New here (kinda) and getting back into riding. With questions!

[Tobiasmyboy]

Hi! Im back, I used to come here often when I had my own horse. 12 years ago. Well life changed, my horse retired, I got married, had 2 kids, moved to Idaho, had 2 more kids, they are getting big and are horse crazy like mama! . I just started taking lessons again after over 10 years of not riding consistently. I always did hunter jumpers and now trying dressage. I have a pair of breeches on order (in which FedEx is taking way too long to get them to me) and I’m looking for some universal boots. I have seen the Dublin Pinnacle grain boots. With the lacing on the side. Has anyone tried them for casual riding?

https://www.doversaddlery.com/dublin-pinnacle-grain-boots/p/Z1-380981A/

I live in North Idaho, and plan to wear these all winter with every day clothes as well. But they need to work for riding too as my paddock boots and half chaps are dying.

Thanks!

[Paint_Party]

I had those exact boots in brown.

Pros:
Long lasting and well made
Wore them in snow and slush at the barn, with thick socks and felt cozy
Easy to keep clean
Generous in the foot sizing with plenty of room in toe and ankle
Fine for trail riding (western; did not use them to ride English)

Cons:
I’m 5’8" and they were too short on my leg for English riding
Sole felt a little thick for English stirrup irons
They can feel steamy and hot in summer weather
My calves are slim and the laces wouldn’t go any tighter, so not a snug fit for my leg. But laces are certainly adjustable if you want/need the width to be a little wider.

Hope this helps! Welcome back to riding and hope you have fun!

[Foxglove]

As someone who wore tall boots continually during my teen years into my mid-twenties, I long ago retired them to “special use only” --ie Blessing of the Hounds, Joint Meet, Opening Day. For the past decade I’ve lived in (Ariat All-terrain waterproof) paddock boots. The reason is comfort, versatility, and cost. [ added this: I hunt weekly Sept-April —I only wear leather tall boots for the dates above, the rest of the time hunting, I (and just about everyone else) wear Mountain Horse Winter Riding Boots --or similar --the leather tall boots are saved for the special occasions listed).

I ride first thing in the AM, 2-3 horses. I put on breeches, paddock boots, and half-chaps. Good to go. When horses are done at noon, I switch to chore work --stalls, mowing, spraying, gardening. Tall boots would not work for that. Second reason is I ride both English and Western. When I’m working with horse on Western stuff (I occasionally wear breeches) but usually I wear Western riding pants, no half chaps, but same boots.

Finally, cost. My last (I hope) pair of Dehners Tall boots set me back $900. I can buy Ariats for $100. The Ariat paddock boots generally last about 3-5 years. I have worn out at least 9 pair of tall boots (rough count, can’t recall exactly as my kids and I got to sharing boots at one point). I hose off my Ariats if they are muddy. Those tall boots are kept on trees, polished, in boot bags for when I need them. Don’t want to do that every day.

I initially switched to Ariats when I did a 250 mile trail ride. I was worried that at some point I might need to dismount and lead my horse, possibly up to 20 miles to the next camp (didn’t happen, rode the whole way). Looked for a boot that I could ride in OR hike in. Ariats did just that.

Never went back to daily tall boot use after that.

[Tobiasmyboy]

The ariat terrains is what i currently have and I love them!!! They are about 14 years old. Lol they stuck with me while I worked for a trainer riding 3-4 horses a day and grooming 10. That’s what I’m riding in now with some half chaps. I split my half chaps, they are old too. Lol I could probably just get new half chaps. What ones do you use with the terrains?

I was considering a tall boot not just for riding, but up here in the winter, you want knee high boots all the time. Even going to church. Lol so the Dublins would be used more for non riding. And I would just ride weekly in them. I don’t have my own horse yet, so the daily horse chores aren’t in existence yet.

[Scribbler]

Any boot that goes to the barn stops being passable for fashion wear very quickly. Even if you aren’t soaking the foot in pee and mud cleaning stalls, you will get horse sweat and dandruff ground into the shafts.

If you still have your Ariat paddock boots, then just grab a new pair of half chaps, second hand if you can. Or take your old ones to a cobbler to repair.

The country style boots are gorgeous and by all accounts comfortable. By them as a fashion item. I would not drop that much money on them hoping they will work for riding and church as they aren’t ideal for riding and will quickly get too gross for dressup.

[Tobiasmyboy]

Ha ha most people here wear muck boots or bogs or snow boots to church in the winter. Not fashion boots. That’s why I was hoping o could get a pair that goes both ways.

[Scribbler]

Well, your boots will end up stinking.

I had a period in my life where I rode in the morning and taught in the afternoon and changed st work. I wouldn’t realise how filthy my boots were until I got into my office and could smell them in the clean office environment. And you can’t get the smell out.

I’d suggest fixing the half chaps and buying Dublins for casual wear. They aren’t going to be great for dressage, in particular. Trail riding or western, probably ok.

[Tobiasmyboy]

OK. Thanks. I might just do that.

[Red_Barn]

Welcome back, Tobiasmyboy.

I’ve been wearing the same pair of Pinnacles for . . . five years? Six years? Since they first came out, anyway. I have them in the original mushroom-y brown, and they look decent, if not exactly dressy. They’d probably be more rider-ish in black, so there’s that.

~ I agree that they’re a bit short. I’m under 5’3" and even I wouldn’t mind them an inch taller.
~ They give no support to your leg whatsoever, so, if you prefer that in a riding boot, forget it.
~ On the other hand, they’re extremely comfy, even when working in them all day.
~ The lacing is great, especially if you’re planning to wear them with bulky socks in winter.
~ They stand up to mud, sludge and snow (I live in Maine) and they don’t lose their shape at all. That to me is truly impressive.

Overall, they sound like exactly what you need. You might also consider the Ovation Moorland, which is also quite rugged, and a bit more like a regular riding boot:

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ovation-moorland-ii-highrider-boot-21506?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Smart_Shopping_TES&utm_campaign=TES&msclkid=171d6abd7fe517539c410a14dca73472&gclid=171d6abd7fe517539c410a14dca73472&gclsrc=3p.ds

I absolutely love these, but I don’t think they’d work as well in winter.

I do, however, agree with others on the stinkiness factor. I don’t think you can - for example - clean stalls and go to church in the same boots.

If you’re on a budget, I’d get good, solid boots in which to work and ride in multiple seasons, and then get something cheap and cute for indoor events like church.

[TwiSedai]

Bit late on responding but I have the dublin river boots. I’ve done barn work, long trail rides, jumping, schooled xc, everything with them. Have even occasionally competed in them at schooling shows when I forgot to swap out boots. I just had to make sure my stirrups were wide enough, but never had any issues riding in them.