Long Horse Riding Boots
Ideal for dressage and show jumping, a comfortable pair of high-quality long riding boots can add style, finesse, and sophistication to give you that extra edge in competition. From a practical perspective, long riding boots help maintain a consistent leg position and help facilitate better communication of subtle leg aids. Long riding boots fit closely around your ankle and calf – over breeches, jodhpurs, or riding tights – to allow your legs to maintain closer contact with your horse without causing discomfort due to friction from clothing. The close-fitting ankle section also provides enhanced protection for your lower leg, preventing pinching from the stirrup leathers and bruising. Slim, more tight-fitting garments such as breeches or riding tights or ideal to wear with long riding boots because they have less material bulk around the lower leg to fit inside the riding boot and also smaller less bulky seams than for example jeans, which due to extra material folds, could give some discomfort to your leg when pressed tightly.
For some, it can be a challenge finding a pair that fits both the foot and the calf perfectly. We have quite a few options here at Discount Equestrian and are used to helping people find the perfect pair which ticks all the boxes. We are happy to help guide you through the process of choosing the best long horse riding boots no matter your style.
Riding footwear is a personal preference – some riders like short paddock style boots whereas others prefer the long, knee high riding boot.
Long riding boots, also known as tall riding boots, are, for most, a must-have along with a helmet and a good pair of breeches.
Unlike chaps which sit over short boots, long riding boots fit more closely around the ankle and calf to allow your legs to maintain closer contact with your horse without rubbing from your clothing and protecting the lower leg.
Some riders opt instead to use short riding boots along with a pair of riding chaps, particularly day to day riding on the yard where it may be easier and more practical to keep your jodhpur boots on all day and slip your chaps on as and when required through the day. One thing about long boots is that they do not usually stand up well with day-to-day yard activities. It might be more cost effective letting your short boots take the punishment and keep those smart long boots for the show.
Field Boots verses Dressage Long Riding Boots
You will likely have come across long riding boots which feature laces up the front and others that are plain fronted riding boots. The ones with laces are often called field riding boots and the ones without laces are called dressage Riding Boots. The laces are usually just a style feature of the field boots, not actually used to tighten the boots up. All long riding boots feature a zip either down the side or back of the boot to allow them on and off. Dressage boots are plain fronted as it is the preferred option, or at least preferred style for dressage competition. You will find both dressage and field boot options under the men’s, women’s as well as the children’s riding boots category.
Whichever style, brand, or budget you choose, when it comes to any type of long riding boot, size and fit really comes first and foremost. For an accurate measurement, a cloth tape measure is usually best. Start by wearing your regular breeches or socks and sitting in a chair with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Then, measure the widest part of your calf (you may need an extra pair of hands to help). Once you have your calf measurement, sit down on a chair, and place your foot flat on the floor. Measure from the base of your heel up to the crease at the back of your knee. This gives you your boot height measurement. Remember that a new pair of boots may sit up quite close to the crease behind your knee but will likely drop around 20mm when the leather softens and wears in. While waiting for your new boots to wear in and drop a little you could use heal risers which just raise the heal slightly allowing a little extra height in the boot.
Next step is to decide the type of long riding boot you are looking for, what budget you are willing to spend and see which brands offer boots that fit your sizing the best. Most riding boot brands provide a good range of sizing to suit most calf, height, foot size profiles however, we do sometimes come across customers who have little luck with off the shelf sizes and made to measure riding boots are the only option. Although custom made boots are more expensive, usually once customers come to terms spending the extra money on custom made riding boots that sorrow soon turns to excitement when they realize that custom boots probably mean a perfect fit along with a choice of leather colour, leather grain, piping colour, sole types, spur rests – the list goes on. You can have custom riding boots that compliment your style and perhaps tie in with your riding hat, stirrups or show jacket.
Long Leather Riding Boots from Top Brands
Our team at Discount Equestrian offers a range of high-end riding boots, cheap long riding boots and everything in between. Leather riding boots are by far the most popular and probably long-lasting option, especially if they are looked after. Affordable brands include Rhinegold and Dublin who both offer a good selection of long boots ranging from entry level rubber boots such as the Dublin Universal tall boot which are great if you are on a tight budget or just starting out, up to the stylish Dublin Galtymore Tall Field Boots made from high quality European leather. Brands that hit the more mid-range price point include Premier Equine, Mountain Horse, Brogini and Tredstep.
If you are looking for mid to higher end riding boots look at brands such as Tonics, EGO 7 and of course De Niro which are very popular amongst show jumpers.
Vegan leather riding boots are also starting to make their mark in the ethically conscious synthetic riding boot market. Many of the brands have introduced a vegan or synthetic offering, with more to come no doubt! As it’s still early days you may notice the vegan option may be a little more expensive. A quality yet still relatively inexpensive option from the men’s riding boot category is the Premier Equine Botero tall leather field boots. In the children's long riding boots category look no further than the Premier Equine Anima Junior Long Boots which are made from a sustainable nonleather source.
An affordable, classic choice of a child is the Rhinegold Young Rider Berlin long leather riding boot. If you are looking for high-quality, real leather options as a woman, a great boot is the Tredstep Medici II Field Boots, which are made of calfskin leather. For a wide calf and a shorter leg check out the Rhinegold Wide Leg ‘Luxus Extra,’ which is also made using leather.
Explore our entire horse riding boots collection here!
Looking After Your Tall Riding Boots
It is important to remember that the life of your long riding boots depends largely on how you look after them! Whether they are leather, PVC, or suede, it is important that you take care of long riding boots, should you wish to enjoy them for years to come. Therefore, we recommend that when your boots get wet at the yard or from riding in the rain, you dry them thoroughly (please do not place your boots on or near a radiator or heat source, however, as this can cause them to crack), and clean all mud or debris from them, before treating them with the appropriate leather, PVC, or suede care products, take a look at the riding boot care category which has everything you need. Tall Riding boots for example are best left to dry naturally, firstly make sure you clean any mud and dirt from the surface of your boots as if this is left it can eat away and cause deterioration of the leather, then once dried ensure your leather is treated regularly with the appropriate leather oil.
When storing your boots between riding sessions it is recommended to keep the boots upright with a boot tree to ensure they maintain their shape. If you are searching for long riding boots, look no further than the extensive range from Discount Equestrian. We offer some of the best brands on the market such as the exquisite, Italian Brogini riding boots range, the stunning Tredstep Ireland range and the versatile Just Togs range. Available in a range of width fittings and in both adult and junior sizes, so we have riding boots to suit Men, Women and Children. A long riding boot for every horse rider.
