Boots

Yesterday, I bought a new pair of riding boots for the first time in ten years. I am simultaneously excited and sad. My old pair of tall boots was a pair of Ariats, purchased brand new back in 2001; they replaced a pair of used Ariats I wore when I first joined Pony Club and started riding in three-day events. The new Ariats were a big deal, since most of my equestrian equipment was bought used. I remember the first horse show I wore them to- I was riding my horse Spike, and couldn't stop thinking about how slippery these boots were and how awful my legs must look sliding around everywhere. I wore those boots through good horse shows, terrible horse shows, NCAA competitions, racing around fields with my friends, polo practice in a new place when I had no friends. Those boots were my faithful friends, comforting me and reminding me of my hard work and happy times. The decision to replace them wasn't as difficult as it might seem- the Ariats' soles are beginning to chip away, the leather on the toes is cracked from prolonged exposure to water, and the black dye has worn away on the inside of the calves. They're also a bit too tight- somewhere in the last ten years, my calves got larger. (Sad, until I think that 10 years ago, I was only 14.) 

My new boots, pictured above, are a pair of Treadstones. They're reviewed well and current owners seem to like them. They zip up the back, eliminating the need for an uncomfortable tug-of-war up the leg. They look nice. I'll be breaking them in at my new job, probably by riding the lovely Thoroughbred mare we're trying to sell. I'm excited to have them- riding in jeans and barn boots feels foreign and uncomfortable to me. And, in some small way, they're a symbol of hope and possibility. Maybe soon, my horse Moe will be able to join me in Oklahoma. And soon, I'll be able to ride in three-day events ago. Maybe I'll even buy that Thoroughbred. Who knows? But here's to 10 more years of riding horses.