just look…odd to me. (I love the brown tops, though. They don’t seem to have the same effect.)

[Foxglove]

Not sure why my posts are duplicated . . .

[Foxglove]

I clean my canvas tops on the New Markets with Orvis and a scrub brush. I do it with the boot held upside down so the soap doesn’t run on to the leather foot. I wet the boots, then put the Ovis on a scrub brush and have at it. I let one sit for a bit while I do the other, then scrub again. After awhile, I rinse, then stuff the inside with newspaper crushed up and put in the sun (the brown leather has a good coat of oil during this time. After the canvas top is dry (sometimes I have to change the newspaper wads a couple of times --put in my boot trees, and we are good! FYI I don’t put on my New Markets until I’m ready to mount --I wear rubber barn boots up to that point . . .saves wear on them and keeps them clean. Mine are leather on the saddle side of the boot. The canvas is only on the front, side, and back.