Break In New Riding Boots

I’m eyeing some gel bands on Smartpak that are supposed to protect your skin during the torturous break in period. That’s worth $27, I think.

Update: Bought it, should be here 6/9/11.

Update: Totally worked! 12/10/11 thank you Equifit Gel Bands.

I used them for my practice session today and they were perfect, until I got off and walked around. The leather folds stabbed my ankles with every step. Time to soften them up with massive amounts of glycerin soap.

... And they’re perfect. Thanks Anthony’s!

Since both of my hardly used spare riding boots now fit with both socks and breeches on, I decided to send two of my three pairs of Effingham riding boots back in to Anthony’s for repairs. The brown Field boots needed a replacement zipper pull for the one that broke while I was stretching them out. (I doubt I’ve worn them on a horse more than once.) My dressage boots are in to get the snap tabs which dig into the back of my knee replaced with the far more comfortable Velcro type used on my field boots.

I insured them for $1200 figuring that was about the replacement value.

Effingham went out of business right after I bought my boots so I priced the same options from Der Dau (black only via equestrian collections.)

Semi custom field boots with toe cap, ripple sole, swagger tabs, elastic gussets and knee to ankle zippers: $965

Semi custom dressage boots with ripple sole, elastic gussets, and knee to ankle zippers: $1180

Guess the insurance should have been $2K+ Hope they make it home okay!

I guess my calves are a bit slimmer, since I’ve managed to zip up my dressage boots over a pair of breeches for the first time. Yeah! I’m going to wear them around the house for a bit before riding in them

Still need to get the zipper on my brown field boots fixed.

I think both pairs have been sitting in the closet for about five years!