Mountain horse sovereign reviews? Also brown boots in competition?

[MissCoco]

I just realized the moutain horse sovereigns now come in an all-over dark brown . . . Their short height is 16.5" which should just about fit my very short legs.
Any reviews from current or former owners?

https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Mountain_Horse_Sovereign_Tall_Field_Boot-New_Dark_Brown/descpage-MLUXB.html

Here is the thing, these would be my only tall boots for the foreseeable future, but I really love the look of brown boots. How unusual would that be in a competition environment? And how much does that matter?

Right now I’m doing jumpers, and schooling shows at that, so I guess it doesn’t really matter if I look “wrong”, and even if/when I go to recognized shows, I’m planning to stay at the local level for a good long while.

Would brown boots stick out like a sore thumb if I move into hunters at some point in the future though? And would that be a problem?

[hunter51]

I have them! The color is a rich dark brown and I do not think they would look out of place in the jumpers - I think they look very classy. I only use them for schooling at home and I just got them, so I cannot speak to durability but the zipper seems to be thick and the break in time is next to nothing. The only comment I have is that they seem to run small in the foot size; I ordered an 8 (8.5 was too big) so I removed the removable sole pad (unsure of proper name). I have also done this with my DeNiros for a better fit. All in all, I think they’re very nice boots at a good price point!

[EVneo]

I’m rocking the lighter brown in dressage and eventing - If DQs can handle them, I’m sure jumpers can Just double check that you get them from somewhere with free return shipping - they run large. In both the foot and the leg.

[DiamondJubilee]

I also love the look of brown boots and I don’t think you will look out of place at all! But if you have brown boots, you should have brown gloves, brown spur straps and a brown helmet

The brown colour is less formal than black (it comes from the driving world really - a country turnout would use a less formal carriage or cart, russet harness - brown, and a more “simple” type of turnout/hats etc. Black harness was for the more formal turnouts with fancier carriages and possibly livery/groom).

So I would say brown would not be appropriate to wear with a shad in a class where formal attire is required. But for everyday use and 99% of the classes/shows, I say go for it!! I’ve always wanted a pair of brown boots for showing as I think it looks pretty snazzy! I already have brown gloves and a helmet so I guess I need to get shopping as well!

[16_Hands]

I love the two toned sovereigns, ever since I saw them at an event I’ve been lusting over them. The brown would look very snazzy like DJ says above and for jumpers? why not!

[GutsNGlory]

I love mine! I quit buying Mountain Horse boots for a while as I had a lot of issues with zippers busting on old pairs. However, I gave these a try when I got a good deal about a year ago. They break in super quick, look lovely, and have held up super well. No issues with the zipper at all and they fit so much better than my Ariats. I have them in black though, for competition (eventing) as my ‘colors’ are black/grey/white. I really want to buy a pair of the two tone brown for everyday, but I’m waiting for my Ariats to die first. That being said, I don’t see any reason that brown wouldn’t be okay in the Jumper ring. Not sure about the hunters though…

[MissCoco]

@DiamondJubilee

I also love the look of brown boots and I don’t think you will look out of place at all! But if you have brown boots, you should have brown gloves, brown spur straps and a brown helmet

The brown colour is less formal than black (it comes from the driving world really - a country turnout would use a less formal carriage or cart, russet harness - brown, and a more “simple” type of turnout/hats etc. Black harness was for the more formal turnouts with fancier carriages and possibly livery/groom).

Thanks for the background info (and the encouragement)!

Also thanks for the fit tips and reviews EVneo and hunter51

[ElementFarm]

I’ve been lusting after a pair of brown ones for years, though I’d use them for schooling, as I don’t have a brown helmet.
A good friend has them in both black and brown, and she said the leather quality is much better on the black pair. She said the black ones are lovely, broke in quickly, and are very supple and lovely. She reported that in contrast, the brown ones are stiffer and never really got as comfortable or broken in as the black ones, despite being worn more frequently (for schooling, wheras the black ones she uses for shows and clinics).

I also have very short legs, and thought the short height might work for me. If you get them, and they’re wonderful, do come back and tell us, (and enable me personally).

[MissCoco]

So is it right out to wear brown boots for showing with a black helmet? My fave helmet isn’t even offered in brown.

I am such a noob that the helmet matching never even occurred to me (nor the gloves to be honest, though I did figure I’d swap out my spur straps).

[PNWjumper]

@MissCoco

So is it right out to wear brown boots for showing with a black helmet? My fave helmet isn’t even offered in brown.

I am such a noob that the helmet matching never even occurred to me (nor the gloves to be honest, though I did figure I’d swap out my spur straps).

No, no one cares if you show in brown boots and a black helmet. You do not need to make everything brown!

[GreyDes]

I have the older two tone brown ones. I’ve had them for three years and they are close to being done - the seam around the foot is starting to crack. They held up well for their price point given the zero care I gave them :). I liked them well enough to buy a second pair in black.

I agree the foot runs slightly large. I thought the calf measurements were true to the size chart and there is a decent sized elastic gusset to help adjust.

[511]

I have a pair of the dark brown. I don’t think they would stand out. They would just match a havana saddle and bridle.

[EVneo]

@MissCoco

So is it right out to wear brown boots for showing with a black helmet? My fave helmet isn’t even offered in brown.

I am such a noob that the helmet matching never even occurred to me (nor the gloves to be honest, though I did figure I’d swap out my spur straps).

It’s not a noob thing, it’s entirely a preference thing. I show in a navy jacket and helmet with navy or white gloves…and get ready to gasp - all my tack is black and spur straps are black. My saddle does have brown trim, which is why I got the boots…and I have been lusting for a black and brown bridle…and brown spur straps might look better…

[MissCoco]

@EVneo

I show in a navy jacket and helmet with navy or white gloves…and get ready to gasp - all my tack is black and spur straps are black. My saddle does have brown trim, which is why I got the boots…and I have been lusting for a black and brown bridle…and brown spur straps might look better…

:eek: :lol:

Does it help if I mention one reason I planned on new spur straps is because my current set consists of one in black leather, and the other of woven plastic? (easy to tell which boot they belong on!)

[MissCoco]

@ElementFarm
Boots arrived a couple weeks ago - here’s your review from a fellow shorty:

I like the look of them (I got the solid dark brown, and I think it’s a super wearable color, with just a touch of snazziness from the curved details), it’s also quite a dark brown, so short of wearing them with black or brown breeches, it’s hardly noticeable that they are brown.

I ordered the reg-short in a size 6 foot, and if anything they are just a hair short for me now that they’re broken in. My back-of-knee to floor measurement is almost exactly 16", and my calves are a bit more than 14" around.
I will say, the spanish tops on them are fairly high, so even though I might like them to be a half-inch higher at the back of my calf, they still look nice when I’m riding, and it is easier to deal with stairs than I’m used to with my half-chaps.

For me, the foot fit large (thanks for the heads up from people here!), I’m usually a 6.5-7, but the 6 is actually a bit long for me. They were also a bit narrow across the ball of my foot up until the last couple wears (I’ve been wearing thick wool socks) - but my feet are wide, so I’m used to that. I did find that the width stretched much faster than other boots I’ve owned, so that was nice.

I’d say it took me 5 rides to have the ankle fully broken in, but by the 3rd ride they didn’t feel very much different than my years-old paddock boots, and from there on, it was just very incremental differences/me getting used to the feel of them.

[bluepece2]

I’m glad you’re happy with them.

i have a pair that I bought about two years ago. They spent a year as show boots and now are every day boots. In the past year I’ve had two snaps fall off the boots and the stitching is starting to wear badly. I’ve ordered a new pair of shoe boots and hope these make it in one piece until December when my custom boots come in!

[postgradmess]

I adore mine, in the havana color – it is still two tone just very subtly so. I have them in the tall/slim and they are the first pair that have ever been tall enough, so i suspect they run a bit tall.

[soloudinhere]

For what it’s worth I am a dressage rider with all brown tack and I mix my brown boots with a navy, black, and brown helmet depending on what coat I’m wearing. Nobody cares at all…