Boots, Boots, Boots

My line of work is a dirty one. Horses aren't particularly neat creatures, and I really notice it when I'm mucking stalls or paddocks. The equestrian center has a lot of chutes and pens that get muddy when there's a mere drop of precipitation, so it's important to me that I have the proper footwear to deal with these conditions. I've already sung the praises of the Sperry Topsider Cormorant boot, but the time has come for me to buy a new pair of Wellies. My old, adorable pink-and-green plaid pair just gave up after two months at the barn. With Oklahoma's wild spring weather, I just know I'll need a new pair soon (before it starts raining again)! Here's what I'm considering:

Hunter Huntress Boot, $125

Sperry Topsider Pelican Tall Boot, $70

LL Bean Bean's Wellies, $59

Thoughts? I would love to hear your reviews/opinions/ideas on Wellies!

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.

Review: Sperry Top-Sider Cormorant Rubber Slip On

When I received an offer for the equine job I started yesterday, one of my first thoughts was "I need a new pair of barn boots!" In the past, I've always worn my tall riding boots around the barn; after all, I was almost always out there to ride. A pair of Wellies sufficed on days when I went out to feed or muck stalls. I knew most of my duties would be off-horse, so I started looking for a pair of boots I could wear to work. They needed to be comfortable, weatherproof, warm, and suitable for the occasional short stint on a disobedient animals.

I looked through a variety of brands and selected Sperry Top-Sider's Cormorant Rubber Slip On. I adore my other pair of Sperrys (the Bluefish boat shoe) and these came in the perfect color combination of brown/tattersall. I didn't want something too bright (like pink) but thought that the navy would look weird with jeans. (I have a thing against wearing navy with jeans.) Plus, they were on sale- always a bonus!

I wore them to work for the first time yesterday and was very pleased with them. I was initially concerned because they felt a bit tight (even though I ordered a half size up from my normal size), but the snugness dissipated after a bit  and they felt perfectly formed to my foot. My feet were kept nice and warm in yesterday's 20-degree weather, and snow and water didn't affect these boots at all. I had excellent traction on a variety of surfaces, from gravel to concrete to arena footing.  They looked great with jeans, and I wasn't self-conscious about wearing them into the grocery store on the way home. My only complaint is the laces- I untied one shoe's laces and couldn't get it tied properly again! The laces are coated in some kind of plastic, which makes them very slippery. The pair Sperry tied is perfectly fine and held all day, but the set of laces I adjusted came untied several times. It was very inconvenient, especially since I can't always stop leading a horse around to tie my boot! I managed to double-knot the laces (they were almost too short to do so) and don't plan on untying them ever again.

Overall, I feel like I got an excellent value and a stellar work boot. Stylish and functional, I'm certain these shoes will last me ages.