Good news ladies, my yoga instructor tells us students that as people get older their arches drop…become flatter and flatter footed over time.
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This happened last winter. I admit I was wearing canvas Toms, but due to the location of the injury (the tarsals) I do not think most boots would have saved me, at least not my typical riding boots. I wear Blundstones while handling and grooming now, and switch to my tall boots to ride. I’m in my mid 30’s and have been around horses since I was a small child. I had grown complacent, but it happened in a split second.
I had that kind of x-rays, the three middle ones, but luckily not displaced, still hanging together by slivers, more like crushed into long, skinny pieces.
How did that happen?
Jumping on and then off a 5’ fence, quicker than walking 50’ around said fence and going thru a gate. 
Accidents happen so fast and every place.
The biggest risk for accidents is, first being alive, second being active.
With horses, being active and around big, active animals, well, the risk increases.
Hope your foot is healing properly.
You will find that your feet now will have an increased sense of where they are and tend to move away from iffy situations before you are conscious that you need to move. 
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My farrier wears steel-toed boots, always has without any amputations. I can’t understand sneakers. What really makes me shudder is the woman who walked into the barn one day carrying a canvas bag with a few tools and a hoof stand. She had on nice sneakers. I felt bad for the horse she trimmed. His feet were terrible. Hers looked pretty good.
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Bumping this in search of any more wisdom since this first appeared. Both my feet are loaded with hardware and I can’t afford any more damage. I’m going to talk to my horse-savvy ortho surgeon as well, but please share your experience with either steel or composite toe. I’m leaning toward composite because I can’t handle the idea of cold toes in the winter.
Ive worn Ariat terrains since 2004 which have the composite toe. I had an internship that required a composite/steel toe and they paid for them. I had that first pair of boots up until a couple years ago, they got lots of miles! A stitch finally blew out the side of one of them. When I replaced them, I got the winter H2O version and have been very happy with them for riding or around the barn. Or hiking!
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You might check out the Timberland Pro boots and sneakers. I’ve been wearing their boots for years, but they also have sneakers with composite toes and a wide range of boots both metal (it isn’t actually just steel anymore) and composite. I like them because I have wide feet with badly twisted little toes and most horse oriented boots cramp my toes.
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Because of the literature I turned up in this thread, I realized it was kinda dumb to not be wearing a protective toe shoe in the barn and switched over. My general barn shoes are Merrell mocs, and they make a work version with a composite toe. I’ve been very happy with them.
My farrier is always in steel toe, and he has a few different work boot brands.
My forestry boots are Haix, they’re very nice and also a good choice. Maybe bit overkill just for barn work.
Ariat makes a few composite toe options, too, for a more traditional “horse” shoe.
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I wound up with a big fat pair of Keen carbon-toe boots. I was torn between Keen and a similar Ariat pair. My round-toe Ariat paddock boots, though, have a sole that’s thinner than I prefer and I didn’t want to chance that in a more substantial boot. I’ve been wearing Keens forever and those soles are perfect, so that’s how I made the choice. I’ll update in hot and cold weather so this thread will become an even fuller reference. Thanks to everyone who wrote earlier.
Your friend, Paula Bunion
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These are SO much better than the 6” Bean duck shoes I had been wearing on the ground. Better conformity to my … surgically enhanced … feet. Lightweight. Yesterday and today were a mess of rain and deep mud and my feet were completey dry and non-sweaty.
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LL Bean created his boots for hunting and fishing - stomping around in the woods and such. They were his first product in 1912 and he sold them in a small store in Freeport, Maine. The original design hasn’t changed and they are still made here in Maine one pair at a time. They can be resoled whenever, so it’s possible there are a few antique pairs still in use. The original boot needs plenty of socks to keep your feet warm. There are modern variations that are waterproof and/or insulated and somewhat stylish. I never considered using them at the barn because I can’t maneuver very well. I got Muck Boots. I have left one behind during mud season a few times over the years. They kept my feet reasonably warm in the winter. I don’t recall getting stepped on. They hold up well for doing chores.
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I’ve got steel toes for work (ships/shipyards). The only reason I don’t wear them at the barn is they are heavy.
Nezzy, don’t know if you ever found any boots. I managed to find a pair of men’s wide (EEE) paddock boots on Canadian eBay a few years ago. They are shortly going off to be resoled because I can’t find another pair. I’ve seen them on websites, but they are never actually available.
From the earlier responses - women’s wide is a D width, which is the normal width for men’s shoes. E or EEE is women’s extra wide or men’s wide.
Any brand recs for steel toe that could pass as normal Paddock boots/work with half chaps? I hate changing shoes so getting one pair that’ll stand up and do everything would be great, I found these that look promising but wanted to see if they looked “traditional” enough!
Same vein, anyone know if steel toes could be installed by a cobbler, like into a pair of tall boots? I’ve had my foot stepped on to many times and I’d like to try steel toes before I push my luck and get a broken toe!
Ariat makes protective toe paddock boots. Like so:
Yeah, apparently you can add toes to existing boots:
Just two weeks ago, my yearling levitated and came down on my foot - no steel toe. She crushed 4 bones in my foot. It was excruciating.
I ordered these. They haven’t arrived yet, but got good reviews.
Jeremy Mesh Composite Toe Metal Free Work Shoe Black - Twinkle Amber®
I tried a boot, but it just made my ankle bone extremely sore. Hoping these are comfortable enough. The site shows a foot being run over by a car with no damage.
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Oh, @sorrelfilly721. I’m so sorry. I went through something similar literally for years. The resolution took ages but the outcome was far better than anyone thought it could be. Pound calcium and Vitamin D. Happy healing to you.
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I got stepped on while wearing steel toed boots and the steel was driven into my foot. It wasn’t pretty at all. My boot had to be cut off and the steel plate extracted from my foot. It’s just a sample of one, but I won’t wear them around horses anymore.
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Two people in my office wear the Xena work boots and like them a lot.
this is what i am afraid of with steel toed boots.
